JOHANNESBURG, South Africa–February 17, 2014 - First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR),a global leader in photovoltaic (PV) solar energy solutions, will highlight its modular solar power generation unit at the 2014 Africa Energy Indaba. Purpose-built for solar power project developers looking to maximize energy output and revenues, the AC Power Block is a configurable PV power plant solution - backed by an industry-leading performance guarantee -that is designed to be deployed by qualified partners.
The AC Power Block will be available in units ranging from 800 kilowatts (kW) to 3.8 megawatts (MW), allowing maximum scalability to address actual energy needs. Each Block consists of First Solar Series 3 BlackPlus PV Modules, mounting solutions, industry-leading inverters and the company’s proprietary Plant Control System and SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition). Based on First Solar’s proven PV plant design, the Block’s components are collectively configured to deliver accurate energy profile and maximum reliability. Importantly, the AC Power Block is supported by an energy guarantee for the first year, as well as a 25-year capacity warranty.
“As countries across Africa move forward with their renewable energy programs, we expect the AC Power Block to become an attractive value proposition for solar power plant owners and developers, as well as for mining operations looking to incorporate hybrid PV systems,” said Johannes Cilliers, Regional Business Development Director for First Solar in sub-Saharan Africa. “The solution offers ease of deployment, guaranteed performance, scalability, stable grid integration and reliability that comes from First Solar’s 8,000MWs of global experience. Additionally, a reduced levelized Cost of Electricity and industry-leading guarantees help certify its value as an asset, allowing owners to rely on a bankable revenue stream.”
First Solar will also showcase its Series 3 BlackPlus PV Module at the Indaba. These advanced thin-film modules yield up to 8 percent more energy than competing solar modules with the same power rating. Featuring a superior temperature coefficient and spectral performance, the module’s reliability in extreme conditions has been independently certified to exceed industry standards.
As a vertically integrated solar energy company, First Solar has been leading the charge to integrate reliable and affordable solar electricity into the energy mix on a global scale. With a pipeline of over 3,000 MW or 3 Gigawatts (GW) of contracted solar power plants and over 8,000 MW installed worldwide, its modules’ collective capacity is approximately the same as eight nuclear power plants. First Solar’s commercial footprint spans six continents, including Africa, with manufacturing facilities in the US and Malaysia.
First Solar will exhibitatbooth D18 at the Africa Energy Indaba in Johannesburg, from February 18 to 20, 2014.
