l'Actualité du Solaire

First Solar has announced that it will have brought 6.8 GW into operation by 2023, mainly to produce Series 7. Its production capacity has risen from 9.8 GW to 16.6 GW. It should be increased

21 GW by the end of 2024, rising to 25 GW by the end of 2026 with the commissioning of another plant in Louisiana at the end of 2025.

The company generated 12.1 GW in 2023, compared with 9.1 GW in 2022 (+33%). It sold 11.4 GW and received 28.3 GW of orders last year.

Financial aspect :

Sales in 2023 will reach $3.3 billion (compared with $2.6 billion in 2022). This will rise to between $4.4 and $4.6 billion in 2024. First Solar's operating profit is expected to be between $1.5 and $1.6 billion. This includes production start-up costs ($85 to $95 million), increased factory expenses ($40 to $60 million), and IRA Section 45X tax credits ($1 to $1.05 billion).

https://www.pv-tech.org/first-solar-added-6-8-gw-nameplate-capacity-in-2023/

PV TECH of 28 February 2024

N.B. Achieving an operating margin of 45% to 48% of sales in 2023 is due solely to the tax credits linked to the investments made. Excluding these exceptional revenues, the operating margin would be 9.1% and 16.7%, which is more usual. Corporation tax must be deducted from these figures.

Producing 12 GW and receiving orders for 28 GW in the same year demonstrates First Solar's industrial and technical success.

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Chinese manufacturers are facing overproduction, fierce competition and falling panel prices. Finlay Colville believes that First Solar could be the only major global solar manufacturer to achieve a profitable 2024. This would be a year of record investment. It could exceed the combined investments of the four main manufacturers

https://www.pv-tech.org/first-solar-cdte-modules-add-us10-billion-to-us-economy/

PV Tech of 26 February 2024