France to Aquire New Solar Plant Built by EDFEN & First Solar

EDF Energies Nouvelles (EDFEN) and First Solar Inc. are teaming up to build France’s largest solar panel manufacturing plant.

The plant is expected to be at full production towards the end of 2011, and have a capacity of 100MW a year.  The solar panels will be constructed using First Solar’s unique film photovoltaic technology.  Furthermore the opening of the plant is expected to bring 300 more jobs into the area.

“The decision to invest in France reflects our firm belief in the French market and its great potential. It represents a vote of confidence in the policies being developed by the French government since the Grenelle de l’Environnement to promote renewable energies and allow solar electricity to compete economically with other forms of energy,” said Mike Ahearn, chairman and CEO of First Solar Inc.

First Solar and EDFEN are expected to announce their plans jointly at the location site sometime in the next few months.  First Solar will be responsible for building and operating the plant in France.  EDFEN will fund half of the plants initial costs of €90 million and keep the entirety of the plant’s yield for the first ten years of production.

First Solar and EDFEN also plan to incorporate a recycling facility for solar panels onsite.  This facility will mark the first of its kind for France.

Special thanks to www.renewablenergyworld.com for the above quote, for more information please view the article on their website.