First Solar to Inaugurate First Phase of South Carolina Production Facility

GAFFNEY, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) ("First Solar" or "the Company") will inaugurate the first phase of its new facility in Gaffney, Cherokee County, South Carolina, on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, US Senator Darline Graham, US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, State Senator Harvey Peeler, State Representatives Dennis Moss and Brian Lawson, and Gaffney Mayor Lyman D. Dawkins III are expected to join First Solar Chief Executive Officer Mark Widmar, employees, and community leaders for the ceremony.

The approximately $330 million facility onshores final production processes for the Company’s Series 6 Plus modules and currently employs approximately 500 people, a number that is forecast to rise to nearly 700 by mid-2027, when the facility’s second phase is expected to be completed.

The ceremony will be live streamed on First Solar’s X account beginning at 1 pm ET at https://go.firstsolar.com/firstsolar_southcarolina.

About First Solar, Inc.

First Solar, Inc. is America's leading PV solar technology and manufacturing company. The only US-headquartered company among the world's largest solar manufacturers, First Solar is focused on competitively and reliably enabling power generation needs with its advanced, uniquely American thin film PV technology. Developed at research and development (R&D) labs in California and Ohio, the Company's technology provides a competitive, high-performance, and responsibly produced alternative to conventional crystalline silicon PV modules. For more information, please visit www.firstsolar.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains various “forward-looking statements” which are made pursuant to safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning expectations that (i) the second phase of the Gaffney facility will be completed by mid-2027, and support nearly 700 jobs; These forward-looking statements are often characterized by the use of words such as “estimate,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “plan,” “intend,” “seek,” “believe,” “forecast,” “foresee,” “likely,” “may,” “should,” “goal,” “target,” “might,” “will,” “could,” “predict,” “continue” and the negative or plural of these words and other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are only predictions based on First Solar’s current expectations and First Solar’s projections about future events and therefore speak only as of the date of this release. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. First Solar undertakes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements for any reason, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause First Solar’s actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the results of our investigation of potential infringers, the costs and other impacts arising from any subsequent litigation, the results of which are unpredictable; the validity and scope of claims relating to the patents; the potential for companies to develop and patent technology designed to exclude our patented technology; and the matters discussed under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of First Solar’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as supplemented by First Solar’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.