First Solar is celebrating the groundbreaking of its historic $1.1B investment in Louisiana.
Its new solar panel manufacturing facility will create more than 700 new direct jobs in Acadiana, 15 miles Southeast of Lafayette, with a total annual payroll of at least $40 million.
First Solar celebrates groundbreaking of $1.1B investment in Louisiana
The facility will produce high-performance photovoltaic (PV) solar modules and the project is expected to be complete in the first half of 2026.
The Acadiana facility is being built on an LED Certified Site, meaning it has gone through extensive due diligence and studies to be declared development-ready. It will produce First Solar’s Series 7 modules, which are expected to be manufactured with 100% U.S.-made components.
To secure the project in Iberia Parish, the state of Louisiana offered First Solar a competitive incentives package that includes the comprehensive workforce solutions of LED FastStart. Additional incentives include performance-based grants for site development and infrastructure improvements totaling $30 million. All grants are contingent upon meeting investment, employment and payroll targets. The company is also expected to participate in the state’s Quality Jobs program.
Founded in 1999, First Solar is a leading American-based energy technology company and global provider of eco-efficient solar modules. The company is unique among the world’s 10 largest solar panel manufacturers as the only company with a U.S. headquarters and without a base of operations in China.
