TEMPE, Ariz., July 23, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) announced that Goldman Sachs Renewable Power LLC (GSRP), a private company managed by the Renewable Power Group of Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM), acquired the 123-megawatt (MW)_AC American Kings Solar project in a transaction that closed at the end of June 2020. Located in Kings County, California, the project is backed by a 15-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Southern California Edison and is scheduled to be commissioned in the fourth quarter of 2020.

“We are excited to partner with First Solar and M&T Bank in acquiring the American Kings Solar project.  This is a bankable power plant backed by a long-term PPA, that is responsibly developed, and will generate the lowest carbon electricity possible today,” said Greg Roer, vice president, GSAM Renewable Power Group. “We believe that this facility will have a positive impact on the environment and the community by directly displacing carbon emissions. We look forward to adding it to our growing portfolio in the United States.”

The facility will be powered by First Solar’s Series 6 photovoltaic (PV) modules, designed and developed at the Company’s research and development (R&D) centers in California and Ohio. The module sets industry benchmarks for quality, reliability, design, and environmental performance. With a carbon footprint that is up to six times lower than crystalline silicon PV panels manufactured using conventional, energy-intensive production methods, Series 6 delivers a superior environmental profile and the lowest carbon solar electricity available today.

“GSRP and First Solar share a common vision for a future powered by sustainable energy, and a commitment to achieving this by establishing and upholding some of the highest environmental stewardship standards in the industry. We thank GSRP for its trust and for recognizing the value of adding a First Solar-developed project to its portfolio,” said Richard Romero, vice president, Project Finance and Treasury, First Solar. “As America’s solar company, we’re proud that this project will support California’s efforts to decarbonize its electricity with technology developed in the state.”

“Partnering with GSRP on its acquisition of the American Kings solar project represents M&T’s ongoing commitment to the renewable energy sector,” said Eric Heintz, director of Energy Finance at M&T Bank, which will provide the tax equity financing for the project. “GSRP is a strong team well positioned to move the American Kings initiative forward and bring us all closer to our shared goal of a clean energy future.”

Once operational, American Kings will displace 78,000 metric tons of CO2-equivalent annually, which is equivalent to taking 15,000 cars off the road every year and saving 79 million liters of water annually, based on California averages. The air quality benefits of the project will amount to more than $12 million in avoided healthcare costs annually.

First Solar celebrated two decades since its founding in 1999, and has shipped over 25GW_DC of PV modules to over 45 countries around the world, making it the only American solar module manufacturing company to achieve this milestone. With 1.9GW_DC of annualized manufacturing capacity in Ohio, First Solar is the Western Hemisphere’s largest solar manufacturer. The Company also operates manufacturing facilities in Vietnam and Malaysia, with a global annualized Series 6 manufacturing capacity of 5.5GW_DC.

About First Solar, Inc.
First Solar is a leading global provider of comprehensive photovoltaic (PV) solar solutions, which use its advanced module and system technology. The company’s integrated power plant solutions deliver an economically attractive alternative to fossil-fuel electricity generation today. From raw material sourcing through end-of-life module recycling, First Solar’s renewable energy solutions protect and enhance the environment. For more information about First Solar, please visit www.firstsolar.com.

About Goldman Sachs Renewable Power LLC
Goldman Sachs Renewable Power LLC is a privately held company managed the Renewable Power Group of Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM).  GSRP is the sponsor of more than 800 solar projects across 27 U.S. states that collectively have a capacity of more than 1.8 gigawatts of clean, renewable power.  GSAM’s Renewable Power Group is comprised of investment professionals with leading industry expertise across transaction sourcing, financial analysis, power markets and physical asset analysis and operations. The team takes a long-term ownership approach to the operations and management of renewable assets and benefits from Goldman Sachs’ extensive network of relationships, leading institutional infrastructure and in-house industry knowledge and experience. The Renewable Power Group is part of GSAM, one of the world’s leading asset managers with approximately $1.8 trillion in assets under supervision globally as of March 31, 2020.

For First Solar Investors
This release contains 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 First Solar’s sale of the 123MW_AC American Kings Solar project in Kings County, California. 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 our current expectations and our 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. We undertake 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 our 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 matters discussed under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations” of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as supplemented by our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.     

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c2b48e67-e9b3-4383-bb80-387f8f6da250

Lowest Carbon Solar

American Kings will be powered by First Solar’s Series 6 photovoltaic (PV) modules, designed and developed at the Company’s research and development (R&D) centers in California and Ohio. With a carbon footprint that is up to six times lower than crystalline silicon PV panels manufactured using conventional, energy-intensive production methods, Series 6 delivers a superior environmental profile and the lowest carbon solar electricity available today.