Thin-film solar module producer First Solar has opened a new research and development (R&D) innovation center in Lake Township, Ohio.

The Jim Nolan Center for Solar Innovation is the largest of its kind in the western hemisphere.

It honours the late James F Nolan, a key figure in the company's advancement of its cadmium telluride (CdTe) semiconductor platform.

The 1.3 million ft² centre has a high-tech pilot manufacturing line capable of producing full-sized prototypes of thin film and tandem photovoltaic (PV) modules.

This move signifies a significant upgrade from First Solar's previous product development efforts, conducted on a manufacturing line at its Perrysburg, Ohio facility.

The company has committed to investing $500m in R&D, generating 300 new jobs by 2025, primarily at the new centre.

It also plans to commission a perovskite development line at its Perrysburg campus in the second half of 2024.

The company has previously invested $2bn in R&D and laboratories across Santa Clara in California, Perrysburg in Ohio and Uppsala in Sweden.

As of the end of 2023, First Solar had a global annual nameplate manufacturing capacity of 16.6GW. It anticipates expansion to more than 25GW by 2026.

The company's growth trajectory includes the commissioning of new manufacturing facilities in Alabama and Louisiana, projected to increase its total US nameplate capacity to 14GW by 2026.

First Solar CEO Mark Widmar stated: “Thin films are the next technological battleground for the solar industry because they are key to commercialising tandem devices, anticipated to be the next disruption in photovoltaics.

"While the United States leads the world in thin film PV, China is racing to close the innovation gap.

“We expect that this crucial investment in R&D infrastructure will help maintain our nation's strategic advantage in thin film, accelerating the cycles of innovation needed to ensure that the next disruptive, transformative solar technology will be American-made."