First Solar Gives Largest Donation in Company History to 9H Research — University of Wyoming

LARAMIE, Wyo., February 25, 2021 — The 9H Research Foundation received shipment of more than 2,000 photovoltaic (PV) modules from First Solar earlier this week. First Solar’s in-kind donation amounts to 0.89MWdc of modules, worth roughly $300,000. The panels are First Solar’s latest Series 6TM advanced thin film solar technology. The 9H Research Foundation will be using these modules to start building a 3MW Solar Student Research Facility to donate over $10 million in clean energy to the University of Wyoming. The 9H Research Facility will provide students with hands-on research experiences, fund student solar energy prototypes, and create a world-class Renewable Energy Engineering Curriculum for the University of Wyoming.

With superior temperature coefficient, spectral response and shading behavior, Series 6 modules generate up to 8% more energy per watt than conventional crystalline silicon solar modules. First Solar Series 6™ PV modules set the industry benchmark for reliable energy production, optimized design, and environmental performance. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Arizona, First Solar is the only American company among the ten largest photovoltaic (PV) solar manufacturers globally and has shipped over 25-gigawatts (GW) of solar modules around the world. First Solar’s 1.9 GW capacity manufacturing factory in Ohio created 500 new jobs and is the largest solar module manufacturing facility in the Western Hemisphere. With their donation, First Solar continues their investment in the betterment of US communities, bolsters their support in the study and improvement of solar technology on American soil, and is contributing to energy independence from foreign sources.

9H Research Foundation is building a philanthropic Student Research Facility to Gift $10+ million in clean energy and in-kind support services to the University of Wyoming over the project lifetime (3MW Solar Facility). The Clean Energy Research Facility supports the creation of a world-class Renewable Energy Engineering Curriculum for the University. Providing hands-on research experiences, 9H is sponsoring 31 UW senior design students competing in a $5,000 renewable energy design challenge. To drive student innovation, 9H is also funding 7 student groups to design and build solar and energy storage projects, as well as hiring student interns. In line with the Governor’s WIN Initiative, 9H is presenting a Business Model for the state: attract industry by providing them with solar energy, abundant Wyoming natural gas, a skilled workforce, and state tax incentives.

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