First Solar statistics show a global solar manufacturer with $5.2 billion in 2025 net sales, more than 100 GW of cumulative module sales through Q2 2026, and a workforce spanning several production regions. The figures below distinguish reported results, contracted backlog, company guidance and lifecycle estimates.
Key First Solar Statistics
The most broadly useful First Solar figures include:
- $5.2 billion in net sales was reported by First Solar for full-year 2025 across its consolidated business.
- $2.9 billion of gross cash and $2.4 billion of net cash were reported at December 31, 2025 for First Solar consolidated.
- 5.3 GW DC of volume sold was First Solar’s record quarterly volume in Q3 2025.
- 53.7 GW DC of contracted sales backlog valued at $16.4 billion was reported as of September 30, 2025.
- More than 100 GW DC of cumulative module sales had been reached globally by Q2 2026.
- 17.0 GW to 18.2 GW of volume sold was First Solar’s management guidance for 2026.
- More than 25 GW DC of expected annual nameplate capacity globally was cited for 2026, including 14 GW in the United States.
- 6,957 associates globally were reported at year-end 2023, including full-time, part-time, temporary employees and interns.
- 24% of the global workforce were women at year-end 2023.
- 3,859 megaliters of water withdrawals were reported for 2023 across manufacturing, recycling and R&D.
- 0.31 liters of water per watt produced was First Solar’s 2023 manufacturing water intensity.
- 4.3 grams of waste per watt produced was the company’s 2023 manufacturing waste intensity.
- More than 90% of materials from processed modules can be recovered for reuse at the India recycling facility, according to First Solar.
- 41 recycling cycles per kilogram of semiconductor material is a company educational estimate.
- 180-fold energy return on investment is First Solar’s estimate for Series 7 over a 30-year project lifetime.
Contents
- Key First Solar Statistics
- First Solar Revenue, Profit and Cash Trends
- First Solar Module Sales, Bookings and Backlog Data
- First Solar Manufacturing Capacity and Production Scale
- First Solar Workforce and Operating Footprint
- First Solar Water and Waste Statistics
- First Solar Recycling and Lifecycle Performance
First Solar Revenue, Profit and Cash Trends
First Solar reported $5.2 billion in full-year 2025 net sales, compared with $4.2 billion in 2024. The company described the year-over-year difference as $1.0 billion, and reported $1.7 billion in Q4 2025 net sales.
The quarterly sequence was $1.6 billion in Q3 2025 and $1.7 billion in Q4 2025, a company-reported $0.1 billion sequential increase. These are consolidated GAAP net-sales figures.
| Measure | Period | First Solar result |
|---|---|---|
| Net sales | Full year 2025 | $5.2 billion |
| Net sales | Full year 2024 | $4.2 billion |
| Net sales | Q3 2025 | $1.6 billion |
| Net sales | Q4 2025 | $1.7 billion |
| Diluted EPS | Full year 2025 | $14.21 |
| Diluted EPS | Q4 2025 | $4.84 |
Source: First Solar, Inc., Financials – Quarterly Results. The EPS figures are GAAP diluted EPS.
Later reported comparisons cover 2026. Q1 2026 net sales were $1.0442 billion versus $844.6 million in Q1 2025, while adjusted EBITDA was $519.807 million versus $379.180 million; Q2 2026 net income was $423 million versus $342 million in Q2 2025, and adjusted EBITDA was $644 million versus $560 million.
First Solar ended 2025 with $2.9 billion of gross cash and $2.4 billion of net cash. At September 30, 2025, the comparable company-defined amounts were $2.0 billion and $1.5 billion; net cash subtracts debt under the company’s definition.
For 2026, management guidance called for $4.9 billion-$5.2 billion of net sales, $2.6 billion-$2.8 billion of adjusted EBITDA and $0.8 billion-$1.0 billion of capital expenditures. These are forecasts, not achieved results, and adjusted EBITDA is non-GAAP.
First Solar Module Sales, Bookings and Backlog Data
First Solar reported 5.3 GW DC of volume sold in Q3 2025, a record quarterly result in the supplied company reporting. The company also reported 2.7 GW DC of gross bookings during the Q3 2025 call-to-call period, with an average selling price of 30.9 US cents per watt excluding contract pricing adjusters.
| Backlog or sales measure | Date or period | Reported amount |
|---|---|---|
| Contracted sales backlog | September 30, 2025 | 53.7 GW DC; $16.4 billion |
| Contracted sales backlog | June 30, 2026 | Approximately 45.1 GW DC |
| Cumulative module sales | Through Q2 2026, global | More than 100 GW DC |
| Guided volume sold | 2026 forecast | 17.0-18.2 GW DC |
Source: First Solar, Inc., Financials – Quarterly Results. Backlog is contracted future sales, not completed deliveries, and the June 2026 backlog extends through 2030.
The Q4 2025 release reported that full-year 2025 third-party module volume increased 24% year over year. Earlier presentation data recorded 75.9 GW DC of total bookings backlog at June 30, 2024 and 48.3 GW DC at December 31, 2023.
For January 1-June 30, 2024, the same presentation recorded 6.1 GW DC of volume sold and 9.9 GW DC of net bookings. The presentation defines backlog, net bookings and volume sold separately, and its GW figures are rounded.
First Solar Manufacturing Capacity and Production Scale
First Solar expected its global annual nameplate capacity to exceed 25 GW DC by 2026, including 14 GW DC in the United States. This is an expected capacity figure from investor materials, not necessarily achieved production output.
The distinction matters when comparing capacity with volume sold, bookings or backlog. Nameplate capacity describes annual production capability, whereas volume sold measures reported sales and backlog describes contracted future module volume.
Source: First Solar, Inc., Financials – Annual Reports. The annual-report materials describe the 2026 capacity expectation.
First Solar also says it has more than 15 years of experience operating high-value photovoltaic recycling facilities at global industrial scale. At its India recycling facility, the company says more than 90% of materials from processed modules can be recovered for reuse.
First Solar Workforce and Operating Footprint
First Solar reported 6,957 associates globally at year-end 2023. The workforce boundary includes full-time, part-time and temporary employees, as well as interns.
| Geography | Associates, 2023 year-end |
|---|---|
| United States | 2,834 |
| Malaysia | 1,760 |
| Vietnam | 1,303 |
| India | 977 |
| Other countries | 83 |
Source: First Solar Sustainability Report 2024. Country allocations come from the sustainability KPI table.
The reported global workforce was 24% women and 76% men in 2023. By age, employees under 30 represented 35%, employees aged 30-50 represented 56%, and employees over 50 represented 9%.
These percentages describe the global workforce boundary for the 2023 year-end sustainability reporting. They should not be treated as current workforce estimates or as a measure of production productivity.
First Solar Water and Waste Statistics
Total water withdrawals across manufacturing, recycling and R&D rose from 3,149 megaliters in 2022 to 3,859 megaliters in 2023. Over the same period, water recycled or reused increased from 169 to 318 megaliters.
| Environmental KPI | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Total water withdrawals | 3,149 ML | 3,859 ML |
| Water recycled or reused | 169 ML | 318 ML |
| Wastewater discharge | 1,373 ML | 1,701 ML |
| Manufacturing water intensity | 0.33 L/W | 0.31 L/W |
| Wastewater generation intensity | 0.15 L/W | 0.14 L/W |
| Manufacturing waste intensity | 5.3 g/W | 4.3 g/W |
Source: First Solar Sustainability Report 2024. ML means megaliters; intensity measures are production-normalized and manufacturing-limited where stated.
Water withdrawn in water-stressed areas was 0.02% of withdrawals in 2022 and 8% in 2023 under the company’s assessment and reporting boundary. Wastewater discharge rose from 1,373 to 1,701 megaliters, even as wastewater generation intensity declined from 0.15 to 0.14 liters per watt produced.
Disposed hazardous waste increased from 4,320 metric tons in 2022 to 4,728 metric tons in 2023. Within the disposal categories, hazardous waste landfilled rose from 1,393 to 3,074 metric tons, hazardous waste incinerated fell from 2,924 to 1,651 metric tons, and other operations remained at 3 metric tons in both years.
First Solar Recycling and Lifecycle Performance
First Solar says its high-value recycling process recovers more than 90% of module materials for reuse. The company also states that one kilogram of semiconductor material can be recycled 41 times and translates those cycles into more than 1,200 years of use time.
Those recycling-cycle and use-time figures are company educational estimates. They describe potential reuse cycles, not an observed field lifetime for a finished module.
| Lifecycle measure | First Solar statement | Scope or qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon and water footprint | Nearly four times lower | Series 7 versus conventional crystalline-silicon modules made in China |
| Energy-payback time | Approximately five times faster | Series 7 versus the cited conventional comparison |
| Energy payback under high irradiation | About two months | Series 7 manufacturing energy |
| Energy return on investment | 180-fold | Series 7 over a 30-year project lifetime |
| Product carbon footprint | Up to 22% lower | Series 7 versus Series 6 |
| Product carbon footprint | Up to 30% lower | Series 7 versus Series 4 |
Source: First Solar Sustainability Report 2024. These are lifecycle comparisons or estimates whose results depend on product, manufacturing, geography, irradiation and system-boundary assumptions.
First Solar’s stated target is to reduce the carbon footprint of its ultra-low-carbon panels by more than 65% by 2028. Its target pathway also includes reaching 100% renewable electricity for operations; both are targets rather than achieved outcomes in the supplied reporting.
The recycling program page is the source for the company’s recovery, recycling-cycle and operating-history claims: Recycling | First Solar. The program figures should be read as company claims or estimates within the stated process scope, not universal solar-industry averages.