Solar manufacturer backed by port authority

First Solar, Inc. plans to open a 450,000sq ft distribution hub in Greenville, South Carolina, to warehouse and stage deliveries for its customers in the US. In a deal with South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA), which owns and operates the Port of Charleston, Port of Georgetown, Inland Port Greer and Inland Port Dillon, First Solar will benefit from both the Port of Charleston’s access to international markets, such as Vietnam, and its overnight rail connection from the Port of Charleston to Inland Port Greer, S.C. Ports’ inland operation in upstate South Carolina.

S.C. Ports Authority president and CEO Jim Newsome said. “S.C. Ports offers access to global markets, efficiently run terminals and rail-supported inland ports to meet our customers’ needs. We look forward to supporting First Solar’s efforts to deliver American-designed solar modules to their customers in the United States.”

First Solar anticipates bringing up to 7,000 containers per year through the Port of Charleston, beginning in late May. Upon arrival at Inland Port Greer, cargo will be transported to First Solar’s nearby distribution hub in Greenville.

The facility sits near Inland Port Greer, which extends the Port of Charleston’s reach 212 miles inland by providing overnight rail service via Norfolk Southern.

Headquartered in Arizona, First Solar operates the Western Hemisphere’s largest photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing footprint in Northwest Ohio, as well as factories in Malaysia and Vietnam.