Clean Energy Collective's 1.12MW San Miguel Power Association array in Colorado is the largest community PV project in the US. Photo: Clean Energy Collective

First Solar buys into community PV leader Clean Energy Collective

First Solar has made an equity investment into Colorado-based Clean Energy Collective, the biggest player in the emerging US community solar sector, giving it a new tool for addressing its lack of exposure to the rooftop market.

10 December 2014 15:46 GMT Updated 27 September 2016 5:43 GMT

By Karl-Erik Stromsta in New York

The stake that First Solar has taken in privately held Clean Energy Collective (CEC) and the “strategic partnership” the two have formed is considered an “integral part” of First Solar’s distributed-generation strategy going forward, the company says.

CEC – based in Carbondale, a three-hour drive from Denver – is the leading developer of community solar schemes in the US.

While terms of the deal were not made public, First Solar chief executive Jim Hughes and vice president of strategic marketing Marc van Gerven will join the board of CEC.

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