US thin-film solar giant First Solar joining Desertec

First Solar, the Arizona-based solar photovoltaic manufacturer and project developer, is setting its sights on North Africa as an ‘Associated Partner’ of the Desertec Industrial Initiative, a consortium launched last summer by German heavyweights to develop renewable energy projects in the Sahara Desert and ship power to Europe.

First Solar is so far the only pure photovoltaic (PV) player participating, joining the likes of solar thermal developers Abengoa Solar, MAN Solar Millennium and Siemens, among other major European industrial and financial companies. These companies have pledged to invest up to €400bn ($546bn) in solar thermal, wind and PV projects that could eventually serve 15% of Europe’s electricity demand.

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