FIRST SOLAR, INC.
Photovoltaic solar modules and integrated solar energy systems using advanced thin-film technology
New patent ·
- Sector
- Energy
- Headquarters
- TEMPE, AZ
- Founded
- 1999
- Latest Form D
- Mar 2009
- Federal grants
- None on recordNo awards found in SBIR/STTR, NIH, NSF or DoD records.
- Private capital raised
- None on recordNo Form D filings on SEC EDGAR. Some raises are not filed.
- Federal contracts
- None on recordNo federal contract awards found.
- Granted patents
- 25
- 15 pending · first 2025
- Rank in peer group#1 of 108
Capital timeline
1 record is on file, but none carries both a date and an amount to place on a timeline.
Some award records list only a year, or report no amount. The figures above still reflect them where the source gives an amount.
Checked: SEC EDGAR Form D through Oct 23, 2026; SBIR and STTR awards through Oct 21, 2026; USAspending contract awards
Founder? Add funding contextStanding among 108 peers
Line = medianEnergy · Material
- Granted patents#1 · top 1%
Cumulative measures favor older companies. Rankings describe position today, not outcome. Below the median, ranks show as a band rather than a number.
Founders and team
From SEC Form D filings- Bruce SohnExecutive Officer, DirectorNamed in SEC Form D filings
- Craig KennedyDirectorNamed in SEC Form D filings
- James F. NolanDirectorNamed in SEC Form D filings
- Jens MeyerhoffExecutive OfficerNamed in SEC Form D filings
- John CarringtonExecutive OfficerNamed in SEC Form D filings
- John Thomas GaffneyExecutive OfficerNamed in SEC Form D filings
Show all 12 people
- Jose H. VillarrealDirectorNamed in SEC Form D filings
- J. Thomas PresbyDirectorNamed in SEC Form D filings
- Mary Elizabeth GustafssonExecutive OfficerNamed in SEC Form D filings
- Michael John AhearnExecutive Officer, DirectorNamed in SEC Form D filings
- Michael T. SweeneyDirectorNamed in SEC Form D filings
- Paul H. StebbinsDirectorNamed in SEC Form D filings
What it has protected
USPTO · 25 granted of 40- New patentInterface Preparation For Tandem Photovoltaic DevicesUSPTOUS 12,772,575
- New patentBifacial Enhancement Layers And Photovoltaic Devices Including The SameUSPTOUS 12,765,115
- New patentPhotovoltaic Devices With Narrow Scribes And Methods And Systems For Forming The SameUSPTOUS 12,751,107
Show all 40 patent records
- Interface Preparation For Tandem Photovoltaic DevicesOct 20, 2026 · US 12,772,575Granted
- Bifacial Enhancement Layers And Photovoltaic Devices Including The SameOct 13, 2026 · US 12,765,115Granted
- Photovoltaic Devices With Narrow Scribes And Methods And Systems For Forming The SameSep 29, 2026 · US 12,751,107Granted
- Doped Photovoltaic Semiconductor Layers And Methods Of MakingSep 3, 2026 · Application 19652562Pending
- Edge Guard For A Photovoltaic DeviceAug 25, 2026 · US D1,144,161Granted
- Metal Oxynitride Back Contact Layers For Photovoltaic DevicesJul 21, 2026 · US 12,690,278Granted
- Methods for Perovskite Device Processing by Vapor Transport DepositionJul 16, 2026 · Application 19562777Pending
- Photovoltaic Devices And Methods Of MakingJul 2, 2026 · Application 19549684Pending
- Metal Oxynitride Back Contact Layers for Photovoltaic DevicesJun 18, 2026 · Application 19530940Pending
- Edge Guard For A Photovoltaic DeviceMay 26, 2026 · US D1,127,696Granted
- Method Of Patterning A Thin-film Photovoltaic Layer StackMay 26, 2026 · US 12,641,890Granted
- Edge Guard For A Photovoltaic DeviceMay 26, 2026 · US D1,127,697Granted
- Doped Photovoltaic Semiconductor Layers And Methods Of MakingApr 21, 2026 · US 12,610,650Granted
- Methods for Perovskite Device Processing by Vapor Transport DepositionApr 7, 2026 · US 12,595,545Granted
- Photovoltaic Devices And Methods Of MakingMar 31, 2026 · US 12,593,516Granted
- Photovoltaic Devices Including An Interfacial LayerMar 24, 2026 · US 12,588,297Granted
- Photovoltaic Device Including A P-n Junction And Method Of ManufacturingFeb 24, 2026 · US 12,563,857Granted
- Photovoltaic Top ModuleJan 20, 2026 · US 12,532,548Granted
- Systems And Methods For Vaporization And Vapor DistributionJan 13, 2026 · US 12,522,911Granted
- Photovoltaic Devices And Method Of ManufacturingJan 6, 2026 · US 12,520,599Granted
- Systems And Methods For Vaporization And Vapor DistributionNov 27, 2025 · Application 19294746Pending
- Photovoltaic Devices with Textured TCO Layers, and Methods of Making TCO StacksOct 2, 2025 · Application 19239412Pending
- Transparent Conducting Layers and Photovoltaic Devices Including the SameAug 21, 2025 · Application 19076623Pending
- Photovoltaic Devices And Method Of MakingJul 22, 2025 · US 12,369,426Granted
- Photovoltaic Devices And Semiconductor Layers With Group V Dopants And Methods For Forming The SameJul 8, 2025 · US 12,356,755Granted
- Photovoltaic Devices With Conducting Layer InterconnectsJul 8, 2025 · US 12,356,732Granted
- Photovoltaic Devices with Textured TCO Layers, and Methods of Making TCO StacksJun 17, 2025 · US 12,336,321Granted
- Offset Driving Bit for Solar Module MountingJun 3, 2025 · US D1,077,608Granted
- Photovoltaic Devices And Methods Of MakingMay 29, 2025 · Application 18841928Pending
- Photovoltaic Device With Transparent Tunnel JunctionMay 22, 2025 · Application 19030859Pending
- Photovoltaic Devices and Method of MakingMay 15, 2025 · Application 19023233Pending
- Photovoltaic Devices And Method Of MakingMay 15, 2025 · Application 19023272Pending
- Photovoltaic Devices Including An Interfacial LayerMay 1, 2025 · Application 19006785Pending
- Buffer Layers for Photovoltaic Devices with Group V DopingApr 10, 2025 · Application 18914841Pending
- Thin Film Stacks For Group V Doping, Photovoltaic Devices Including The Same, And Methods For Forming Photovoltaic Devices With Thin Film StacksMar 25, 2025 · US 12,261,231Granted
- Thin Film Solar Module And Production MethodMar 13, 2025 · Application 18956909Pending
- Transparent Conducting Layers and Photovoltaic Devices Including the SameMar 11, 2025 · US 12,249,664Granted
- Photovoltaic Devices and Method of MakingFeb 25, 2025 · US 12,238,943Granted
- Cadmium Selenide Based Photovoltaic Devices And Methods For Forming The SameFeb 20, 2025 · Application 18723069Pending
- Photovoltaic Device With Transparent Tunnel JunctionJan 21, 2025 · US 12,206,037Granted
Related companies, and why
- Garrett Motion Inc.Similar federal contract value in Energy · null in contracts
- Lithium Werks Group B.V.Similar federal contract value in Energy · null in contracts
- LITTORAL POWER SYSTEMS, INC.Similar federal contract value in Energy · null in contracts
- Tenrehte Technologies, Inc.Similar federal contract value in Energy · null in contracts
- KORE Power, Inc.Similar federal contract value in Energy · null in contracts
- Aaron PalumboSimilar federal contract value in Energy · null in contracts
Regulatory activity · Energy
- Air Plan Approval; Michigan; Redesignation and Maintenance Plan for the Partial St. Clair 2010 1-Hour Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) NAAQS Nonattainment AreaEnvironmental Protection Agency
- Air Plan Approval; Delaware; 2006 24-Hour Fine Particulate Matter Limited Maintenance Plan for the Philadelphia Nonattainment AreaEnvironmental Protection Agency
- Air Plan Approval; Oklahoma; Updates to the State Implementation Plan for New Source Review Permitting and General SIP ProvisionsEnvironmental Protection Agency
- List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: NAC International, Inc., MAGNASTOR® Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1031, Amendment Nos. 16 and 17 and Revisions to Amendment Nos. 0 Through 16Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- Epyrifenacil; Pesticide TolerancesEnvironmental Protection Agency
- Fluoxapiprolin; Pesticide TolerancesEnvironmental Protection Agency
Rules are matched to sector, not to company. Recent activity in a sector is context rather than a signal about this business — until rules are matched to what a company actually builds, the section is shown as context and nothing more.
Sources
Federal grants from SBIR/STTR, NIH, NSF and DoD records. Federal contracts from USAspending.gov. Private capital from SEC Form D. Patents from USPTO. Publications from OpenAlex. Regulatory activity from the Federal Register. Press matched on company name.
How to read this page
Figures show associations in public records, not causes or predictions. Nothing here is investment advice. An em-dash means no record was found under this company's name, not that none exists.
Data freshness
SEC Form D filings through . SBIR and STTR awards through .