March 11, 2013 - First Solar joined Dii as a new shareholder in March 2013. The company was previously a Dii associated partner.
"Our extended dedication to Dii as a shareholder emphasizes First Solar's commitment to the MENA region, where we see tremendous potential to build a sustainable market for solar power. Dii is the ideal industrial initiative to bring power from the deserts into reality," said Christopher Burghardt, First Solar's Vice President of Business Development for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
"I am very proud that First Solar decided to increase its commitment to our initiative. With the largest solar project pipeline of nearly 3 gigawatt contracted worldwide, First Solar has an extraordinary know how for the implementation of the Desertec vision in the MENA region. This fits very well with the rapidly increasing interest of countries in MENA to expand renewable energy capacity and grid infrastructure connecting the emerging MENA market to Europe," said Paul van Son, CEO of Dii.