American solar manufacturer establishes endowed professorship in critical energy materials

Arizona-headquartered First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR), has established the Endowed Professorship in Critical Energy Materials in the materials science and engineering department at Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T). First Solar is America’s leading photovoltaic (PV) solar technology and manufacturing company, and the only U.S.-headquartered manufacturer among the world’s largest producers of solar panels. The decision to endow a professorship at Missouri S&T reflects the strategic alignment between the two organizations, which have collaborated on critical minerals, particularly tellurium, for the past decade.

“We recognize Missouri S&T’s unparalleled depth of expertise in responsible production of critical energy materials, and we’re pleased to be able to help ensure that this endures into the future,” says Mike Koralewski, chief supply chain officer at First Solar. “Our relationship is a great example of what’s possible when industry and academia work together to secure critical supply chains.”

Dr. Michael Moats, professor and chair of materials science and engineering at S&T, has worked with First Solar for many years, advising the company on existing tellurium supply and opportunities to increase affordable and sustainable recovery of the metalloid from existing operations. He believes First Solar’s endowment is key to Missouri S&T’s strategy to be a leader in critical minerals research by developing expertise on important points across the supply chain that governs each mineral’s journey to the marketplace.

“The position will plug into our team and complement the expertise we already have throughout the supply chain, from policy and economics to cleaning up afterwards,” says Moats. “The generosity and foresight of First Solar will enhance our ability to impact the nation and the world.”

Moats says the endowed professorship adds to the already extensive amount of work Missouri S&T has undertaken in the critical minerals arena.

Missouri S&T is home to the Thomas J. O’Keefe Center for Critical Minerals, which supports research and other scholarly activities, including the fourth annual Resilient Supply of Critical Minerals workshop funded by the National Science Foundation, which S&T hosted in August. In addition, Missouri S&T leads the Critical Minerals and Materials for Advanced Energy Tech Hub consortium, which was selected as one of 31 tech hubs in October 2023; the Tech Hub Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration.

“The fact is, other economies dominate the global market for certain elements, and when restrictions are placed on those elements, there’s the potential to disrupt manufacturing, slow down our fight against climate change and impact our national security,” Moats says. “By ensuring that extractive metallurgy is taught at a college level, First Solar is helping us address these challenges.”

First Solar is committed to investing in the education of the next generation workforce that will enable the mining industry to better support the green energy transition. By endowing this professorship, First Solar aims to foster research and education that will equip future professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to advance the mining and materials industries. This investment is crucial for developing innovative solutions and technologies that will drive the green energy transition and ensure a sustainable future.

Koralewski says First Solar’s hope is to support research that benefits as many people and organizations as possible.

“As America’s solar company, we want to help enhance our country’s critical mineral security by enabling Missouri S&T,” he says. “If discoveries made as part of our collaboration with Missouri S&T can be disseminated and more widely adopted, it will have a much more meaningful impact.”

About Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.

About First Solar

First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) is America's leading photovoltaic (PV) solar technology and manufacturing company. The only US-headquartered company among the world's largest solar manufacturers, First Solar is focused on competitively and reliably enabling power generation needs with its advanced, uniquely American thin film PV technology. Developed at R&D labs in California and Ohio, the company's technology represents the next generation of solar power generation, providing a competitive, high-performance, and responsibly produced alternative to conventional crystalline silicon PV modules. For more information, please visit www.firstsolar.com.

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