First Solar plans to construct its new US solar module manufacturing center in Arizona, US with an investment of approximately $300m.

The solar module factory will include four manufacturing lines with a capacity to produce more than 250MW of advanced thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules per year.

The manufacturing facility, which is located in a 135-acre site in Mesa, will include a 3MW rooftop solar installation as well as an extensive ground-mounted PV testing facility.

First Solar plans to start construction of new factory in the second quarter of 2011 and is expected to last a year.

Module shipments are scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2012.

The factory will utilize First Solar’s continuous manufacturing process which transforms a sheet of glass into a complete solar module in less than 2.5 hours.

First Solar manufactures solar modules with an advanced semiconductor technology and provides comprehensive PV system solutions.