First Solar Named "Official Solar Provider" of the 2013 Waste Management Phoenix Open

TEMPE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

First Solar, Inc. FSLR has been designated the Official Solar Provider of the 2013 Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament. This is First Solar's second year as the exclusive solar provider to the event.

First Solar will provide a solar photovoltaic (PV) array to help power the event, including the Waste Management corporate tent on the 18th hole. The 2013 Waste Management Phoenix Open will take place Monday, Jan. 28, through Sunday, Feb. 3, at the TPC Scottsdale.

"It's great to have First Solar return to this year's Waste Management Phoenix Open and expand our sustainability efforts," said Tom Altieri, 2013 Waste Management Phoenix Open Tournament Chairman. "With First Solar powering a portion of the event, including Waste Management's corporate tent, with green renewable energy, we further illustrate why we're the 'Greenest' Show on Grass."

"We're proud to showcase our technology and support an event that's an important part of the PGA Tour and our community,” said Ted Meyer, First Solar Vice President of Communications.

Meyer said fans at the TPC Scottsdale will have an opportunity to see the same First Solar PV technology used at the recently completed Avra Valley solar project near Tucson and at numerous other utility-scale projects under development in the U.S. southwest.

A custom 1.6 kilowatt mobile demonstration solar array will be deployed adjacent to the Waste Management corporate tent, providing the site with clean, renewable electric power for the run of the tournament. The array was fabricated with assistance from Tucson-based Premiere Builders Group.

The tournament host Thunderbirds have raised more than $80 million for charities, with more than $50 million generated since 2004. The 2013 edition will mark the 78th playing of the event, making it one of the five oldest events on the PGA Tour (not including the major championships). Title sponsor Waste Management, Inc., based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. For more information on the Thunderbirds or the 2013 Waste Management Phoenix Open, call the Thunderbirds office at (602) 870-0163 or visit www.wmphoenixopen.com. For more information on First Solar, visit www.firstsolar.com.

About First Solar, Inc.

First Solar is a leading global provider of comprehensive photovoltaic (PV) solar systems which use its advanced thin-film modules. The company's integrated power plant solutions deliver an economically attractive alternative to fossil-fuel electricity generation today. From raw material sourcing through end-of-life module collection and recycling, First Solar's renewable energy systems protect and enhance the environment. For more information about First Solar, please visit www.firstsolar.com.

For First Solar Investors

This release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-looking statements in this release do not constitute guarantees of future performance. Those statements involve a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including risks associated with the company's business involving the company's products, their development and distribution, economic and competitive factors and the company's key strategic relationships and other risks detailed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. First Solar assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release or with respect to the announcements described herein.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130124005380/en/