SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwired - January 20, 2016) - SOLV®, a division of Swinerton Renewable Energy (SRE), and First Solar, Inc. (FSLR) have formed a groundbreaking partnership to provide shared Operations and Maintenance services to utility-scale solar power plants in the United States.
An industry first, the partnership pairs Greentech Media's 2015 "Top O&M Companies in the US" First Solar (#1) and Swinerton Renewable Energy (#4) in a unique agreement to share Operations Management and Maintenance services provided to Swinerton clients. The approach also allows the two highly ranked providers to deliver the highest level services to Swinerton customers.
The partnership's inaugural project is the 105MW DC Utah Red Hills Renewable Park, in which First Solar will provide Operations Management services and SOLV will provide Maintenance services. The project was built by SRE at a cost of $188 million. "We felt that partnering with First Solar was the best solution for our clients," said George Hershman, VP and Division Manager of SRE. "Using First Solar's NERC compliant network operations center to document all communication, SOLV will provide the best renewable monitoring software and data analytics in the industry to dispatch our in-house technicians managing the sites."
"We're excited to enable a strategic partnership with SOLV by providing Operations Management services for their customers' assets," said Troy Lauterbach, VP of Global O&M at First Solar. "NERC compliance, as well as maintaining a robust interface between independent system operators and utilities are essential elements in operating utility-scale solar assets."
About Swinerton
Swinerton Renewable Energy (SRE) offers engineering, procurement, construction, and SOLV® services for solar photovoltaic plants throughout North America to a diverse range of clients. Over 125 years of building landmark projects, Swinerton has forged a reputation for unsurpassed safety, workmanship, on-time delivery, and customer satisfaction. Today, our team takes pride in building cost-effective solar systems that will generate reliable, clean power for many years to come. SRE has delivered over 850 MW solar projects and our SOLV team manages over 1 GW of PV plants.
About First Solar, Inc.
First Solar is a leading global provider of comprehensive photovoltaic (PV) solar systems which use its advanced module and system technology. 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 recycling, First Solar's renewable energy systems protect and enhance the environment. For more information about First Solar, please visit www.firstsolar.com.