First Solar, the largest solar manufacturer outside China, has announced it will build a $684 million, 3.3 GW solar factory, which will be fully vertically integrated, in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The facility should become operational in H2 2023. The company has stated that it plans to double its total manufacturing capacity to 16 GW by 2024. This is something the company has been considering for a while – back in October 2020, CEO Mark Widmar said that First Solar planned to expand its manufacturing, mentioning Germany and India as likely prospects, while downplaying a US expansion as it would have higher production costs. In the event, the next announcement was in the US after all. Less…