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Leeward Renewable Energy, headquartered in Texas, will acquire approximately 10 gigawatts of solar module  through the sale.

On Monday, First Solar announced that it will transfer 10 gigawatts of projects in development to the wind developer Leeward Renewable Energy, as part of the solar manufacturer’s ongoing business transformation.

In a strategic move highlighting First Solar’s focus on manufacturing, the sale represents a significant portion of the company’s project assets. First Solar, the leading solar panel manufacturer in the United States with production facilities in Vietnam and Malaysia, has long been considering streamlining its operations and initiated a “strategic review” last year.

With the development sector becoming increasingly competitive, expanding that aspect of the business has hindered innovation in manufacturing, prompting First Solar to realign its priorities. To achieve this objective, First Solar has been divesting non-manufacturing operations over a period of time. In August, the company sold its operations and maintenance division to NovaSource. Additionally, in 2019, it transitioned away from its internal engineering, procurement, and construction operations in favor of adopting a third-party model.

Leeward, based in Texas and a subsidiary of the Canadian pension fund OMERS, currently possesses over 20 wind farms across nine U.S. states, totaling around 2 gigawatts, as reported by the company. This sale represents its initial substantial venture into solar energy, enhancing its development pipeline to 14 gigawatts.

The projects from First Solar that Leeward is incorporating into its portfolio are situated in California, the Southwest, and the Southeast regions. Leeward’s current wind projects are distributed throughout the West, Midwest, and Northeast. Acquiring this substantial portion of projects from First Solar will support the developer’s ambitious expansion strategy, as stated by Leeward CEO Jason Allen.