First Solar establishes South African office and regional director

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Thin film manufacturer First Solar has established an operating subsidiary in Cape Town, South Africa. The move follows a recent swathe of large utility-scale PV announcements in South Africa, as part of the country’s first round of renewable energy project bidding.

First Solar has also appointed Johan Cilliers as Regional Director of Business Development for Sub-Saharan Africa to direct operations from the Cape Town office. Cilliers will report to Christopher Burghardt, Vice President of Business Development for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Cilliers has worked at General Electric, Siemens and Eskom in a wide range of roles including market development, sales and marketing, project development and financing.

Read Next

August 31, 2026
Head of PV Tech Research, Moustafa Ramadan, kicks off a five-part series tracing the evolution and future of the US solar manufacturing supply chain.
August 31, 2026
ARENA has announced up to AU$105.6 million for 20 research and development projects aimed at reducing the cost of large-scale solar.
August 28, 2026
The Spanish government has unveiled plans to require data centres to have at least 80% of their hourly generation be powered by renewable energy.
August 28, 2026
Importing solar modules to the US will “no longer make any economic sense” under new Section 232 tariffs for polysilicon-based products, according to Intertek CEA.
August 28, 2026
Solar cell and module manufacturer Canadian Solar has shipped 3.1GW of modules in the second quarter of 2026, a 60% year-on-year decrease.
Premium
August 28, 2026
Complex site topography can have a crucial bearing on a PV system’s energy yield writes Solargis CEO Marcel Suri.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
November 3, 2026
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
November 24, 2026
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
February 2, 2027
London, UK