First Solar (FSLR) and the whole solar industry have been very controversial of late. Even though the solar industry has been around since late 1990s, many solar companies are still not profitable and many have gone into bankruptcy. Now I see FSLR as a global leader in the solar sector with their innovation of Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. I believe they're a well run and profitable company among their peers. I predict they're going to be a very essential energy company in the near future.
 
First Solar was formed in 1999 and has become the worlds leading thin film module manufacturer. First Solar is: 
* 1st solar company to produce 1 gigawatt (GW) in a single year* 1st solar company to break the $1/watt manufacturing cost barrier
* 1st solar company to implement a global PV module recycling program
* World-record-holder for Cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin film solar module (14.4%) and cell (18.7%) efficiency

What FSLR can do for our environment? Since 2008, First Solar has emitted 1.4 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent. With 7 GW of modules produced, First Solar is displacing more than 4.5 million metric tons of CO2 a year, resulting in a net positive carbon impact of 3.1 million metrics tons CO2 per year. To put this into perspective, 7 GW of First Solar modules remove the equivalent of over 920,000 cars per year and save over 12.5 billion liters (over 3 billion gallons) of water on an annual basis.

What make FSLR different from its peers? First Solar has:

* Developed the largest solar project pipeline in the world (currently nearly 3GW contracted worldwide)
* Sold PV power plants to top power producers and energy investors in the industry 
* Facilitated the financing for nearly ~2GW (AC) (representing approximately ~$9 billion) of First Solar power plants 
* Designed and constructed over 1.5GW of PV power plants, including the worlds largest and most advanced operational PV plant Agua Caliente in Arizona, USA
* Developed the most advanced grid integration and plant control capability in the solar industry
* Made significant improvements throughout the balance of system to optimize the entire PV power plant and reduce lifecycle costs * Developed the industrys most advanced Operations and Management (O&M)program and world-class Operations Center
* Achieved system availabilities of over 99% for fleet of utility-scale PV plants under operation (over 650MW growing to 2.2 GW)

I'm long FSLR because of its technology and innovation. I believe they can continue to grow and play an important global role in the ever increasing demand for energy. First Solar has built 20 solar power plants and powered over 400,000 homes around the world. They're still in the early stages of introducing solar power to mainstream society. Many businesses and homes have yet to benefit from FSLR. 
 
For example, on April 23, 2013, FSLR sold the 139-megawatt AC (MW) Campo Verde Solar Project to Southern Company, a subsidiary Southern Power and Turner Renewable Energy. Campo Verde is the second project First Solar has designed and constructed for Southern Power and Turner Renewable Energy. And that should give us indication that Southern Power and Turner Renewable Energy believes in FSLR's solar power plants. And many businesses will soon realize that FSLRs solar panels and power plants can be beneficial to them as well. 
 
Just recently FSLR's CFO gave positive outlook for its company for 2013 thru 2015 (what did he say, what were the numbers, what are there financial info like, please describe and explain ). FSLR CEO Mr. James Hughes also stated "I believe in my company, I believe in the industry and I believe that the energy world is just beginning to understand the capabilities of photovoltaic (PV) products." All and all, I'm bullish and I'm recommending FSLR as a buy here at this level as a long term holding. And I believe FSLR can go higher from here.