FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Garabedian Raffi   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol FIRST SOLAR, INC. [FSLR] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chief Technology Officer (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O FIRST SOLAR, INC., 350 WEST WASHINGTON STREET, SUITE 600 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 07/21/2017 (Street) TEMPE, AZ 85281-1244 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 07/21/2017   M   8,250 (1) A $ 0 21,463 D   Common Stock 07/21/2017   F   4,189 (2) D $ 45.15 17,274 D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Restricted Stock Units

(3)

07/21/2017

M

8,250

(4)

(4)

Common Stock

8,250

$ 0

16,750

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Garabedian Raffi C/O FIRST SOLAR, INC. 350 WEST WASHINGTON STREET, SUITE 600 TEMPE, AZ 85281-1244			Chief Technology Officer

Signatures

/s/ Jason E. Dymbort, attorney-in-fact		07/25/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Represents shares of common stock issued upon vesting of 33% of the restricted stock units granted on November 21, 2016.
(2)	Represents shares of common stock withheld by the Issuer to satisfy certain tax withholding obligations with the vesting of the restricted stock units.
(3)	Each restricted stock unit represents the right to receive, upon vesting, one share of the Issuer's common stock in accordance with the Issuer's 2015 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan.
(4)	The restricted stock units were granted on November 21, 2016 pursuant to the retention equity award. These units are scheduled to vest at a rate of 33% on July 21, 2017, 33% on March 21, 2018 and 34% on November 21, 2018.

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