Nation's largest solar production facility slated for Oregon

Manufacturing News, Source : The Manufacturer US
Zone : Energy business
Published : 15 Mar 2007 12:42

HILLSBORO, Ore. (March 13, 2007) – SolarWorld Group, headquartered in Germany, has selected Hillsboro, Ore., as the location for its newest manufacturing plant. The new facility, which will open in the summer of 2007, will produce solar cells and wafers and will be the largest plant of its kind in the nation when it is in full production in 2009.

“There were many reasons to come to Oregon,” said Boris Klebensberger, COO of SolarWorld Group and president of SolarWorld Industries America. “But the most important factors probably were that the facility itself is perfect for our needs, the State of Oregon supports us with property and business energy tax credits, and we will find highly skilled workers in the area.”

Hillsboro, which is located just 18 miles west of Portland, is the home to Intel’s largest chip manufacturing plant and a growing cluster of other high-tech companies. With this high concentration of technology companies near by, SolarWorld has the necessary talent pool from which to hire future employees.

“Many of the skills that are required in the semiconductor industry are very transferable to manufacturing of solar cells,” said Larry Pederson, director of economic development for the City of Hillsboro. “Also, the state continues to attract young educated professionals simply because it offers the lifestyle they are seeking.”

Additionally, SolarWorld executives were attracted to the state because of its Business Energy Tax Credit program and overall business climate that encourages companies to adopt environmental initiatives. Oregon’s Department of Energy offers the tax credits to companies that invest in energy conservation, recycling, renewable energy resources and less-polluting transportation fuels.

“The location of SolarWorld’s new plant in Hillsboro is not only great news for the economy, it is also a major step forward for the environment,” said Oregon State Governor Ted Kulongoski. “SolarWorld will be a major partner in our state’s move towards energy independence.”

SolarWorld will be moving into an existing production facility previously owned by the Japanese Komatsu Group and which sat idle for 10 years. Not only did the building cost a fraction of what it was initially worth, it is located in a newly established Enterprise Zone, which provides additional tax incentives.

The company will invest approximately $400 million to convert the semiconductor plant to produce silicon wafer and cells for solar panels. When the plant opens the company expects to hire several hundred employees with the potential of 1,000 by the end of 2009 when the plant is in full production.

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