SoloPower Inc., a California-based manufacturer of flexible copper indium gallium diselenide thin-film solar cells and modules, will locate a new high-volume manufacturing facility in Wilsonville, Ore. The initial phase of this expansion will be the construction of a 75 MW manufacturing line, which is expected to create 170 new jobs.
Upon completion, the facility is projected to have a nameplate capacity of 300 MW, employ approximately 500 people, and have a total investment of approximately $340 million.Â
The state's Small Scale Energy Loan Program advisory committee has recommended approval to the Oregon Department of Energy for a $20 million loan to SoloPower. The company has also applied for a Business Energy Tax Credit of $20 million from the state of Oregon. Simultaneously, SoloPower is in discussions with the U.S. Department of Energy to obtain a loan guarantee under Section 1703 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to support the construction of the additional production lines. Â
SOURCE: SoloPower