Friday, October 14, 2011

GE Plans Giant Solar Factory in Colorado

GE said late Thursday evening that it plans to build what it says is the largest, U.S. solar factory in Aurora, Colorado, which it plans to open in 2012. GE said the new solar factory panel is expected to create 355 jobs in Colorado, and will be larger than any other existing solar panel factory in the country. GE said the new factory, located near an existing "solar center of excellence" in Colorado maintained by the company, is expected to start equipment installation in January 2012, and expects panels to come off the line the same year. GE said it says it expects commercial availability of its thin film solar panels by 2013. The new factory is part of a $600M investment in solar for GE. Aurora is the location of GE's Global Research Center and Primestar Solar businesses, where GE Energy maintains its existing thin film solar pilot line.