As reported today on KCFR, Colorado Public Radio’s all-news station, Germany’s SMA Solar Technology is planning on building the largest solar production facility in the United States. The manufacturing center will be located in Denver’s Stapleton neighborhood.
According to the company’s website, SMA is the world leader in solar inverter technology with a total installed capacity of over three gigawatts. (For a brief description of inverter technology, click here). “SMA Solar Technology AG develops, produces and sells solar inverters and monitoring systems for photovoltaic applications. SMA is the world’s largest producer in this segment and is the only vendor that has a product range with the matching inverter type for any module type and any power class.”
SMA’s press release stated that the facility will be the “largest production facility for solar inverters in the US.” The Denver location “will employ a staff of 700 (including temporary employees). . . . Production is planned to begin around the middle of 2010.” The company estimates that the “investment for the new production line and building enhancements is estimated at around 15 million Euros [22 million US dollars].”
As mentioned in previous pieces (like last week’s post on the Association for the Study of Peak Oil), Colorado and its governor have developed a climate conducive to the incubation of clean energy companies. Governor Ritter has repeatedly made the connection between economic growth and the clean energy economy. If SMA Solar Technology’s move into the area, along with Vestas (mentioned here in an earlier post) are any indication, Colorado is set to lead by attracting international companies, as well as homegrown ones like Abound Solar.
[image source: SMA]
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