GE has announced plans to build a new solar panel factory in Aurora, Colorado. When completed, the advanced manufacturing facility will create 355 jobs in Colorado and will be larger than any existing solar panel factory in the USA today. GE anticipates the new factory will first start up earlier than originally expected, with the first panels coming off the line in 2012 and commercial availability in 2013.
GE will locate the factory in an existing building in Aurora, just east of Denver. This location, which also is in proximity to GE’s ‘solar centre of excellence’ enables an accelerated start-up schedule with production equipment installation beginning in January 2012. The new factory will cost $600 million to buildand at full capacity will produce enough panels per year to power 80 000 homes. Colorado already is home to GE Energy’s thin film solar pilot line.
