Atlanta-based Suniva, Inc. has announced it will build its first solar cell facility at Norcross… a first for the state of Georgia as well.
This story posted on Chattanoogan.com says the company will use technological advances developed at the Georgia Institute of Technology to make high-efficiency solar cells:
“This new solar cell facility is a perfect example of the way Georgia’s investment in research and development pays dividends by producing innovative technologies that help companies grow,” said Gov. Perdue. “Suniva’s production commitment and highly-qualified workforce will expand our clean energy success as the nation’s renewable energy corridor into the solar arena.”
Suniva’s new Gwinnett County facility will manufacture high-efficiency, low-cost solar cells. Production capacity of the first line will be 32 megawatts. The company plans additional lines that will scale to more than 100 MW over the next two years, potentially adding more jobs to its workforce.
“As the solar industry looks to bring down costs and compete with conventional power, Suniva has built the team and the technology to execute on our vision of low-cost, high-efficiency solar energy,” said John Baumstark, CEO of Suniva. “We are pleased to be moving into our next phase of growth close to home, and we are interested in working with state and local government to create an ecosystem of clean energy companies in the Atlanta metro area.”
The new plant is expected to employ 100 people in the first year.
An American biofuels company is teaming up with a British company to build several biodiesel plants able to make the green fuel from a variety of sources, including non-food feedstocks.
At today’s Annual Meeting EPIC unveiled Edgar the E Man. He’s the official mascot of EPIC and available to members for appearances at events. I got Reece Nanfito, EPIC Director of Marketing to take my picture with Edgar.
The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council Annual Meeting is underway with keynote speaker, Dr. Robert Zubrin, on stage.
World leaders are meeting this week in Rome, Italy to discuss the current world food crisis.
The president of Brazil, whose country’s sugar cane has long been used to produce ethanol that fuels cars and trucks, delivered an impassioned defense of biofuels.
While agreeing that sustainability and innovation are needed, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer insisted that biofuels contribute only 2 or 3 percent to a predicted 43 percent rise in prices this year.
A new report says millions of workers in the U.S. will benefit from a green economy… and many workers already have the skills to make the jump to clean energy jobs.
The National Resources Defense Council, a coalition of environmental organizations, has released a report titled “Job Opportunities for the Green Economy.” The paper, put together by the University of Massachusetts Amherst, takes a look at the potential of green jobs in 12 key states. 
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Siemens Energy has announced it will open a wind research and development center in Colorado.
“We are very pleased to establish our first wind turbine R&D competence center in Boulder. The proximity of important institutions such as NREL and the NWTC, as well as the support received from the State of Colorado and the City of Boulder, make Boulder the perfect location for a R&D center in the U.S.,” Randy Zwirn, head of Siemens’ Energy Sector in the U.S., said in a statement.
Iowa-based Renewable Energy Group is buying the large assets of U.S. Biodiesel Group… a move that is expected to greatly enhance REG’s ability to distribute biodiesel on the West Coast and the Texas Gulf Coast.