New Mexico, United States [RenewableEnergyWorld.com] Schott Solar has opened its new manufacturing facility for products used to generate solar power, one year after breaking ground on the project’s first-phase. The 200,000 square-foot facility represents an initial investment of more than US $100 million. Schott has created 350 jobs at the new facility, which will continue to ramp up production throughout the summer.
“This facility is proof that smart policy can create jobs and spur investment,” New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson said. “Schott Solar has recognized the vast potential that exists for solar energy in the United States and especially New Mexico. They have taken a leadership position to manufacture technologies that can capture this limitless energy source.”
The facility is designed to support expansion of both Schott’s photovoltaic module and solar thermal receiver lines. Long term plans call for the buildings to expand to 800,000 square feet with employment reaching 1,500 people, representing a total investment of approximately $500 million.
Schott Solar’s manufacturing facility in Albuquerque is the first new solar manufacturing facility to open since the Federal government signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law. This law provides numerous incentives, including incentives for solar manufacturing, to help expand the renewable energy industry.
For the first phase, the Albuquerque facility will have an annual capacity of up to 85 megawatts of photovoltaic (PV) 225 watt polycrystalline modules, sold under the name Schott Solar Poly 225. The 225 watt module is well suited for a diverse range of applications and is particularly well suited for commercial buildings and schools thanks to its size and durability.
In addition to manufacturing photovoltaics, Schott Solar’s Albuquerque flagship facility is the
first in the U.S. to produce receivers used in parabolic trough, utility-scale, concentrated solar
power plants (CSP). Initially, the two production lines will produce enough receivers to meet the demands of up to 400 MW CSP power plants per year.
