I have often spoke of building green industries in and around Cleveland. We need to be more worried about adding green industries than trying to save the failing auto plants that dot the Ohio landscape. My partner, Bud Perry, just sent me this email that I wanted to share with all of you:
So, in these troubled economical times, factories & businesses everywhere are laying off people left and right. Meanwhile in Toledo and Perrysburg, Ohio, three companies are doing just fine. In fact, they’re doing more than just fine, they’re practically booming! Xunlight Corporation and First Solar of Toledo have seen dramatic rises in their bottom lines and Willard & Kelsey Solar Group of Perrysburg is going to be adding nearly 400 jobs. What do they all have in common? They manufacture solar panels. The news should be spread far and wide, shouted from the rooftops, blared from the streets, that Ohio is the place to manufacture alternative energy products. Willard & Kelsey, manufacturers of thin-film solar panels are even renovating a defunct factory for their new digs. Way to go Willard & Kelsey Solar Group!
solar panel
Bud read an article in a Crain’s publication that spoke about companies who were adding jobs. Xunlight, a technology spin-off from the University of Toledo, engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of photovoltaic modules that convert sunlight into electricity. The company develops thin-film silicon based photovoltaic products and manufacturing equipment for high-throughput production of flexible and lightweight photovoltaic modules at low cost. First Solar (Toledo or Perysburg?) is a German-American company that also produces solar panels-their goal is to produce solar elcetricyy cheap enough to make it compete with conventional electricity sources. Willard & Kelsey Solar Group has taken over the defunct Delafoil plant and is in the process of rehabbing the 250,000 square foot space. Good news for the Toledo area, who seems to be becoming a solar mecca. These companies are joining Advanced Distribution Generation, Innovative Thin Films, and Calyxo (formerly Solar Fields) in the Toledo/Perrysburg area to add jobs to the local economy.
So, with plenty of open factory real estate, and a ready to go manufacturing work force, what can Cleveland do to bring some of these next generation “green” industry jobs here? What about wind power? Wind turbine manufacturing is a growing industry. We need to make it grow here! I agree that the lagging economy, the loss of manufacturing jobs in the area, growing unemployment, and an over abundance of empty real estate can make this a scary time to invest in the future. However, now is also the best opportunity to change the viability of this city and the entire region. Now is the time to go green and add jobs here. Now is the time to really Believe in Cleveland!
Great post! I can’t wait until the solar panel innovation becomes more mainstream in my city! We need it.
[...] Vote Ohio Gets Greener-and ADDS Jobs … [...]
Me and Sean were thinking about purchasing a number of solar power systems for our house a year ago. The only concern was the amount. The most inexpensive solar system we identified was about five thousand bucks. It might have taken us decades to make back that amount of money. Anyways, we stumbled across these instructions for creating your own solar power systems. We chose to have a shot at that route. It ended up saving us a great deal of cash, and the no cost, natural electricity is great!
We operate a number of of our appliances off this grid.