SCHOTT AG of Mainz, Germany, today announced that its subsidiary, SCHOTT Solar, Inc., will construct a new production facility in the Mesa del Sol region of Albuquerque, NM.
SCHOTT says initially the production site will manufacture receivers for concentrated solar thermal power plants (CSP) and 64MW of photovoltaic (PV) modules. SCHOTT will construct a 200,000 square-foot facility that will produce over 1000 solar jobs.
Anticipating the need to increase production of its solar power technologies as the market for renewable energy in the US grows, the new site is designed to support expansion of both its photovoltaic module and solar receiver lines. According to the company, Long-term plans call for the building to expand to 800,000 square feet with 1,500 employees, representing a total investment of $500 million.
"According to both industry analysts and our projections, the market for solar energy will double over the next five years," said Dr. Udo Ungeheuer, Chairman of SCHOTT’s Board of Management. "With this new plant, SCHOTT Solar, the State of New Mexico, the City of Albuquerque, and Bernalillo County are taking a lead in answering the growing demand for renewable energy in the United States.
The location of the new facility, Mesa del Sol, a developing mixed-use community south of Albuquerque, was selected as a result of local and state officials’ commitment to attracting high-quality cleantech jobs to the region. Additionally, the location provides geographical proximity to the key solar PV module and CSP markets of the Southwestern United States, as well as close contact to one of the leading research centers for solar energy in the world, the Sandia National Laboratories.
SCHOTT was attracted to New Mexico thanks in part to the State’s commitment to the consumption of renewable energy. New Mexico currently has an aggressive 20% renewable portfolio standard, which mandates that by the year 2020, 20% of energy consumed in New Mexico must be generated by renewable energy sources, of which 4% must be from solar power. Additionally, New Mexico is at the forefront of progressive energy models in the U.S. with its feed-in tariff.
SCHOTT says its decision to locate the new facility in New Mexico is also due to the pro-business climate and the collaborative economic development programs provided by the State of New Mexico, City of Albuquerque, and Bernalillo County. The long-term economic impact of the site is expected to exceed $1 billion for the state of New Mexico, according to a release..
About SCHOTT
SCHOTT’s expansion of its U.S. PV production capabilities will further strengthen its position as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of solar PV modules, which directly convert solar radiation into clean electricity. The new site will complement SCHOTT’s existing Billerica, Massachusetts facility, which has a capacity of 15 MW, and produces the SCHOTT ASE-300 Watt PV module, one of the largest standard-sized modules available on the market today.
In 2007, SCHOTT’s total PV production capacity worldwide was 130 MW. For 2010, SCHOTT plans on a global yearly production capacity of crystalline solar cells and modules of about 450 MW each and additional capacity of 100 MW in ASI thin film technology.
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