Rioglass Solar, a company that makes reflector components for solar thermal power plants, is establishing a manufacturing facility in Surprise, Arizona at cost of about $50 million.
Rioglass is a subsidiary of Spain-based Rioglass Solar Holdings.
Rioglass Solar produces curved glass sheets used for parabolic concentrators in solar thermal
power stations. The company will supply tempered glass reflectors for Abengoa Solar’s 280-MW Solana Generating Station, to be
constructed near Gila Bend, Arizona. APS will buy 100% of the power generated at
the site.
In July, the U.S. Department of Energy announced a $1.45 billion
conditional loan guarantee to Abengoa to build the Solana Generating
Station. Rioglass Solar also received $10.6 million in federal tax
credits to locate its mirror manufacturing facility in Surprise.
The Rioglass facility in Surprise is expected to create more than 100 solar jobs, according to the City of Surprise, which made the announcement. Phase I of the facility–130,000 square feet–is expected to be operational by 2011.
Surprise Community and Economic Development Director Jeff Mihelich said a potential Phase II would add an additional 130,000 square feet of manufacturing space, another $45 million in capital investment and nearly 100 additional jobs.
Surprise will waive $290,000 in review and public infrastructure fees; invest $865,000 in public infrastructure including rail and electricity upgrades needed to serve the Rioglass Solar facility; and provide the company with project office space at the city’s business incubator, the AZ TechCelerator.
Rioglass Solar is said to be in negotiations to supply
reflectors for several other solar projects under development in the
United States.
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