Oregon led the nation in solar module manufacturing for the first 6 months of 2010, according to a new report out this week from the Solar Energy Industries Association.
It's the first time the group has ranked states by their solar manufacturing prowess. Oregon tops the list followed by Ohio, Massachusetts, Tennessee and Michigan.
Given that SolarWorld opened North America's largest solar manufacturing facility in Hillsboro two years ago, the No. 1 ranking for Oregon stands to reason, but the new ranking does provide a new bragging right — and it's catching people's attention.
"Most people are shocked," said Tom Kimbra, director of policy and research for SEIA. "It's really a great success story for Oregon."
Monday, October 18, 2010
Eco-nomics: Oregon #1 in US in Solar Manufacturing
From the Portland Business Journal:
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Kinda like being the fastest runner in a race full of one-legged men.
"Despite massive local, state and national subsidies for solar here, the U.S. share of solar manufacturing is shriveling. Solar panels made from silicon were invented at Bell Laboratories in the U.S. in the 1950s, and the U.S. produced 45 percent of the world supply in 1996, says Ben Santarris, SolarWorld spokesman in Hillsboro. 'Now it’s less than 5 percent,' says Bob Beisner, the company’s vice president and managing director in Hillsboro."
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