May 19 2010
The solar industry in the Tri-Cities region of southwest Virginia and northeast Tennessee is likely to have a promising future.
For instance, AGC Flat Glass, based in Kingsport, Tennessee, is a supplier to customers including Sony, Sharp, Mitsubishi, Solar World, Sun Power, BP Solar and Dutch Shell. AGC Flat Glass manufactures glass solutions for solar applications in thermal collectors, concentrating solar mirrors and photovoltaic modules.
The Vice President of AGC Flat Glass Patrick Thompson foresees considerable growth in the flat glass market of the U.S. A recent Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) study also shares the same viewpoint and cites the robust growth witnessed in the U.S. market in 2009 that saw an increase in investment of 36% compared to 2008.
Another company, Highlands Solar Energy, Inc., based in Abingdon, Virginia, installs, designs and services solar power as well as solar water-heating systems meant for commercial and residential purposes. The company installs off-grid solar energy and grid-tied battery backup systems and assists customers gain the full benefit of state and federal tax credit programs.
Currently, the Pew Charitable Trust ranks the Tennessee state number three in the country for clean energy job generation. Some of the recent developments in Tennessee include the $200 million investment by Confluence Solar in a warehousing, distribution and manufacturing plant close to Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Moreover, Hemlock Semiconductor and Wacker Chemie are constructing polycrystalline silicon plants in Tennessee valued at more than $1 billion.