Nov 30 2010
Automation Tooling Systems (ATS) launched its Photowatt Ontario Green Wind Production unit in Ontario. The Launch ceremony was attended by the Minister of Energy, Brad Duguid, and by the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities and Member of Provincial Parliament for Ketchener Centre, the Hon. John Milloy. This facility provides turnkey solar solutions. It has started production of PV modules on a 100 MW line at Cambridge, Ontario, in the ATS campus.
This production would satisfy consumers from industrial, commercial and residential markets along with large scale solar fields. This line was designed and constructed by ATS Cambridge Automation section.
ATS has at the outset created 150 posts at the company and hopes to hire extra workers when the demand increases. ATS deems that the job creation would be identical to the European solar industry, wherein around 40 jobs would be created per megawatt of solar installed. This estimation comes from an International Energy analysis. Brad Duguid remarked that he was happy to welcome the ATS facility to Ontario’s developing green economy. He stated that the McGuinty Government’s long term energy plan and vision for clean economy would be fulfilled by companies such as ATS.
According to John Milloy, this new facility at the Waterloo region made by ATS investments would bring a cleaner environment and improve economy for future generations. The CEO and President of ATS, Anthony Caputo, thanked Ontario for addressing issues such as the greenhouse gas discharges, the aging electrical transmission lines, lost manufacturing jobs and obsolete power generation methods by the introduction of the Green Energy Act. This Act with its feed in tariff system would achieve several of the complex objectives. This governmental support is crucial to the evolution of solar power energy. He further mentioned that the module line was a vital element of the Green Wing of the ATS. Panel manufacturing has commenced but they were on the lookout for potential partners.