SoloPower, a producer of flexible thin film solar modules and cells, has secured a loan guarantee worth $197 million from the Loan Programs Office of the US Department of Energy (DOE) for the development and operation of three thin film photovoltaic module plants.
SoloPower's flexible thin film solar module
The loan amount will be used for the capacity expansion of SoloPower’s thin film photovoltaic module facility in San Jose, California and for the building and operation of two new plants in Portland, Oregon. The three plants are anticipated to manufacture nearly 400 MW of advanced thin film photovoltaic modules per year. Collectively, the three plants will offer 270 construction jobs, 450 full-time jobs and hundreds of supply chain jobs.
SoloPower recently started the upgrading works at its San Jose facility for capacity expansion. The company plans to begin construction on the first high-volume plant in Portland in September 2011.
SoloPower utilizes unique production technology to manufacture cost-effective, efficient copper, indium, gallium and (di) selenide (CIGS)-based solar photovoltaic cells. The CIGS cells are then packed into novel, lightweight and flexible solar modules. The modules need minimum balance-of-system hardware and can be installed easily when compared to conventional solar panels.
According to Governor John Kitzhaber, SoloPower is creating the kind of new jobs required in Oregon. Senator Ron Wyden stated that DOE’s loan guarantee is the kind of job generating investment the nation demands.