A solar panel manufacturing plant in Perrysburg and a clean coal power plant on the Ohio River in southern Meigs County are the first two recipients of funding awards from the $150 million Advanced Energy Job Stimulus Program. The awards, in the form of loan agreements, were authorized by the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority (OAQDA) at its June meeting. Governor Ted Strickland and OAQDA Executive Director Mark Shanahan announced the historic funding awards immediately after the June 9 meeting.
“The first two recipients of these funds are great examples of how investing in advanced energy technologies is stimulating Ohio’s economy,” Strickland said. “The impacts of President Obama’s recovery act and our bipartisan state stimulus package are becoming evident – we are creating the jobs of the future in Ohio today.”
The funding was authorized for Willard and Kelsey Solar Group, LLC (W&K) of Perrysburg and American Municipal Power (AMP-Ohio).
“These two outstanding projects demonstrate that the Advanced Energy Job Stimulus Program is fulfilling its mission to support cutting-edge projects that are on a fast track toward commercialization,” Shanahan said. “These investments can attract additional investment and will put Ohioans to work in the jobs of the future.”
Willard and Kelsey Solar Group, LLC
Willard & Kelsey solar production facility near Toledo. |
W & K will receive a $10 million loan over two years to assist in the planned expansion of their Perrysburg manufacturing plant, which currently employs about 40 workers. The company manufactures thin-cell photovoltaic solar panels that are distributed around the nation and world. The panels are used in residential and commercial settings to generate electricity. W & K operates one manufacturing line, but plans to expand to as many as 16 lines, employing more than 3,500 workers. The average annual wage and benefit package for company employees will be around $61,000. Total project cost is $1.2 billion.
W & K was formed in 2007 as an outgrowth of Glasstech Solar, which pioneered the development of large area, thin-film cadmium telluride solar modules. Its first manufacturing line operations began in February, and W & K continues to expand to take advantage of the growing global market for solar panels for use in electricity generation.
“Our company is honored to be one of the first recipients of funds from Ohio’s Advanced Energy Job Stimulus Program. We are extremely pleased that we have the opportunity to help strengthen the economy of northwest Ohio as the area’s traditional strength as a global leader in the glass industry evolves naturally into a leadership role in the solar industry,” said William Mitchell, president and CEO of Willard & Kelsey.
American Municipal Power (AMP-Ohio) Generating Station
Preliminary rendering of the AMP-Ohio Power Generating station to be built in Meigs County. |
AMP-Ohio will receive a $30 million bridge loan to assist in the construction of the 1,000-megawatt AMP-Ohio Generating Station in Letart Falls in southern Meigs County. Construction is expected to begin later this year or early in 2010 and will employ 1,600 workers. An estimated 150 full-time workers will be hired beginning in June 2011, earning an average wage of $31.25 per hour. Another 15 workers will be hired at an associated fertilizer facility. Total project cost is $3.2 billion.
The new plant will use a variety of pollution-control technologies, including the Powerspan ammonia-based scrubber system, which successfully removes the great majority of sulfur dioxide, fine particulate matter and mercury produced during combustion. Powerspan also has demonstrated a promising technology for removal of carbon dioxide. Additionally, the technology also yields a highly marketable ammonium sulfate fertilizer byproduct. AMP-Ohio is working with Ohio-based The Andersons on the fertilizer portion of the planned power plant facilities. The Powerspan technology previously received $4.5 million in funding from the Ohio Coal Development Office, a program of OAQDA.
When built, the new plant will help stabilize power costs for nearly 300,000 electricity customers of AMP-Ohio in 69 Ohio communities.
“The bridge loan that Ohio’s Advanced Energy Job Stimulus Program is providing AMP-Ohio assures that we can launch the construction phase of this important project on schedule later this year. We believe the project underscores our commitment to the environmentally sound use of clean coal and advanced energy technologies, as is also affirmed by our hydroelectric projects at existing dams on the Ohio River,” Jolene Thompson, senior vice president of member services and external affairs for AMP-Ohio, said.
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Issue Three, 2009
