Solar Project Radiates Opportunity for SEIDA Region
Published Jan 13, 2010
Whether it’s existing technology or futuristic new equipment and processes, renewable energy production is generating new investment and new opportunities.
A case in point is Bradley County, Tenn., where the massive, $1 billion Wacker Chemie AG facility will lead the charge.
The facility will manufacture hyperpure polycrystalline silicon, which is used by the solar energy industry for photovoltaics and by the electronics industry in semiconductor manufacturing.
Around 500 workers will be required in the initial operation, a figure that should grow over time as the initial investment, Wacker’s first in the United States, continues to expand on the company’s 550-acre site, says Gary Farlow, president and chief executive officer of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce.
“The United States is only about 8 percent of the world solar market, and that’s something they believe is really going to take off here,” Farlow says. “We had been working with them since 2005, and so they were looking at us and the positives here for a long time.”
In addition to inexpensive, readily available power and a nearby river for its cooling system, Wacker is also pleased with Tennessee’s growing profile in the solar industry. One of its major competitors, Hemlock Semiconductor, is setting up shop in Clarksville, Tenn.
“They see solar becoming cost-effective and a cheaper alternative in this country, and they wanted to get their presence here established,” Farlow says. “And in addition to the water and power we could offer them, we also could provide a source of chlorine right next door at Olin Corp., so they can run a pipeline for that part of their process.”
Economic development officials across the region have watched the Wacker deal unfold with great interest and hope that they can capitalize on the growing energy sector.
McMinn County, Tenn., is promoting its proximity to various suppliers and also fielding a steady supply of inquiries from outside as well, says Jack Hammontree, vice president and chief operating officer of the McMinn County Economic Development Authority.
“We are appealing to their suppliers, even though the factory’s operation is still several years out,” Hammontree says. “And we are getting requests for information from their suppliers and their customers. We think that being nearby is going to be a real asset to us, and that we’ll be talking to a lot more people as their opening gets closer.”
Wacker’s ambitious investment plans also are generating a lot of excitement in and around Bradley County, both in terms of employment growth and a steady influx of downstream businesses as the product lines increase.
“We’re very well positioned when it comes to other people in the solar industry,” Farlow says. “We’ll be at the very beginning of the chain with Wacker, because they make the silicon. From there it will move to other products and eventually to wafer and solar-panel production, and we have tremendous potential to bring those people here as well. This has really put us on the map when it comes to alternative energy.”
Story by Joe Morris
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