SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Solaicx, a manufacturer of mono-crystalline silicon ingots and wafers for photovoltaic applications, announced Tuesday a new facility for silicon manufacturing in Portland, Ore.
The 136,000-square-foot plant is located in Portland’s Rivergate Industrial District, and will create approximately 100 new jobs by the end of this year.
In 2008, Solaicx expects to expand the plant's capacity from its initial 12 silicon ingot growers to a total of 36 growers. At full capacity, the facility will produce 142 megawatts of solar ingots and wafers annually.
"We looked at the state of Oregon's generous financial incentives for renewable energy and Portland's deep base of skilled labor in silicon manufacturing, and decided that the port is an ideal place for our continued growth as a company," said Jeff Jones, Vice President of Manufacturing for Solaicx.