Looks like 500 solar module manufacturing jobs are coming to Ontario. According to my story this morning in the Toronto Star:

Solar module maker Canadian Solar Inc. says it is preparing to establish a manufacturing facility in Ontario that will create 500 direct jobs to take advantage of a provincial green-energy program that mandates local content.

The Kitchener-based company made the announced this morning.

Canadian Solar, founded in 2001, said the new facility will be capable of manufacturing 200 megawatts of solar modules a year and will cost about $24 million to build. Site selection has begun and the first phase of operation is expected in 2010.

The company said in a statement that the facility, once completed, will be one of the largest solar panel manufacturing plants in North America. “Our new facility will help expand ‘green’ skilled jobs and investment in Ontario, as well as the rest of Canada,” said Shawn Qu, chairman and chief executive of Canadian Solar.

Canadian Solar also hinted that part of the output from the new facility will go toward supplying itself. It revealed it has submitted “a significant number” of feed-in-tariff (FIT) applications to the Ontario Power Authority, signaling that it plans to become a major developer of solar power projects in the province.

The Green Energy and Green Economy Act and FIT program continue to gain momentum… good to see.

Tags: Canadian Solar

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 at 9:10 am and is filed under solar. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.