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Solar panel plant to open in Windsor, Ont.

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Solar panel plant to open in Windsor, Ont.
A Solar Source Corporation (SSC) will be locating a manufacturing facility in Windsor to produce crystalline silicon Solar PV panels. Solar Source Corporation's 45,000-square-foot production facility will be located at the Windsor International Airport.

May 13, 2010 – The WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation (WEEDC), along with the City of Windsor has announced that Solar Source Corporation (SSC) will be locating a manufacturing facility in Windsor to produce crystalline silicon Solar PV panels. Solar Source Corporation's 45,000 square foot production facility will be located at the Windsor International Airport, and will serve as SSC's and their manufacturing partner's beachhead investment in North America.

Solar Source Corporation is a Canadian renewable energy holding company wholly owned by Solar Bancorp Inc., a Canadian solar focused merchant bank. Solar Source Corporation has partnered with Hind High Vacuum Company (HHV), the leading manufacturer of amorphous silicon thin film and crystalline silicon solar panel manufacturing tools in India.

The first phase of the 30MW manufacturing project is expected to result in 150 full-time jobs, while the second phase is expected to create an additional 50 jobs for a total of 200.

"Solar Source Corp. is pleased to be associated with the City of Windsor for our initial solar panel manufacturing launch into the North American market," said Ross Beatty, President of Solar Source Corporation. "We are also very excited to have HHV of India as our joint venture partner in building Ontario's first solar panel manufacturing plant utilizing their equipment. Our relationship with the City of Windsor and HHV is a prime example of SSC's mandate to develop strong relationships with clean energy industry leaders. Windsor's embrace of the new renewable energy era as highlighted in Ontario's Green Energy Act is impressive and we wish to congratulate them on their forward thinking attitude."

"Windsor's strategic location as the gateway into the US market, coupled with the determination of Mayor Francis, and the efforts of the WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation to establish Windsor-Essex as the 'renewable energy capital' of Ontario, has created a dynamic one-two punch that we could not refuse," added Beatty.

Prasanth Sakhamuri, Managing Director of HHV, headquartered in Bangalore, India stated that, "HHV produces world-class, solar panel manufacturing equipment and technology, resulting in the most cost effective production of advanced solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and solar technology-based solutions-to meet the exacting demands of commercial and industrial establishments around the world."
"We are pleased to partner with Solar Source Corporation in Windsor and believe that this partnership will provide the North American marketplace with leadership, education, product knowledge and will produce many new innovations for years to come," added Mr. Sakhamuri.

"This is an example of how important it is for the City of Windsor to continue to build partnerships by facilitating the investment process in ways which leverage our assets and creates the most value for the City," said Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis. "These jobs represent continued progress in our diversification efforts to make the region the destination of choice for renewable energy investments. This is very good news for the citizens of Windsor and we welcome Solar Source Corporation to Windsor and to the region."

Lindsay Boyd, Chairperson of the WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors added, "This is very exciting news for our region in terms of the major investment being made by Solar Source Corporation paired with the creation of 200 new jobs. This is a further sign of how Ontario's Green Energy Act, as well as the Windsor-Essex region's highly capable workforce, and competitive business environment can be leveraged to take advantage of the growth in the renewable energy manufacturing sector. This is an important part of the supply chain development process."