Production at the First Solar Plant in Perrysburg
Updates on the Current State of Solar in the Toledo Region
By: Emily Dammeyer, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce
Last week, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce members had the opportunity to attend Coffee and Connecting hosted by First Solar. A unique experience, members enjoyed a full breakfast and a complete tour of the First Solar Campus. Additionally, representatives from First Solar and GEM Energy collaborated to give a presentation focused on the growth of solar within the Toledo Region. It was a wonderful morning for members to connect and a privilege to tour the largest solar manufacturing plant in North America.
"Hosting area business leaders and educators as part of this Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce event was a privilege. It's important to share community spirit and take pride in such fruitful and blossoming partnerships.” - Jay Lake, Manufacturing Workforce Development Community Relations Manager, First Solar
Rudolph Libbe and First Solar are a perfect example of ‘blossoming partnerships’ and are working together on several projects to bring solar energy to new sites. GEM Energy is the group within Rudolph Libbe that focuses on solar. Jason Slattery of GEM Energy, discussed the growth of the company and updated attendees on the state of solar in Ohio.
Rudolph Libbe entered the solar space in 2007 because they saw solar as a way to diversify within their core business of construction. Since 2007, Slattery reported, Solar has been a big growth spot for the business. This year alone they have seen 100% growth and are looking to double their staff.
Slattery outlined the top performing countries in the solar market. China is leading the world in solar installations, the United States is second, followed by Japan and India, respectively.
Currently there is a 30% federal tax credit on solar construction projects that will continue through 2019. These credits are contributing to the growth of the solar market, which is doubling in size every two years. According to Slattery, in order for Ohio to grow within the U.S. solar market, “We need Columbus to provide stable policy so we can attract cost effective investments to our state and build more solar projects.” – Jason Slattery, Director of Solar, GEM Energy
He also focused on the advantages of solar energy within the modern grid, a topic discussed at the TRCC Ohio Chamber Day. The existing grid, which uses a significant amount of coal and nuclear, lost a lot of energy in the line because the energy had to travel extreme distances between the point of production and the point of use. In a modernized grid, energy is produced where it is used, maximizing the efficiency of the grid. 6500 megawatts of Ohio Coal plants have been retired over the last five years and that gap needs to be filled. Slattery hopes to fill it with a combination of solar and natural gas.
Rudolph Libbe entered the solar space in 2007 because they saw solar as a way to diversify within their core business of construction. Since 2007, Slattery reported, Solar has been a big growth spot for the business. This year alone they have seen 100% growth and are looking to double their staff.
Slattery outlined the top performing countries in the solar market. China is leading the world in solar installations, the United States is second, followed by Japan and India, respectively.
Currently there is a 30% federal tax credit on solar construction projects that will continue through 2019. These credits are contributing to the growth of the solar market, which is doubling in size every two years. According to Slattery, in order for Ohio to grow within the U.S. solar market, “We need Columbus to provide stable policy so we can attract cost effective investments to our state and build more solar projects.” – Jason Slattery, Director of Solar, GEM Energy
He also focused on the advantages of solar energy within the modern grid, a topic discussed at the TRCC Ohio Chamber Day. The existing grid, which uses a significant amount of coal and nuclear, lost a lot of energy in the line because the energy had to travel extreme distances between the point of production and the point of use. In a modernized grid, energy is produced where it is used, maximizing the efficiency of the grid. 6500 megawatts of Ohio Coal plants have been retired over the last five years and that gap needs to be filled. Slattery hopes to fill it with a combination of solar and natural gas.
Since GEM Energy’s beginning in 2007, their solar costs have declined 80%. They are now installing solar for under $2/watt and their sweet spot, target installation market is manufacturing facilities.
Clarence Hertzefeld, First Solar, gave a short presentation before the tour on “First Solar at a Glance.” First Solar was founded and publically traded in 1999 and is the partner of choice for leading utilities and global power buyers. The Perrysburg plant is home to most of First Solar’s global operational support organizations. Hertzfeld credits their growth and optimal position in the marketplace to their advancement of technology and having the fastest innovation rate in the industry. Also, as demand for solar energy grows, their installed system cost falls, making solar energy a more accessible solution.
In the last year, First Solar brought 100 jobs to the Toledo Region and became the largest North American producer due to the 200 megawatts of capacity they added last year, bringing their total annualized capacity to 630 megawatts. More than 1350 associates are employed in the Toledo Region by the company.
Beyond touring the First Solar plant, there are several opportunities to see solar energy at work in the Toledo Region. The 180th Fighter Wing has an installation as well as the Toledo Zoo. Thank you First Solar for opening your doors to our members and providing a memorable morning.
Clarence Hertzefeld, First Solar, gave a short presentation before the tour on “First Solar at a Glance.” First Solar was founded and publically traded in 1999 and is the partner of choice for leading utilities and global power buyers. The Perrysburg plant is home to most of First Solar’s global operational support organizations. Hertzfeld credits their growth and optimal position in the marketplace to their advancement of technology and having the fastest innovation rate in the industry. Also, as demand for solar energy grows, their installed system cost falls, making solar energy a more accessible solution.
In the last year, First Solar brought 100 jobs to the Toledo Region and became the largest North American producer due to the 200 megawatts of capacity they added last year, bringing their total annualized capacity to 630 megawatts. More than 1350 associates are employed in the Toledo Region by the company.
Beyond touring the First Solar plant, there are several opportunities to see solar energy at work in the Toledo Region. The 180th Fighter Wing has an installation as well as the Toledo Zoo. Thank you First Solar for opening your doors to our members and providing a memorable morning.
Photo Gallery
 | Emily Dammeyer is the Communications Manager at the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce. She has a background in Social Media Management and received a degree in Organizational Communication from Miami University. |
Please contact Emily Dammeyer, Communications Manager, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce to submit a story for our blog.
RSS Feed
