Michigan Could Get 500-Job Solar Plant

The city of Saginaw is bidding to become home to a branch of the San Jose-based solar company GlobalWatt. If the Saginaw City Council approves a brownfield redevelopment plan, the company could receive ten million dollars in tax credits.

A city in Texas has already offered an incentive package to the company should they decide to locate their new facility there. The Texas city could be Corpus Christi, but some sources also state the location is still undisclosed.  GlobalWatt already collaborates with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi on photovoltaics research.

The company produces solar modules, photovoltaic laminators, semi-automatic production lines, and conducts research. Their new plant  will cost about $177 million to create and will manufacture solar modules for commercial, military and residential installations.

An estimated 100 jobs will be created annually each year for five years, beginning in 2010. Michigan’s unemployment rate decreased very slightly in October to 15.1%. According to AP the state has 96,000 fewer manufacturing jobs now than it did last year.

Image Credit: saginawartmuseum.org