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February 14, 2008
Solar Producer Tabs Thornton for Major Expansion
Ascent Solar Technologies announced this week that
it is moving its headquarters and production facility to Thornton.
The move represents a major expansion for the firm to build an
$85-million plant near I-25 and 120th Avenue. The workforce will
triple in size by the end of the year and, if all goes well,
eventually will grow to 300 workers by 2010.
Ascent Solar plans to produce electricity
producing thin film photovoltaic (PV) cells. Thin film PV cells are
very thin ─ less than the thickness of a human hair or even a paint
flake. Consequently, thin films can be deposited on and coat
building materials like glass, siding, and roofing. Ascent Solar is
utilizing thin-film PV technology that is being developed at the
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), using semiconductor
materials that are made up of combinations of copper, indium,
selenium, and gallium.
Ascent Solar is riding a wave of investment in PV
in Colorado. In September, the company announced a partnership with
the Norwegian building materials supplier Norsk Hydro to manufacture
building-integrated PV products. Ascent Solar plans to have these
products commercially available early next year.
The State of Colorado provided loan assistance to
Ascent Solar. Director of the Colorado Office of Economic
Development and International Trade Don Elliman said it plans to
offer the company new-employee training incentives. "We are
convinced Colorado has an opportunity to be a world-class center in
the development of this industry," said Elliman.
For details, read an article in the February 11
edition of the Denver Post, written by Andy Vuong and titled "Solar
Company on the Rise."
http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_8224903
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