Half Century Old Ford Assembly Plant to Become One of the Nation's Largest Renewable Energy Manufacturing Facilities

photo: Ford

Regardless of your opinions regarding the American auto industry, we can all agree that it's been a rough ride for American manufacturing. Nevertheless, some good news is coming from Ford this week. The company has just finalized a deal to bring renewable energy manufacturing, and 4,000 green collar jobs, to Michigan.

Photo of converted plant to be completed late 2011

Ford announced this week that they are breathing new life into one of their older manufacturing plants with a redevelopment plan that will turn the site into one of the largest renewable energy facilities in the country. Ford reached an agreement with Xtreme Power of Austin, Texas, and Clairvoyant Energy of Santa Barbara, Calif., to transform the 320-acre plant site into a solar power and wind energy storage systems facility. According to Ford's Web site, the $725 million redevelopment plan provides that:

Xtreme Power will convert more than one million square feet of the plant into a facility that will manufacture and store large-scale power systems, including solar and wind power. The plant will produce 10,000 megawatts of solar and wind power for use all over the world.

Clairvoyant Energy will develop state-of-the-art solar panels to be used in solar power park operations. The plant should produce 2.5 million solar panels a year.

The project bodes well for an ailing Michigan economy by creating an estimated 4,000 green collar jobs.

Via: Ogilvy PR on behalf of Ford Motor Co

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