S. DAKOTA GETS BIG WIND PLANT

Old Energy keeps warning about economic losses if the public turns away from it. New Energy keeps building more capacity, making new jobs and growing local economies.

GE Energy has, this fall, announced $1.5 billion in agreements to supply more than a gigawatt of wind energy capacity in the US and Europe. GE Energy will do $4 billion+ in wind energy business for 2008.

Think these 750 new jobs will do any good for Aberdeen’s economy? It could happen in your town.

MFG Announces Opening of New Manufacturing Facility to Support GE Energy’s Growing Wind Business
November 19, 2007 (Business Wire via Yahoo Finance)

WHO
GE Energy (Victor Abate, Vice President-Renewables); Molded Fiber Glass Companies (MFG) (Richard Morrison, CEO); Aberdeen Development Corporation (ADC); Mike Rounds, Governor, South Dakota

The blade for a 1.5 megawatt turbine is no small manufacturing undertaking.

WHAT
MFG broke ground on a $40 million wind turbine blade manufacturing plant that will bring 750 new jobs to Aberdeen, South Dakota.

WHEN
Groundbreaking was November 19. The plant is expected to be operational in 2008.

WHERE
- The plant will be in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
- GE Energy is based in Atlanta, GA.
- MFG is based in Ashtabula, Ohio.

WHY
- ADC will own. MFG will lease and operate.
- The $40 million plant will build blades for GE Energy’s 1.5 megawatt turbines. It will create 750 new jobs.
- GE Energy has built more than half of US wind energy capacity in 2006-07.

With the worldwide wind energy market growing faster in 2007 than ever before and expected to grow still faster in 2008, it doesn't look like Aberdeen's plant will lack for activity. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
- Abate, GE Energy: “GE currently has over 6,500 1.5-megawatt wind turbines in operation worldwide. By the end of 2008, we expect that number to exceed 10,000 units…The new MFG facility in Aberdeen will significantly increase the manufacturing capacity of our supply chain, as we continue to face strong demand for wind turbines in the U.S. and worldwide.”
- Morrison, MFG: “Today’s groundbreaking represents a new milestone in the commercial relationship between MFG and GE Energy…We are pleased to continue supporting GE’s efforts in the wind energy industry, which is experiencing unprecedented growth around the world. We are also grateful to the team in the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and their hard work to make this happen in South Dakota.”
- Governor Rounds: “We applaud MFG and GE for bringing new jobs to our region…It makes good business sense for a leader in the wind industry like GE to have its wind blades manufactured in the heart of North America’s best wind energy resource.”