JAPAN TO MAKE SOLAR PANELS, JOBS IN SAN DIEGO

Kyocera to Manufacture Solar Panels in San Diego
Mike Allen, March 3, 2010 (San Diego Business Journal)

"Kyocera Corp.’s solar division…plans to manufacture solar panels at its Kearny Mesa plant starting in June, initially creating about 75 new jobs.

"The news was announced by Mayor Jerry Sanders, who said that San Diego has by far the most solar panels on its roofs — more than any other city in the nation — and produces the most solar energy of any city in the [California]."

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"…[T]he facility would initially produce panels sufficient to generate 30 megawatts annually, but should reach 1 gigawatt of power by 2013, enough to power 285,000 homes a year.

"The exponential growth of the solar sector in the state aided by state tax incentives, along with logistical and technical advantages gained from locating the new production unit inside an existing Kyocera plant, led the company to choose San Diego over many other locales…"

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"Kyocera Solar is already making solar panels in several other global plants including one in Tijuana that has about 300 workers.

"The 75 jobs created by the new line is just the start, says Irene Stillings, executive director of the Center for Sustainable Energy California, whose offices are just across the street from the Kyocera plant…Because of the multiplier effect from increased demand for materials, installers, trainers and other services, the total number of jobs created could be quadrupled to 300…"