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Dow solar shingles provide power for the
Vision Zero demonstration home, which
opened in May in Bay City, Mich.
first wave of
hiring for Dow
solar shingle Plant
Dow Chemical in September hired the first 100 workers for a new production line to make Powerhouse photovoltaic roofing shingles at its facility in Midland, Mich.
The company hopes to scale up to 1,200 union
jobs by 2014.
According to Dow Solar General Manager
Jane Palmieri, the growth is the result of continued collaboration between Dow, the state of
Michigan and the city of Midland to accelerate production of the building-integrated solar product, create advanced manufacturing jobs and make
Michigan a green-tech hub.
In 2007, Dow received $20 million in funding from the U.S. Department
of Energy to focus on developing the next generation of residential solar
solutions. In October 2009, Dow Solar unveiled the solar shingle as the first
c Obb Lest ONe hOmes
in a portfolio of building-related solar energy products. Dow had not yet
revealed specifications for the Powerhouse product at press time.
“We see this as a winning situation for Dow, the union and the community,” said Kent Holsing, president of the United Steelworkers, Local 12075.
“We are always looking to work together with the company to bring more
jobs to the region, including skilled solar manufacturing jobs.”
PatrIck gILLOOLy
Postdoctoral associate Jae-Hee Han, left, graduate student Geraldine Paulus and associate professor Michael Strano built a fiber of
carbon nanotubes that can concentrate solar energy.
14 November/December 2010 SOLAR TODAY solartoday.org
Copyright © 2010 by the American Solar Energy Society Inc. All rights reserved.
