GE will employ 355 people in its Aurora, CO PrimeStar Solar plant

Summary Update: 

• GE picks Aurora, Colorado for the site of its PrimeStar Solar production plant.  It beat a New York location which was its closest competition. 
• It will employ 355 people.
• GE will spend $300 million to retrofit an existing Aurora warehouse into a state-of-the-art manufacturing production plant.
• The plant will produce enough solar panels to power 800,00 homes a year.
• Ten states were in the running for the proposed plant.
• This is a big boost to the solar industry in Colorado.
• The technology  was developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden and PrimeStar, an Arvada-based company GE bought in April.
• Work will begin in January.
• Colorado has a talented workforce which was one of the deciding factors over other states.
• http://www.primestarsolar.com/

The Denver Post reports: 

"With a PrimeStar fabrication plant here, you see a really strong cluster of solar companies emerging in Colorado," said Christine Shapard, executive director of the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association.

"GE wouldn't have picked Colorado if we hadn't had the workforce and the talent that they need. That differentiates Colorado from many other states."   

Read more: Aurora lands PrimeStar Solar plant, which will employ 355 people - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_19110118#ixzz1bkn4S1TN