September 10, 2009

Wixom, MI, USA: Oerlikon Solar and Clairvoyant Energy Plan Thin Film Manufacturing Facility

A group of renewable energy companies has joined forces with Ford and the State of Michigan on a plan to convert the 320-acre Wixom Ford Motor Co. assembly plant outside Detroit into a renewable energy manufacturing park. This historic Wixom facility will be refurbished and upgraded with new manufacturing lines for solar panels and advanced energy storage.

In case the now announced plans will be executed, Oerlikon Solar USA Inc. has been selected by Clairvoyant Energy of Santa Barbara, Calif., as its preferred equipment partner for the thin film solar panel manufacturing line.

Oerlikon Solar has 10 factories in production around the world and the fastest time to market. The company’s Micromorph® technology delivers the highest performing thin film silicon solar products in the world. Thin film silicon solar technology offers cost and performance advantages over traditional crystalline silicon and each year is gaining a greater share of the global solar panel market. Micromorph® technology is quite versatile and well-suited for large-scale projects such as "solar farms" and industrial installations as well as for smaller rooftop applications.

“Oerlikon Solar is considered for this project because of our leading Micromorph® technology and our clear track record for bringing new thin film solar factories to the market, on time and on budget all over the world,” said Jeannine Sargent, chief executive officer of Oerlikon Solar. “With a strong local workforce and the support of Wixom and the state we are confident that in partnership with Clairvoyant Energy, we can help Michigan leverage its extensive manufacturing infrastructure for clean renewable energy.”

Clairvoyant Energy plans to hire 300 employees for their production facility, which will use Oerlikon Solar equipment, starting in late 2011 and add another 700 later depending on demand. If the project is approved, Oerlikon Solar USA will establish a regional sales and support center at the Wixom site.

“Oerlikon Solar has the experience and capability we needed from a technology partner for this highly visible and ambitious project,” said David Hardee, chief executive officer of Clairvoyant Energy. “Oerlikon Solar will provide us with a technology strategy to remain at the cutting edge at relatively low risk with the goal of producing a high efficiency solar panel at the lowest cost in the market.”

Oerlikon Solar is the first thin film silicon technology provider to have IEC/TUV Rheinland certification for its entire family of thin film silicon solar technologies, including both Amorphous and Micromorph®. The certification ensures that modules produced by Oerlikon Solar customers are manufactured to the highest quality standards and can endure the most challenging real world environmental conditions. With more challenging credit markets, certification also makes Oerlikon Solar projects more predictable and bankable.

Further details about: Oerlikon Solar and Clairvoyant Energy