Renewable-Energy Companies Add New Dimension to Local Economy
Published Nov 19, 2008
Mayor Jan Pawlowski sees a bright future for Brighton because of wind energy.
Energy has been a staple of the Metro North economy since Colorado’s first oil refinery opened in Commerce City in 1930. Now, growing numbers of renewable-energy enterprises are adding another dimension and contributing to Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter’s vision of a “New Energy Economy.”
A prime example is Vestas Americas A/S, which created quite a stir when the company blew into Brighton and on Aug. 15, 2008, announced big plans to expand its presence locally by building a $180 million wind-turbine blade factory and a $50 million nacelle assembly factory in the city. (The nacelle is the housing unit that sits atop the wind-power tower and contains the turbine’s gearbox, generator and transformer.)
Both factories are expected to be fully operational by mid 2010.
“This is really big for us,” Brighton Mayor Jan Pawlowski says.
Among the reasons the Danish company chose Brighton were the nearby rail lines and major highways. “The first thing they looked at was accessibility,” Pawlowski says. “We’re ideally located.”
Tax incentives and infrastructure improvements pledged by the city and proximity to the company’s $60 million, 400,000-square-foot blade factory that opened in March 2008 in the Weld County town of Windsor further influenced Vestas’ decision.
Between the Windsor plant, with 650 workers, and the Brighton operations, projected to employ 1,350, Vestas will put lots of Metro North folks to work. Furthermore, Pawlowski notes, “These are primary jobs – jobs that pay $35,000 to $80,000 a year.”
A technology and production engineering office and a division of the Vestas Business Academy also will reside on the company’s property in Brighton.
Additionally, Vestas is building the largest wind-turbine tower factory in the world in Pueblo, south of Colorado Springs.
Another wind-driven company, Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc., moved its headquarters – and 70 jobs – from Austin, Texas, to Broomfield in spring 2008. The company was founded in the United Kingdom in 1982 and set up U.S. operations in 1997. It develops, constructs and operates wind farms all over the world.
RES-Americas has been involved with 12 percent of the installed wind capacity in the United States – 2,248 megawatts produced by 20 wind farms. The company has 10 other projects representing 1,211 megawatts under construction. It plans to double the size of its Broomfield staff by spring 2009.
“The economic impact is going to be quite significant,” says Larry Burkhardt, president and chief executive officer of Upstate Colorado Economic Development, referring to the region’s growing wind industry. “The payroll is just a start. Already we’re seeing a cluster develop around that industry. Plus, with that number of employees, we will see a secondary impact with retail and service businesses as well.”
Sunny Forecast for Solar, Too
Meanwhile, local companies that specialize in solar power also are enjoying their day in the sun.
Gaiam Real Goods Solar Inc. – the world’s oldest and largest catalog company that specializes in solar and other renewable-energy products and services – has its corporate headquarters near Broomfield.
Since its inception in 1978, Real Goods has “solarized” more than 60,000 homes and businesses.
Ascent Solar Technologies Inc., a spinoff of parent company ITN Energy Systems, recently purchased a $5.5 million, 120,000-square-foot facility in Thornton.
The company plans to spend another $80 million to $90 million to renovate and retrofit the facility and install equipment.
Ascent Solar Technologies expects to begin production of its thin-film photovoltaic modules (also called solar cells) by the end of 2009.
“Ascent Solar is proud to be part of Colorado’s growing renewable-energy sector,” says Matthew Foster, company president and CEO.
“With a cluster of companies working toward similar goals with various technologies, we hope to increase Colorado’s role as a world-class center for industry development,” he says.
Story by Carol Cowan
Photo by Todd Bennett
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