Nov. 7, 2011: GE to Build Largest Solar Factory in the U.S.
AURORA, Colo. — GE has announced plans to build a new solar panel factory in Aurora, Colo. When completed, the company said the advanced manufacturing facility will be larger than any existing solar panel factory in the country today. GE anticipates the new factory will start up with the first panels coming off the line in 2012 with commercial availability in 2013.
GE will locate the factory in an existing building in Aurora, just east of Denver. The company said that this location, which is in proximity to GE’s existing solar center, enables an accelerated start-up schedule with production equipment installation beginning in January 2012. At capacity, the new factory is expected to produce enough panels per year to power 80,000 homes and will be larger than 11 football fields. When complete, the new factory will represent a $600 million investment in GE’s solar business.