Possible Solar Panel Plant for Summerside

What a perfect fit for Slemon Park and would create green jobs for PEI. Perfect fit with the City Wind Farm in St. Eleanors and our other environmental initiatives.


Solar panel plant eyed for Summerside
Last Updated: Thursday, March 11, 2010 10:25 PM AT
CBC News

P.E.I. may soon become the home of a large solar-panel factory with a proposal from an Ontario firm and an India-based company.
Solar Source Corp. has teamed up a company from India called HHV on a plan to build a $65-million plant at Slemon Park in Summerside.
Jamie Ballem, the province's former Progressive Conservative energy minister, is now the director of Solar Source, which is part of the SolarBancorp Group of Companies based in Ontario.
He said HHV has been in the solar-panel business for almost 50 years.
"They are a legitimate company," Ballem told CBC News. "Their panels are certified for North America, which is critical. With the expansion of solar energy production across the world, they want to move to North America."
Ballem would not comment on financing details, but said HHV is putting its own money into the plan.
"The equipment is close to $40 million by itself," he said.
No site chosen
While HHV has not yet chosen a location for the plant, Ballem said P.E.I. has "a great shot" at being picked.
"When you look at the market around the world, it's one of the fastest-growing energy markets ... solar production. It's very passive and it's expensive. So we're not looking to generate electricity in P.E.I., we're looking to make the panels and export them," he said.
Ballem said if a plant is constructed, it would create 120 jobs in Summerside. He said there is a verbal commitment from the federal and provincial governments and they will be expected to provide some funding.
P.E.I. Energy Minister Richard Brown would not say how much money the province would contribute, but said he supports the plan.
"I think it's a great project for Prince Edward Island. Also, it fits in with our energy plan and our prosperity plan," he said. "I hope the company will choose Prince Edward Island and come here."
Ballem said the first phase of a four-phase development would see solar panels manufactured by the fall of 2011.