At least 100 new jobs are being created as Dow Chemical prepares volume production of its ‘Powerhouse’ Solar Shingles at its facility in Midland, Michigan, which will start to be marketed in 2011. This is a first-phase program to create over 1,200 jobs in Midland in the coming years.
The initial wave of solar-related jobs Dow said would be in manufacturing, with hiring of qualified candidates expected to begin as early as the end of September.
“We’re excited to add these manufacturing jobs to our Michigan Operations facility to begin contributing to the local economic base immediately,” said Earl Shipp, Dow VP for Michigan operations. “As Dow adds to its portfolio of building-related solar-energy-generating products, we’ll continue to tap into the base of highly skilled workers we have right here in the Great Lakes Bay Region.”
Dow received US$20 million in funding in 2007 from the U.S. Department of Energy to focus on developing the next generation of residential solar solutions. In October, 2009, Dow Solar unveiled the Solar Shingle product as the first in a portfolio of building-related solar energy generating products.
