According to the SolarWorld Group, about 350 additional workers will be employed at two factory buildings that are set to be completed in Hillsboro by September 30. The site currently employees about 650 people, which would bring the planned total up to about 1,000 workers.
When factoring in a separate facility in Camarillo, California, SolarWorld employs about 1,250 people in the United States.
"SolarWorld is a great Oregon success story," said Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski. "This next phase opens the doors of opportunity for hundreds of Oregonians seeking employment and advances the production of clean, renewable energy."
The company pointed out that it has continued to expand in the United States even as many other rivals phase out their production in this country and ship it, along with green jobs, overseas. This is expected to be an important public policy issue for lawmakers to deal with in the foreseeable future, given the current emphasis being placed on the benefits of green jobs.
