Boxer Lauds Critical Investments in California Clean Energy Projects

Los Angeles, CA – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) today praised President Obama’s announcement that seven California companies involved in clean-energy manufacturing will receive more than $235 million in job-creating tax credits.

Senator Boxer said, “California is on the cutting edge of the growing clean-energy economy. I am so proud the Department of Energy recognized the leadership of these companies and awarded a quarter-billion dollars of investment to our state that will result in the jobs and energy savings that we so desperately need.”

In all, the President today announced $2.3 billion in Recovery Act Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credits for 183 clean energy manufacturing projects across the country. The companies involved, which were selected through a merit review process, estimate that the funding will them help create more than 17,000 jobs nationwide.

Senator Boxer has been a leading champion in the Senate for legislation to create new clean-energy jobs that will benefit American families and the environment, increase our energy independence, and protect our children from pollution. She is also a strong advocate for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The investment tax credit, worth up to 30 percent of each planned project, will leverage private capital, creating a total investment of nearly $7.7 billion in high-tech manufacturing in the United States.

Investments in the following seven California companies were announced today:

Aerovironment, Inc.

Location: Monrovia

Received: $310,800 and $369,600

Aerovironment plans to manufacture a patent-pending Mobile Charger that combines a battery pack with a Level 3 DC connector. It is designed for on-road service trucks to provide a quick charge to stranded battery electric vehicles similar to an “out-of-gas” situation.

Aerovironment also plans to purchase equipment for manufacturing 25kWh LiTio advanced battery packs and battery management systems.

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CaliSolar, Inc.

Location: Sunnyvale

Received: $51,563,980

CaliSolar will build a new manufacturing facility to process silicon feedstock into finished solar cells.

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FAFCO, INC.

Location: Chico

Received: $214,500

FAFCO will develop a next generation low cost polymer based solar hot water heating system for homes. The complete system in a box will be low-cost and easy to install.

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Miasole

Location: Santa Clara

Received: $10,450,200 and $91,350,000

Miasole will manufacture Solar PV Cells and modules based on an innovative thin-film production technology. These Solar PV Cells will drive lower the costs of renewable clean-electricity generation.

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Nanosolar

Location: San Jose

Received: $43,453,309

Nanosolar will factory produce tools for the manufacturing of low-cost, low-GHG emission solar cells, using nanotechnology-enabled roll-to-roll processes. Tools enable high throughput production steps including printing of electronic ink, annealing, various deposition steps, cell assembly, and quality control and testing of structural and functional properties of product.

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Stion Corporation

Location: San Jose

Received: $37,500,000

Stion Corporation will manufacture high efficiency (11-12 %+) CIGS thin-film photovoltaic modules on glass. The resulting technology will aid the domestic energy industry.

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SunEarth, Inc.

Location: Fontana

Received: $288,600

SunEarth, Inc. will manufacture liquid flat plate solar thermal collectors for medium temperature domestic water heating and industrial processes and will manufacture standard and custom rolled and ultrasonically welded absorber plates and fin-tubes. The resulting technologies will be used in energy efficient solar hot water heaters.

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