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SMA Solar latest company to locate manufacturing site in Metro Denver
Facility to serve growing North American market, creating up to 700 jobs
 Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper joined officials from
SMA Solar Technology in late October to announce that the Germany-based company will open its first North American manufacturing site in Denver. This will be the largest solar inverter production facility in the United States and SMA's first manufacturing plant outside of Germany.
Production is expected to start in 2010 with 300 employees and a capacity to expand to 700. The plant is located at Enterprise Park at Stapleton with easy access to Interstate 70 and rail.
"Together with Mayor Hickenlooper, we welcome SMA to Denver and to Colorado's New Energy Economy," Gov. Ritter said. "SMA is a globally recognized leader in solar inverter manufacturing. The company's decision to invest over $20 million in this site and to locate in Colorado emphasizes our growing clean energy industry, the growing market for photovoltaics, and Colorado's success at transforming our energy future."
"The decision by SMA to build a production facility in Denver is excellent news for our region and will provide a welcome boost to our local economy," Mayor Hickenlooper said. "This move helps solidify Colorado's place as a global leader in renewable energy under Gov. Ritter."
SMA Solar is the latest clean energy company to set up shop in the region. Other announcements include SunRun, Bach Composite Industry, REpower USA (HQs), GE Energy, Siemens Energy, RES-Americas (HQs), and Vestas Wind Systems.
Learn more:
»
Here come the jobs that follow the sun - video on 9News.com
»
SMA makes the sun shine brighter in Metro Denver -
Clark's Cone of Silence Blog
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German solar company SMA to open plant in Denver
- Denver Post
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Denver again named a top real estate market to watch
 Denver ranked in the top 10 of national cities to watch in the recently released
Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2010 report by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Urban Land Institute.
Nationally, 2010 is expected to be a challenging year for the commercial real estate industry. However, survey participants believe that the markets performing well before the crash should perform better coming out of it and the laggard markets will continue to suffer. The report noted cities across the country that investors should watch in 2010, including Denver. This marks the third year in a row the report has highlighted Denver among top-tier cities.
"Denver marshals its attractive Rocky Mountain lifestyle attributes and works hard to fortify its downtown core into a multifaceted, 24-hour commercial center," officials said in a press release. "While avoiding financial industry implosions, the local economy gets a boost from green initiatives--the city is a national hub for companies in alternative energy, wind-farm manufacturing, and natural gas."
Now in its 31st year, the Emerging Trends report is the oldest, most highly regarded annual industry outlook for the real estate and land use industry and includes interviews and survey responses from more than 900 leading real estate experts.
Learn more:
» Full Report (PDF)
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Recent forums showcase industry innovation in Colorado
The Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation sponsored two recent industry forums that brought high-level attention to innovative companies and industries in Metro Denver. The Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) hosted
BioWest 2009, the Rocky Mountain region's preferred venue for networking and learning about the bioscience industry, on Nov. 10. The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
22nd Clean Energy Industry Growth Forum Nov. 3-5 attracted nearly 600 investors, entrepreneurs, scientists, and policymakers to Denver.
The three-day NREL Industry Growth forum highlighted clean energy industry technology and business developments. NREL also introduced the first NREL Opportunity Forum showcasing the latest clean energy companies in Colorado and across the country. More than $2.5 billion has been raised by companies presenting at the Forum since 2003.
"We need to approach energy differently and the key will be innovation. This forum brings together the clean energy innovators, investors, and policymakers needed to bring about transformational change," said NREL Director Dan Arvizu.
More than 40 exhibitors showcased new technology, products, and services at the 2009 BioWest Conference and Expo, which was attended by 700 people according to John Collar, President and CEO of the CBSA.
"The companies participating are each playing an important role in helping advance the bioscience industry within the region," Collar said.
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