Land transfer on hold for solar panel maker

By: John Crane | GoDanRiver
Published: November 10, 2010

RINGGOLD — The Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority has delayed transferring property to the solar manufacturing company that will locate here.

The company, United States Green Energy Corporation, also plans to build its own 40,000-square-foot facility instead of moving into an existing structure at Cane Creek Centre in Ringgold as originally announced last month.

During its regular meeting Tuesday, the RIFA board decided to put the land transfer under advisement because the land needs to be surveyed and platted, said RIFA Board Member David Luther.

“We just need to legally make that a lot,” Luther said after the meeting.

RIFA Board Vice Chairman Coy Harville said he has no idea how long it would be before RIFA transfers the 59-acre property.

United States Green Energy Corporation announced last month it would move its headquarters and operations to Cane Creek Centre. The company, located in Fredericksburg, plans to invest $30 million and create 372 jobs within three years.

Green Energy looked at about 20 other sites in Virginia, as well as spots in Pennslvania and North Carolina, before deciding to come to the Dan River Region, said Robert Bennett, Green Energy vice president of corporate development.

After the meeting, Bennett said he doesn’t expect a major postponement in getting the operation up and running.

“We don’t see any significant delay,” Bennett said after the meeting.

Bennett said he hopes grading for the building to begin in December, with steel framing put up in January and production starting in March.

The company also plans to build another 3,000-to-7,000 square-foot office building at the site at 500 Cane Creek Parkway, Bennett said.

During the RIFA meeting, Bennett said redesigning the existing structure would cost roughly the same as building its own facility. The project will include a five-megawatt solar facility with its roof facing south, Bennett said.

The company manufactures building products that integrate photovoltaic solar cells for use in roofs or siding, for example. The company has 20 products in various stages of development, with its Allroof solar slates currently on the market.

Annual employee wages will range from $31,500 for entry-level positions up to $150,000 for executive positions.