Investment allows LM Wind Power to hire 170 workers for its Grand Forks, North Dakota blade plant
The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced $150 million in clean energy tax credits to build U.S. capabilities in clean energy manufacturing. The credits will go towards investments in domestic manufacturing equipment by 12 businesses. Through the Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit program (48C Program), these awards will help create thousands of jobs across the country and increase U.S. competitiveness in the global clean energy market.
The awards include domestic manufacturing of a wide range of renewable energy and energy efficiency products and will support thousands of new manufacturing jobs in nine states and dozens of supply chains throughout the United States.
Among the recipients were the following companies that are either directly or indirectly involved in the wind energy industry:
– LM Wind Power Blades (ND) Inc.
A $700,000 48C Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit will allow LM Wind Power Blades (ND) Inc. to re-equip its Grand Forks, N.D., facility for increased participation in the North American large-blade market. The workforce at the facility will grow by 170 people as a result of the project, which improves the processing capabilities of materials used in manufacturing.
– Jyoti Americas, LLC
Jyoti Americas LLC was selected for a $6.7 million 48C Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit for its facility in Conroe, Texas, which is the only fully-automated lattice transmission tower manufacturing plant in the United States. The expanded 20 acre, 50,000 metric ton capacity plant nearly quintupled American manufacturing capacity for lattice transmission towers, which will support the increase in transmission of renewable energy into the grid. The Conroe Plant employs a workforce of 165—with plans for at least 200—and features 11 state-of-the-art computer numerical controlled machines and a fully-enclosed, zero-emission galvanizing.
– Southwire Company
Southwire Company was selected for a $6.1 million 48C Advanced Manufacturing Tax Credit to re-equip its facility in Villa Rica, Georgia. The company is the leading manufacturer of cable and wire used in electricity distribution in the United States, including control cable for use in renewable energy and smart grid applications. The facility, which will reach full capacity in 2014, is positioned to help foster growth in American manufacturing by producing necessary components for expansion of renewable energy, and will result in 10 construction jobs and 60 new direct manufacturing jobs.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz announced the 48C Program awards at the Energy Department’s American Energy and Manufacturing Competitiveness Summit, jointly sponsored by the Council on Competitiveness. As part of the Department’s broader Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative, this summit brought together industry, government, academia and the Department’s national laboratories to address national challenges in manufacturing and energy.
“Cost-effective, efficient manufacturing plays a critical role in continuing U.S. leadership in clean energy innovation, and the tax credits announced today will help reduce carbon pollution from our vehicles and buildings; create new jobs and supply more clean energy projects in the United States and abroad with equipment made in America,” Secretary Moniz said.
