Operations would create more than 1,200 Jobs, if economic packages approved

Midland would be home to the first full-scale production facility for the DOW POWERHOUSE Solar Shingle if local, state and federal funding comes together in support of the project.

The Dow Chemical Co. announced today that Midland is the preferred site for the project and Gov. Jennifer Granholm spoke of the site selection in her State of the State address this evening. If the project moves forward, it could bring bring more than 1,200 jobs to the region by 2014.

Granholm opened her speech focusing on jobs, saying Michigan's old economy is over and the way forward is through diversifying the economy and educating residents.

"Step by step we have been making it happen," she said.

The governor said no state has the skilled workforce or manufacturing know-how of Michigan, and she'll push for federal funding to help create jobs. She highlighted economic growth in nine cities in the state, including the solar shingle project in Midland. She called Dow's solar shingle "truly revolutionary" because it enables solar power on rooftops using a system that integrates with standard asphalt shingles.

Granholm also pointed out incentives that went to battery projects last year, including Midland-based Dow Kokam, and Hemlock Semiconductor's expansions of its production facilities that helped draw investments from others in the solar industry, including GlobalWatt and Suniva.

Dow Chairman and CEO Andrew Liveris said the company will work with the City of Midland and the state to secure support for renewable energy technologies like its solar shingles.

“Collaboration between government and business is essential to overcoming the challenges facing our society today, including energy, climate change and the creation of sustainable jobs," he said. "As the leader in applied chemistry, Dow is well positioned to address the technical challenges of bringing affordable, renewable energy solutions to the market and to be a leader in ushering America into the new clean-energy future.”

According to Dow, the Michigan Economic Development Corp. is considering up to $140 million in economic incentives for the plant. The company said local, state and federal funding would help it to accelerate production plans for the solar shingles already being manufactured in a small-scale market development plant at Dow’s Michigan Operations site in Midland.

If received, the MEDC economic package will add to the $100 million in investments Dow has already made in the development of solar solutions since the program’s inception in 2007 when Dow was awarded a $20 million Solar America Initiative Pathways Program grant by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Jane Palmieri, General Manager of Dow Solar Solutions, said the company can apply materials science to address a challenge like the need for affordable, renewable energy sources.

“Being able to work with the State of Michigan and other funding sources to accelerate the commercialization of groundbreaking technologies like DOW POWERHOUSE Solar Shingle allows consumers and the marketplace to have quicker access to energy saving technologies, which is a win for everyone," she said.

Palmieri said Midland was chosen for several reasons, including existing research and development and marketing capabilities.

"Another reason is the State of Michigan worked very hard to bring us a very attractive incentive program," she said. "Michigan has track record for fostering these manufacturing-based innovations."

Also, Michigan residents have skills from other manufacturing jobs, such as in the automotive industry, that can translate to the solar field, Palmieri said. She said the project could bring more than 1,200 jobs to the Midland community in manufacturing, commercial and technical areas, with staffing anticipated to begin later this year.

"Those would all be new to Midland jobs," she said. "Those are here, direct to the area. They scan across a lot of different skill sets."

The shingles were recently on display at the International Builders Show in Las Vegas and got a lot of positive attention, Palmieri said. Dow did market research at the show to look into the next generation of building-integrated photovoltaic products. "There is an extensive research and development pipeline of products that are envisioned," Palmieri said.

A market test of the DOW POWERHOUSE Solar Shingle is expected to begin this summer, when the shingles will be installed on rooftops in a variety of markets.

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