Old Ford plant becoming renewable energy park

We've written before about the need for using existing manufacturing plants for renewable energy projects instead of trying to build all new factories.  As we transition into cleaner technologies and away from older, dirtier ones, that approach saves money, time and resources. In what is hopefully an example of things to come, a Ford plant that is no longer in use will be converted into a renewable energy manufacturing facility. Where gasoline-engined, carbon-emitting vehicles were once assembled, equipment for solar and wind projects will now be made.

The 320-acre plant in Wixom, Mich. is getting its clean energy makeover through a partnership between Ford Motors and Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, and green-tech companies Xtreme Power, Clairvoyant Energy and Oerlikon Solar.  Some plans for the energy park include a thin-film solar factory that will have a 90 MW production line and a 1 million-square-foot energy storage and power management system factory.  The solar plant should be up and running by 2011.

Xtreme Power and Clairovoyant Energy are purchasing the plant from Ford and will use half of it for their factories and lease the rest to other renewable energy companies.  The conversion project will cost about $725 million and is expected to create over 4,000 jobs.

via Earth2Tech