BP Solar expanding and greening its headquarters

BP Solar plans to spend $70M expanding its North American manufacturing and administrative headquarters in Frederick, MD, and use sustainable building techniques.

The expansion will nearly double the facility's current silicon photovoltaic cell casting and sizing capacity to approximately 150 MW.

But it's not quite happening yet. Construction is to begin in the first half of 2007 and finish by the end of 2008 pending approval of local permits. Initial engineering feasibility studies into the project have been completed.

The expansion plans call for the construction of 140,000 square feet of new building space. Plans also include the relocation and integration of local warehousing and shipping facilities to the current site.

According to Lee Edwards, BP Solar CEO, "In addition to expanding manufacturing, our plans are to upgrade the interior of the existing facilities and to use sustainable building techniques such as a roof garden, bio-retention, extensive water recycling and the utilization of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) design components such as energy efficient lighting, heating and cooling."

Other planned improvements include additional office and meeting space, more daylight access to office and manufacturing facilities, an auditorium, and solar and environmental educational stations which will be available for tours and school groups.

BP Solar is one of the world's largest solar companies and has manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Spain, India and Australia. BP Solar is part of BP, one of the world's leading energy companies.

For more information:

www.bpalternativenergy.com

Cleantech developments making news in the past 24 hours

• Qteros claims 15-fold improvements in cellulosic ethanol yield
• Solairedirect raises €20M to move into commercial solar
• Intel, Numonyx open $20M water treatment plant in Israel
• Booming data-center business creates troubles for India

View the last week of cleantech developments here | Subscribe to full feed