Hundreds of jobs coming to Battle Creek

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Many believe renewable energy is the future, not only for the planet, but for the economy.

That's the plan for the long term. In the short-term, it apparently means hundreds of jobs in West Michigan.

Michigan economic officials say United Solar Ovonic is expanding with help from Governor Granholm.

The Michigan Economic Growth Authority met at the state capital Tuesday and took up the issue of United Solar, who got the green light to build their new facility that will bring in 300 to 700 jobs.

Battle Creek Senator Mark Schauer, United Solar Executive Vice President John Morgan and Battle Creek Unlimited's Karl Dehn all made their pleas to the M.E.G.A. board Tuesday.

The board heard their calls and signed off on tax credits that helped secure United Solar's move to Battle Creek over sites in New York and North Carolina.

The company, that makes solar cells, says that they picked Battle Creek because the site was ready to go and that for them time is of the essence since they already have a backlog of nearly $2 billion in business.

"This is great news 35 great jobs, hopefully 700 plus the economic spinoff to the community, but what this says is we've purposefully laid out a strategy of attracting renewable energy companies," said State Senator Mark Schauer.

"The site was a very large site, it already had the water and sewer on it. Already had electrical, it had already been graded so we can get that construction in the ground quickly. The faster we get to market the more market share we obtain," said John Morgan, VP of United Solar Ovonic.

People got the suspicion that United Solar was looking closely at Michigan when Marshall city officials announced that they were cut from the running for the new facility.

If all goes well, United Solar could break ground in November. It will take a year to build the facility.