Siemens Upgrades West Chicago Plant to Produce PV Solar Inverters
Siemens Industry Inc. celebrates the production of its SINVERT solar inverters at its recently-updated manufacturing plant located in West Chicago, Ill. The company invested approximately $10 million upgrading two buildings at the location, one of which will support the growing demand for solar power in the United States.
Siemens has begun producing SINVERT PVS inverters in West Chicago to support a 20-MW solar project in the Southwest United States. This multi-million dollar contract was secured in early 2011, with commissioning of the inverters slated for October of this year.
“This is a proud day for Siemens as our West Chicago operations will continue to position the company as a leader within the solar industry and further support the demand for new, clean sources of energy in the U.S.,” said Raj Batra, president of Siemens’ Industry Automation division. “The production of our solar inverters is helping to transform the American manufacturing landscape from one of blue-collar to ‘green-collar’ jobs.”
Siemens’ West Chicago manufacturing facilities, comprising 200,000 sq ft in two buildings, employs 350 people. In addition to producing solar inverters, Siemens also manufactures motor control centers, enclosed motor starters, switchboards and control cabinets at the facilities. Siemens has renovated and modernized both buildings at the location, implementing a number of employee suggestions designed to improve productivity and efficiency. With the addition of SINVERT production, Siemens expects to hire 100 more employees over the next year in West Chicago as volume grows.
“Siemens has been committed to the solar industry as early as the 1950s, and now we can better support our customer’s need through our local manufacturing combined with our extensive portfolio of products, solutions and services,” said Dale Langston, vice president for Siemens Industry’s Control Components and Systems Engineering business unit.
At the plant’s dedication on Aug. 24, Siemens officials said the company is dedicated to job creation, innovation and sustainability. They feel it is their fundamental goal to make responsible decisions for future generations. The company plans to reduce its carbon emissions by 20 percent this year.
The SINVERT PVS inverters produced in West Chicago are IEC-compliant. They are available with power outputs of 500 kW, 1 MW, 1.5 MW and 2 MW. Typically employed in ground-mounted systems, these inverters are ideal for PV power plants with outputs in excess of 500 kW.
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