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Ascent Solar Technologies Inc of Littleton, CO, USA, which manufactures copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin-film photovoltaic modules, says it has purchased a large-scale, 120,000 square feet facility in Thornton, CO, just north of downtown Denver.

The premises are expected to house the firm’s new world headquarters and provide manufacturing space for the first of several 25MW solar module production lines (due for completion by the end of 2009) as Ascent embarks on a plan to boost capacity to 100MW by 2011. The expansion is expected to create about 300 manufacturing jobs.

Previously, last December, Ascent completed the installation of equipment for a 1.5MW production line at its existing facility.

Ascent says that, with support from the Colorado Governor’s offices for Economic Development and Energy, it was able to secure the financing necessary to purchase the facility at competitive terms, and intends to immediately start making the modifications necessary to develop a high-volume manufacturing facility for its flexible thin-film solar modules.

“The commitment by Governor Ritter to renewable energy initiatives in the state and the actionable support from the governmental offices to make this opportunity a reality has demonstrated to us that Colorado is committed to becoming a world leader in the manufacture and deployment of renewable energy alternatives,” says the firm’s president and CEO Matthew Foster.

“The renewable energy sector is one we have chosen to focus on for the State,” says Don Elliman, executive director of the Colorado Governor’s Office of Economic Development. “Ascent Solar’s investment in renewable energy technologies and its manufacturing are bringing good jobs and clean, reliable, energy to Colorado,” says Tom Plant, director of the Governor’s Energy Office.

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Visit: www.ascentsolar.com