SolarWorld, the largest U.S. solar manufacturer for nearly 40 years, and PetersenDean, the nation’s largest privately held roofing and solar company, announced on April 15th a partnership to offer homeowners an affordable path to solar ownership, using American-made solar systems installed by U.S. workers. Under the agreement, SolarWorld will supply high-performance solar panels manufactured at the company’s headquarters factory in Hillsboro, Ore., for PetersenDean residential installations beginning this month.
The partnership is a key element of Solar4America, PetersenDean’s initiative to support American jobs, manufacturing and energy independence by sourcing solar panels and all system components from domestic producers. Along with SolarWorld solar panels, each PetersenDean solar system includes Buy-American-Act-compliant inverters and racking installed by the construction company’s U.S. workforce.
“We made a decision at PetersenDean to only source our products from North America,” said Jim Petersen, founder of PetersenDean. “As a result, we are supporting the American economy, supporting the American worker and reinvesting those dollars back in America. It's that simple. I want to make sure that our products stand the test of time and that our customers are happy. That's why we choose to go American. It is time to take matters into our own hands. And that's what SolarWorld is all about. It is about lowering our electric bills. It is about creating our own energy policy. It is about American jobs, American panels, reinvesting in America.”
PetersenDean and SolarWorld serve as compelling examples of the solar industry’s ability to create jobs and stimulate economic growth. With industry analysts expecting U.S. residential solar installation to increase by about 50 percent in 2014, PetersenDean recently announced plans to expand its business into five new state markets and hire 4,000 additional workers. With the expansion, the company expects to install more than 200,000 roofs and solar systems in 2014, double its mark in 2013.
Similarly, SolarWorld released a report in March detailing how the company’s purchasing activities have injected more than $1.46 billion into the U.S. economy since 2008. This industrial wellspring of business for American suppliers, shippers and professional service providers highlights solar manufacturing’s demonstrated “multiplier effect” in creating jobs, filling factories and fueling investment nationwide.
“As partners, SolarWorld and PetersenDean are perfectly aligned,” said Mukesh Dulani, U.S. president of SolarWorld. “Each of our companies has a three-decade history of meticulous workmanship and excellent customer service in the U.S. market. Moreover, both organizations embody the conviction that highly skilled and innovative American workers produce the high-quality products and services available in the world.”