Tesla, Panasonic to make solar cells in Buffalo, New York

This is good news, with more than 1,500 jobs created by this plant, this will also create all the support jobs that a factory needs too.

Tesla and Panasonic siad they will begin to make solar cells in Buffalo NY. This is a "long term commitment" to Panasonic.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Japanese electronics company Panasonic and U.S. electric car maker Tesla said Tuesday they plan to begin production of solar cells at a factory in Buffalo, New York.

The two companies said they finalized an agreement calling for Tokyo-based Panasonic to pay capital costs for the manufacturing. Palo Alto, California-based Tesla made a "long-term purchase commitment" to Panasonic.

Their statement gave no financial figures.

The factory by SolarCity is owned by Tesla and the products from the new factory will be used in solar panels for non solar roof products and solar roof tiles.

The factory in Buffalo is under development by SolarCity Corp., a San Mateo, California-based solar panel company owned by Tesla. The photovoltaic cells and modules will be used in solar panels for non-solar roof products and solar glass tile roofs that Tesla plans to begin making, the announcement said.

Production is due to begin in mid-2017. Tesla said it will create 1,400 jobs in Buffalo, 500 in manufacturing and plans further expansion in Buffalo.

Panasonic also is to work with Tesla on next-generation technology, the companies said.

New York state has committed $750 million to build and outfit the plant at Buffalo's RiverBend site, the centerpiece of Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo's "Buffalo Billion" program to revitalize the upstate region's largest city.

www.yahoo.com...

Tesla is scattering their places about. We have a new plant opening this spring but only 200 assemblers but $25 an hour starting. Everybodys trying to get someone a job there.

a reply to: seasonal

I was in Buffalo the week after Thanksgiving to work on the lighting design for this factory. Glad to see some manufacturing come back to Buffalo, the city has been blighted for far too long.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

How big is the factory?

a reply to: seasonal

Around 1.2 million square feet.

This is great news! Manufacturing jobs pay well. I built my own stand alone solar/ battery/inverter system, and Im looking forward to adding more panels as the cost drops. My nephew works for Tesla. He is in the rocket division. He spends 12 hours a day in the upper stage of the rockets, doing the electronics. We are pretty proud of him, and like to watch the lift offs

Great news for buffalo.

originally posted by: visitedbythem
This is great news! Manufacturing jobs pay well. I built my own stand alone solar/ battery/inverter system, and Im looking forward to adding more panels as the cost drops. My nephew works for Tesla. He is in the rocket division. He spends 12 hours a day in the upper stage of the rockets, doing the electronics. We are pretty proud of him, and like to watch the lift offs

Really? That's frigging awesome. I've always wanted to work on Rockets.

Yep new factory here and new jobs coming, but in typical NY government style, it comes at a cost and with the usual NY corruption. solar city corruption

Buffalo billion investigation

a reply to: lonegurkha

Say it isn't so. Capitalism is prone, as any system is, to corruption.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I live here in Buffalo and iv seen alot of change in this city once thought to follow suite like Flint and even Detroit. The biggest problem here is politics, abandoned houses, commercial and industrial buildings that are supposedly to costly for the city to tear down so that areas can be redeveloped. So we wait a slow process of arson,, I mean,,, accidental fires to spread through all the areas feasibly connected and located adjacent to areas being developed at the moment. Buffalo has cancer, but hopefully Roswell will pull through and our decades long blight will go into remission.

a reply to: HarumphHarumph

Let's not forget that Tesla and other family companies are fat with Govt (tax payer $$$$$$) money.

Tesla Is Hemorrhaging Money Despite Billions In Gov’t Subsidies

Read more: dailycaller.com...

I used to enjoy going to Buffalo for sports matches and concerts. Great people and a lot of friendly rivalry but all fun and games afterwards at the clubs. Watched it slowly decay over the years like so many places in the Golden Horseshoe so I'm happy to hear that it's getting the job opportunities for it's citizens and a chance going forward for rejuvenating itself.

a reply to: seasonal

Yes it is, unfortunately NY has suffered from government corruption for a very long time. State level, county level, city level and so on. Having lived here for nearly 60 years, I have witnessed almost endless scandals and corruption on every level. At least this time the feds got involved early and caught them in the act.


I was getting suspicious when Cuomo shut down the commission that was studying corruption in the state government. Don't know if it's true, but I heard that he shut it down cause they were getting a bit too close to him.
Cuomo off the hook

a reply to: lonegurkha

This company that is receiving 750 million to locate there, is also fat with billions in tax $, so are they benefitting from the corruption you are talking about? Or is this all good?

a reply to: seasonal

I'm sure that tesla will pay huge taxes like every other big corporation.....lol
Who am I kidding,,
Still good jobs for buffalo.

a reply to: Bluntone22

It beats the crap out of handing $$ to banks to keep in the digital vaults.

originally posted by: seasonal
a reply to: lonegurkha

This company that is receiving 750 million to locate there, is also fat with billions in tax $, so are they benefitting from the corruption you are talking about? Or is this all good?

If you check the reports in the links I posted, You will discover that it's the people responsible for building the site and the government people doling out the money from the state who are getting charged by the feds.

a reply to: seasonal

True, very true

originally posted by: HarumphHarumph
Buffalo has cancer, but hopefully Roswell will pull through and our decades long blight will go into remission.

It seems certain areas are on the rebound or scheduled for revitalization. During my trip we had an off-site meeting near the waterfront to discuss another large industrial project. Hopefully it continues, the city could certainly use the jobs and revenue.