In the News: BP Solar PV Plant Expansion

crewzer
crewzer Registered Users, Solar Expert Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭✭
The Monday, Nov. 21, 2006 edition of the Washington Post (Business section) reported that BP Solar has initiated a $70 Million expansion project to double the production capacity of their PV module plant in Frederick, Maryland, about 50 miles NW of Washington, D.C. The expansion also includes adding ~70 jobs.

The facility upgrade certainly looks pretty good: http://www.bp.com/modularhome.do?categoryId=4320&contentId=7004540

Great news! 8-)

Happy Thanksgiving, all!
Jim / crewzer

Comments

  • arcandspark
    arcandspark Solar Expert Posts: 63 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: In the News: BP Solar PV Plant Expansion

    Does anyone know if and where I can find some BP-585 panels. I have eight and they are some of the best I have seen. Currently installing 10 Photowatt PW-1000's with the eight BP-585's. Would like to add four to six more BP-585's. Thanks, arcandspark
  • crewzer
    crewzer Registered Users, Solar Expert Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: In the News: BP Solar PV Plant Expansion

    A&S,

    The 585 has been discontinued. BP now makes the 485 instead. They're both mono-crystalline, they're the same physical size, and the electrical specs are close. Here are links to data sheets for both:

    BP 585
    BP 485

    This module may be hard to find. I saw it listed over at OKSolar for $582.

    HTH,
    Jim / crewzer
  • Windsun
    Windsun Solar Expert Posts: 1,164 ✭✭
    Re: In the News: BP Solar PV Plant Expansion

    BP Solar is in the process of changing their distribution for panels but at the time nobody really knows what that is. A lot of the distributors and dealers no longer carry BP Solar because (1) they raised their prices about 8 times in the past 18 monthts, making them one of the most expensive on the market, and (2) because they dropped a lot of distributor outlets in favor of the Home Depot approach, especially on the West Coast.