Hamilton, Ontario, is working hard at shedding its industrial image in an effort to attract clean energy investors. It will take a lot to change the city’s reputation for steel manufacturing to one based on photovoltaic (PV) solar technology. This will likely require a huge overhaul of its workforce through various solar energy and wind turbine courses and installation training in order to meet the demands of potential investors. Nevertheless, the city has much going for it, including expansive but underutilized manufacturing capacity, a dedicated economic development office, and workers looking for employment opportunities.
Plants Prime for Photovoltaic Technology Manufacturing
Tony Verrelli, President of Ancaster-based Cleanfield Energy, believes that, “The growth of this industry has been tremendous over a long period of time.” His company has achieved 300% growth and currently has backorders for its wind turbines and photovoltaic systems. With such demand, Hamilton is primed for corporations looking to quickly set up in its vacant factories.
According to Neil Everson, Director of Economic Development in Hamilton, these factories are very large - feature that would favour both the manufacturing and construction of 40 metre wind turbine towers and 50 meter blades. Everson also argues that the proximity of these plants to an active port makes for easy shipping – another advantageous manufacturing condition.
Economic Development Focusing on Photovoltaic Technology
Hamilton’s new economic development strategy concentrates on attracting clean energy firms in order to capitalize on the growth potential that such investments could provide the city and surrounding regions.
According to a 2010 report by the Ontario Centre for Environmental Technology Advancement and Sustainable Development Technology Canada (OCETA), investment in Canada’s solar industry dramatically increased over the past few years, from $155 million in 2004 to $379 million in 2007.
The same study reported that in 2007, over 500,000 people were employed in the environmental industry in 13 different industrial categories. Just one year later, Ontario employed over 65,000 people at 2,600 environmental companies, generating around $7 billion in revenue. Many of these jobs would have required that their workers complete solar energy classes, wind turbine courses, and various levels of installation training.
Environmental Technology and Installation Training
Hamilton could also benefit from other projects already in the works in the area. Siemens, a global energy company focusing on photovoltaic (PV) technology and wind turbine plants, hired 50 engineers for its plant in Hamilton with a $25 million investment in 2008. Recently, a company spokesman announced that Siemens
