Hillsboro's growth as solar power brightens chamber forum

The Argus

Hillsboro's growing stature in the worldwide solar industry was the focus of Tuesday's Chamber of Commerce business forum.

The featured speakers were Bob Beisner, SolarWorld vice-president, and Desire Strader, familiar locally as a Washington County commissioner, who also serves as executive director of the Oregon Solar Energy Industries Association.

It was Strader who delivered the most unexpected news when during the closing minutes of her address she said of prospective solar companies, "six more have been kicking tires out here in Washington County."

Larry Pederson, the city's economic development manager, confirmed local explorations by solar companies, which he declined to name. He verified these companies were looking at properties in the new Evergreen Industrial Zone, north of the SolarWorld site.

Beisner had led off with a presentation on SolarWorld's history and business model. The company, he said, had chosen to grow as a fully vertically integrated model, handling every step of its own manufacturing needs from the refining of the sand from which its silicon ingots are grown to taking back solar panels for recycling at the end of their useful lives.

Beisner said these policies reflect the attitude of Boris Klebensberger, SolarWorld's chief operations officer, who says it is the 'right thing to do from the planet's point of view."

Later Strader became almost emotional as she voiced thanks to Hillsboro Mayor Tom Hughes, who, she said, has been critical in building renewable industry in Oregon, and also to the city's staff, which she called "second to none."

She pointed out how Gov. Ted Kulongoski's emphasis on sustainable energy had resulted in the use of wind power in the Gorge, solar in Central Oregon, biofuel throughout the state and geothermal energy in the south.

Strader said such shifts do not occur overnight, but instead happen when investment and consumer demand mesh. She drew an analogy to Intel in the 1980s. "Who'd have thought it would lead to Hillsboro being their largest site in the world?" she asked, implying that the city's solar future could follow the same path.