New Batavia solar company to create 700+ jobs

[HowardRoarke]

Originally Posted by Wartrace

I'm hoping it does work out for them. I was sad to see these people around here investing two years of their lives (unpaid) training for a job that never was. It was some very specific training (Hemlock constructed special "labs" for the students to train in). Yes, they did get an associates degree but it sucks they never got the job.

Great timing, too, with the world economy crashing hard, and the U.S. sliding into another downturn.

It'll be Cuomo's Solyndra.

Solar panel manufacturing is a very dirty and toxic process, is the state throwing environmental waivers into the deal?

[JWRocks]

Originally Posted by Krisps

Bickering as to whether it belongs to Buffalo or Rochester seems petty... it's a big story no matter your location in WNY or anywhere upstate. I'm happy to see a 2nd large scale solar mfg. plant coming to WNY, I think this is an industry that will grow and grow. Coupled with Rochester's engineering and research, WNY can become a hot spot for solar.

I think you're missing the point. This is a project of the Finger Lakes council. Shouldn't OUR representatives work more to help US? Buffalo has plenty of help lately. And further, Danny and Joel are both prominent members of the Rochester anti-poverty commission. In what world does it make sense to locate this industrial park where it is?

If you read my prior posts, you will see that I always advocate for Rochester and Buffalo to work together.

[Krisps]

I can understand questioning of the plant's location based on what makes logical sense (not which locality benefits the most). I think it very good that a Finger Lakes council favored this location rather than favoring locations only within the defined Finger Lakes region. To me, that indicates that this group supports the entire WNY region and I'm all for that kind of thinking.

I'm sure there are a number of reasons that this location was chosen that we'll never know and I'm sure some of them are political but 1) it surely benefits the forgotten Batavia region, 2) I've read that the biz owner dictated a minimum population within a specified radius of the plant (not sure if this is true or not, but location mid-way between Buff and Roch sure gives a good population radius), 3) any location will have it's cheerleaders and detractors, and 4) Rochester is fortunate in WNY to have a unique talent core (corporate, engineering) from the big 3 that has translated into many smaller businesses and and makes it favorable for R&D and engineering biz.