Another Obama Stimulus Solar Plant Shuts Down

**GiveUsLibertyin2012** · Jul 18 2012, 01:52 PM

http://the-eyeontheworld.blogspot.co...her-solar.html
Another One Bites The Dust

Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Obama's solar graveyard: Another solar manufacturer, Amonix, closes North Las Vegas solar plant after 14 months, heavy federal subsidies, lays off hundreds of workers

(WSJ) The Amonix solar manufacturing plant in North Las Vegas, heavily financed under an Obama administration energy initiative, has closed its 214,000-square-foot facility 14 months after it opened.

Officials at Amonix headquarters in Seal Beach, Calif., have not responded to repeated calls for comment this week. The company today began selling equipment, from automated tooling systems to robotic welding cells.

A designer and manufacturer of concentrated photovoltaic solar power systems, Amonix received $6 million in federal tax credits and a $15.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to build the plant in North Las Vegas.

Rene Kenerly, a former material and supply manager at Amonix, said the plant has been idle since May 1, when he was laid off. At its peak, the plant had ramped up to about 700 employees working three shifts a day to produce solar panels for a utility customer in Amarosa, Colo., he said.

"I don't think they had a lot of training," Kenerly said. "There were a lot of quality issues. A lot of stuff was coming back because it had some functionality issues."

The Amonix plant was highly touted by politicians and economic development officials when it opened in May 2011. Company executives said they would employ as many as 300 assembly line workers paid $12 to $14 an hour, plus benefits.

Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., and Gov. Brian Sandoval were among the political leaders who lauded the company when it announced it would start making solar cells in the Golden Triangle Industrial Park.

**Marine1** · Jul 18 2012, 02:01 PM

It's hard to blame Obama for these plant closings. The Chinese are going to under cut what ever price we can sell these solar panels for. Even if they look good before funding them, China will just under cut them when funding is given. Hooray for free trade right?

**TastyWheat** · Jul 18 2012, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by Marine1

It's hard to blame Obama for these plant closings. The Chinese are going to under cut what ever price we can sell these solar panels for. Even if they look good before funding them, China will just under cut them when funding is given. Hooray for free trade right?

And bankrobbery would be a more lucrative trade if it wasn't for those pesky policemen. Don't blame China for our government gambling with taxpayer dollars.