Lee Edwards

BP Solar plans to spend $70M expanding its North American manufacturing and administrative headquarters in Frederick, MD, and use sustainable building techniques.

The expansion will nearly double the facility's current silicon photovoltaic cell casting and sizing capacity to approximately 150 MW.

But it's not quite happening yet. Construction is to begin in the first half of 2007 and finish by the end of 2008 pending approval of local permits. Initial engineering feasibility studies into the project have been completed.

The expansion plans call for the construction of 140,000 square feet of new building space. Plans also include the relocation and integration of local warehousing and shipping facilities to the current site.