—Repower Systems (Portland, OR). This company, founded in Germany in 2001, came to Oregon in 2007 “to take advantage of Portland’s proximity to the growing wind industry in the Pacific Northwest and western United States,” according to its website.
—Renewable Energy Systems (Portland, OR). This British-owned company (RES) is planning, along with Bellevue, WA-based Puget Energy, to develop and build the Lower Snake River Wind Energy Project in southeastern Washington.
—Sanyo (Salem, OR). This Japan-based firm said in September it is investing $80 million to build a new plant in Salem to make silicon ingots and solar wafers for photovoltaic cells. The new factory is supposed to start operations in October.
—SeQuential Biofuels (Portland, OR). This company, founded in 2002, markets biodiesel and ethanol blends to businesses, governments, and individual consumers at filling stations across Oregon.
—Serveron (Hillsboro, OR). This company, now part of BPL Global, makes smart-grid products and services that monitor changes in performance of generators, transmitters, and distribution equipment. It was formerly called Micromonitors.
—Shepherd’s Flat Wind Farm (near Arlington, OR). When completed, this site in north central Oregon will be the world’s largest onshore wind farm, according to the Portland Business Journal.
—Solaicx (Portland, OR). Headquartered in Santa Clara, CA, this company is developing lower-cost, high-efficiency silicon wafers for the solar photovoltaic industry.
—Solar Nation (Portland, OR). This company is a developer of solar energy technologies, from rooftop photovoltaic systems to ground-mounted solar panel arrays, for government agencies, businesses, and nonprofits. [This entry was added Dec. 9—Eds.]
—SolarWorld (Hillsboro, OR). This company acquired the Komatsu silicon wafer production facility in Hillsboro for $40 million in 2007 and is investing more than $400 million to renovate the plant. It is intended to be North America’s largest solar-cell manufacturing plant, converting raw silicon into photovoltaic wafers. It is expected to employ more than 1,000 by the end of its ramp up phase in 2009.
—SpectraWatt (Hillsboro, OR). This company was formed in June 2008 through a spinoff of assets from Intel. The company, which got $50 million in investment from Intel Capital, Goldman Sachs, and others, makes and markets photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight into electricity.
—Trillium FiberFuels (Corvallis, OR). This company is developing technology to convert cellulosic feedstock into ethanol. It draws its name from a combination of the scientific names for wheat and ryegrass.
—UpWind Solutions (Medford, OR). This company serves wind project developers and owners, through remote control and monitoring, preventive maintenance, and repairs.
—Vulcan Power Company (Bend, OR). This company got $145 million in investment from Denham Capital in July 2008. The money will go toward developing and running geothermal power plants in the Western U.S. It was founded in 1991, and has amassed geothermal leases and applications on more than 160,000 acres.
—XsunX (Wood Village, OR). This company, with corporate offices in Aliso Viejo, CA, is developing thin film photovoltaics which it says are cheaper and more efficient at absorbing sunlight than existing silicon wafers.
