There appears to be a dis-connect between an article from the Washington Post--referenced here 6 Oct.
and a subsequent article from the Detroit Free Press / Sunday 11 Oct. :
Here are items from: "Green jobs proliferating - but so is competition to snare them"
by: Ron Dzwonkowski and Barbara Arrigo [ staff writers ]
..."...the Ford Motor Co. assembly plant....Wixom Rd...employed 5,000 people....the 320-acre site is coming back to life as the home of several government-subsidized manufacturers of alternative-energy products, such as, solar panels and the batteries to store the sun power that such panels capture. that doesn't mean 5,000 people will ever be working there again. But 3,000 is within the realm of possibility if the alternative-energy center grows as projected over the next several years.....It won't be the next auto industry. But it will be around---and it's growing."
In a lower column titled: "Growing green jobs"
"Here are some of the projects in the works around Michigan that will mean jobs in the growing green sector of the economy.
+ Texas-based Xtreme Power Inc. plans to invest $475.4 M to renovate the former Ford Wixom Assembly Plant into a renewable energy park. Xtreme plans to create 2,500 jobs over the next five [5] years.
+Clairvoyant energy Solar Panel Manufacturing Inc. plans a four-phase investment totaling $857 M at the former ford Wixom plant site to manufacture solar power systems. with manufacturing to start in late 2011. clairvoyant expects to create 750 jobs."
There is much more to this article that can be found at www.FREEP.COM /Sun. Oct.11,2009/News+Views.25-27A
Refer back to 6 Oct, 2009- Washington Post article, "In Michigan, A Yellow Light..." /Author-Dana Hedgpeth:
...Her [Gov. Granholm-MI]quick focus pleases businessmen such as David Hardee, top executive of CA based Clairvoyant energy.With a tax incentive package worth more than $100 Million, Michigan beat out Arkansas. Oklahoma as well as Spain, in getting Hardee's company [Clairvoyant]and two other alternative-energy firms--one from Texas [Xtreme] and one from Switzerland [?]--to take a factory that once made Lincoln Continental and Ford Thunderbird about 40 miles northwest of Detroit in Wixom and turn it into a solar panel and battery storage pack manufacturer employing 4,000 workers."
These article statements differ little at this point, however,
The WP article 6 Oct.,2009, continues:
" In the spring of 2008, Granholm returned to Greenville to tour the United Solar plant that replaced the Electrolux factory. "they had product orders all the way out until June 2009 back then",said Greenville Mayor Ken Shaw, " But the global economy shifted. that left them with more product than orders that need to be filled."..
Since March [2009] United Solar has been feeling the downturn, and so have the workers in those hard-won positions. Some have been furloughed for six days each month." 
But, wait, I stated some good items for today:
...Georgia-based Suniva Inc. plans to build a $250 M. solar manufacturing facility in Saginaw Co-Thomas Twp, creating 500 jobs in next 5yrs.
...Wisconsin-based Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions LLC plans to invest $220 M. in an advanced battery facility in Holland, MI.--490 new jobs
+Hemlock-Semiconductor Corp. a subsidiary of Dow Corning, has begun production at its new polysilicon facility--..nearly double its output of [polisilicon] for use in semiconductors and solar power. [enlarges plant & capability-no new jobs listed]
+Mascoma Corp.,in partnership with JM Longyear Co, is establishing a commercial scale cellulosic ethanol facility in Kinross--expected capacity of 40 m. gal. per year. Supported by research from Michigan State & Michigan Tech.universities; grants $26 M from the U.S. Dept of Energy & $20 M grant through MI-Centers of energy Excellence programs. [ no mention of jobs ]
+The Harvest Wind farm between Elkton & Pigeon in Huron County--1st commercial scale wind farm--John Deere Renewable Energy, has been generating electricity since 2007 and can supply more than 15,000 homes.
+A123Systems of Ann Arbor / Livonia was recently awarded a $249-M grant from the Dept. of energy for the construction of lithium ion battery Manufacturing facilities, the first of which will be in Livonia [construction and plant jobs possible]
+ With funding from the Dept. of Energy Solar America Initiative [SAI], Dow Chemical Co. of Midland, the world's largest chemical firm, plans to begin selling power-generating roof shingles by 2011. the Dow Building Solutions business unit is collaborating with three home builders, including Pulte Homes of Bloomfield Hills, on deployment of the technology [ good for New Home Construction--esp. Pulte.]
This is getting too long for one posting and the required reading there-of.
These are the reasons why living in Michigan can be Fun and Frustrating--sometimes at the same time.
Thank you to Yogi for: " [it is] de'ja' vu all over again."
...as seen by these gifs--all predictions are performed in front of a BLUE SCREEN...
is that what is happening here? Is everyone standing by the BLANK screen in life ?
Solar in Michigan--with little Spring and the coldest Summer in many years--is this a good idea to promote ?
Me, I am going to shop for BOOTS--Winter is coming soon and Boots will be required footwear.
Monday--Over & Out.
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