Business Briefs for the Week of Feb. 2, 2008

Norcross, Ga.-based Suniva recently opened the first solar factory in the Southeastern United States. The Atlanta-based manufacturing facility will create more than 100 permanent green jobs by year-end 2009 and more as it ramps into full production capacity in 2010.

Carpinteria, Calif.-based Clipper Windpower recently laid off 90 of the company's 830 employees. Many of the job losses occurred at the company's Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based turbine works.

Pittsburgh-based Emerson Process Management has received a contract from Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Bismarck, N.D., to digitally automate Dry Fork Station, Gillette, Wyo. The new, 385MW coal-fired power plant is being built to meet the growing electricity demand of the cooperative members and is expected to be operational by 2011.