SunPower Recommits to San Jose; Company Will Renovate Buildings According to LEED Standards

SunPower Corp. announced that it will remain in San Jose, California, relocating its headquarters to an existing three-building campus next spring to accommodate planned, long-term growth. The company will renovate the buildings with the goal of achieving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification. Located on Rio Robles, the new headquarters will house the company’s corporate staff that includes finance, communications, product development, and engineering teams.

"We’re pleased to be moving to our new headquarters and continuing our investments here in California thanks to the City of San Jose’s economic incentives and the state’s long-term energy policies," said Tom Werner, SunPower CEO. "This move to a larger campus reinforces our planned growth over the next several years, not just here, but around the globe, as we continue to design, manufacture and deliver the highest efficient solar cells and panels on the market today."

The City of San Jose has prepared a $2.5 million economic incentive package for the company over five years for permitting, workforce assistance, and utility and sales tax reimbursement, which is subject to approval of the City Council.

Additionally, the company is investigating a $30 million low-interest loan that would go towards building improvements and capital equipment. The planned renovations include a rooftop solar system and solar carport, along with other green features. This loan would be funded by stimulus dollars made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and provided to the State of California.