Busmaker Proterra eyes Charlotte region for plant - Business First of Louisville:

http://91ud.com/article/Money-Advice-Runs-Low-for-Minority-Women.html
Proterra founder and Chairman Dale Hill has so far disclosedc visiting sites in twoarea counties, including the former Alcoaw Inc. aluminum smelting plant in Stanly County. He also likes Iredellk County. Hill says his company needs “aw couple hundred thousand square feet” on 10 to 15 The value of suchan economic-development project hasn’t been disclosed. Hill is interested in Mooresville for its skilleedmotorsports workers. But the area lacksz existing buildings that fitthe bill, Hill says. The Alcow plant in Badin also has challenges. “Ig would take a lot of cleaninv up toconvert it,” Hill says.
“It couled be a candidate facility but not if we have to pay for all the The company, based in Colo., also is considering locations from Michigan to South Carolina for an East Coast plant. Regional economic-developmentr officials are interested in any manufacturing particularly one that could bring hundredsof “We’re doing what we can to make sure they take a hard look at Mooresville,” says Russ Rogerson, executive director of the “Theyu could become a significant manufacturer.” Economic-developmentr officials in Stanly County couldn’t be reached. Alcowa stopped refining aluminum in Badin in ending 95 years inthe county.
Hill, who founder Proterra in 2004, already has had some successes in producinhggreen buses. His earlier company, TransTeq, made hybrid buses that are used by the Denved RegionalTransit District’s 16th Street Mall Proterra has developed fuel-cell technology under several government The company operates from a 13,000-square-foot facility in the Coorsz Technology Center, where its research, engineering, development and prototypinvg functions are based. Hill, a formed Charlotte resident, says incentives will be key inthe company’s decisiobn on a site. Proterra will make its choicw withinsix months, he says.
An unidentified firm is leadingy Proterra’s site search and discussions about inducements, Hill “We will go where the incentivee are there toattract us.” The company was initiallyg recruited to the area for a potentialo hydrogen-powered light-rail or trolley system. Hill is scheduled to speak June 12 at the Fifth International Hydrail Conference in He says his company has the abilitty to build a transportation system that runs onhydrogen “igf we have a customer to do that.” So far, other alternative fuels have powered Hill’s buses. “Our predominantf market is battery-powered and fuel-cell-powered Its fuel-cell bus sells for $1.
7 million and its battery-electriv bus sells for $1.2 million, Hill says. Both have zero emissions. One of Proterra’se rivals, both for customers and federall funding, is now based in Charlotte: hybrid-electric busmakerd DesignLine International Holdings. A DesignLine bus currently costs about according tothe city, which plans to buy as many as 200 hybrides from either DesignLine or Gillig Corp. of San Franciscok by fiscal 2012.
QUICKm •Advocates of hydrogen-powered transportationn will meet at the Fifth Internationa Hydrail Conference onJune 11-12 at UNC •Walter Kulyk, director of the Officer of Mobility Innovation at the Federak Transit Administration, will be the keynotde speaker. •Other presenters include Dale Hill, chairmabn of Colorado-based Proterra, who has been scoutingv the region for amanufacturing site. •Details: hydrail.
org