Expansion Management

Why Build New When You Can Retrofit Old?

Oct. 24, 2009

The plan was for GlassPoint Solar, Inc. to manufacture gypsum wall board in its own factories, but it turned out to be more useful (from the climate's perspective) to help major wallboard manufacturers retrofit their factories using Glass Point's solar industrial process heat.

"In the time it takes to build one million square feet of new drywall production capacity we can convert one billion square feet of existing capacity to clean energy." said Rod MacGregor, CEO of GlassPoint Solar.

Looking at the energy differential, every thousand square feet of drywall produced requires approximately 2.5 million BTUs of natural gas to be burned emitting 293 pounds of CO2 in the process.

If you were to convert all 35 drywall plants in the U.S. Southwest with a total production capacity of 16 billion square feet per annum, converting them to solar power would reduce CO2 emissions by over 4.7 billion pounds per year. How many cars would that be (since we always seem to use that as a measuring stick)? That is the equivalent of removing half a million cars from the road.

In case you think only drywall manufacturers will reap all of the savings, the technology can also used in any industrial process that burns natural gas to produce heat, including enhanced oil recovery.

About the Author

Adrienne Selko Blog | Senior Editor

Focus: Expansion Management & the Biotech & Life Sciences Industries

Email: [email protected]

Follow Adrienne on Twitter: @ASelkoIW

Call: 216-931-9235

Senior Editor Adrienne Selko manages IndustryWeek’s Expansion Management, delivering ideas and information about how successful manufacturers leverage location to gain competitive advantage. She explores the strategies behind why companies located their headquarters, research institutes, factories, warehouse and distribution centers and other facilities where they did, and how they benefit from the decision.

Adrienne is also the editorial coordinator of the IndustryWeek Expansion Management Roundtable events, which unites economic development professionals to network and discuss the latest trends in site location.

As well, Adrienne tells the stories of successful companies in the biotechnology and life sciences industries.

In the past, Adrienne has managed IndustryWeek’s award-winning website, overseeing eNewletters, webinars, and contributed content. Before joining the staff, Adrienne was managing editor of corporate publications at a large regional financial institution. She also ran a public relations and marketing company that published a best-selling healthcare book.

Adrienne received a bachelor’s of business administration from the University of Michigan and is especially interested in wellness and natural health.