OGDEN — A local company is helping the Tooele Army Depot supply its own power, a move city officials say will bring high-paying jobs to Ogden.
This fall, Ogden’s Infinia Corporation will begin a $10.8 million project to construct 430 “PowerDishes” on a 15-acre site at the depot.
Standing about 15 feet high and looking like an old-fashioned TV satellite dish, the PowerDish uses the company’s Stirling Generator platform to convert the sun’s heat into electricity without the use of water.
When the Tooele project is finished, it will provide 1.5 megawatts of electricity to the depot.
“We’re going to have an orchard of these things in Tooele,” said Guy Letendre, Infinia’s vice president.
Infinia opened a 50,000-square-foot production facility at 300 W. 12th St. in September 2011 and also has a testing site at the northeastern edge of Business Depot Ogden.
The company began operations with 10 employees, but now has 60 and is looking to expand even more.
“In a little over a year, we’re going to have 150 employees here in Ogden,” said Jeff Lowe, Infinia’s director of operations.
The PowerDishes are assembled mostly on site, but the generators that power them are made at the Ogden facility.
Lowe said Infinia currently produces about 30,000 generators from Ogden in a year.
Terrence Bride, deputy division manager for Ogden City’s Business Development Department, said the city fought hard to bring Infinia to Ogden.
“This company, because of what they do and their potential to grow, is really important to Ogden’s economy,” Bride said. “They are bringing high-paying corporate and engineering jobs right to our city.”
Bride said renewable energy is also a key part of supporting Ogden’s growing outdoor industry.
A ceremony to announce the beginning of the Tooele project will be held at Tooele Army Depot on Friday. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy and the environment, and depot commander Col. Chris Mohan, will speak at the event.
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