SolarCity's planned purchase of solar panel manufacturer Silevo could lead to construction in Buffalo of one of the world's largest solar panel production plants.
SolarCity, one of the nation's largest installers of rooftop solar systems, announced the deal to buy California-based Silevo on Tuesday.
Last year, Silevo was one of two companies that committed to locate in a new high-tech clean energy complex that New York state is building at the site of the former Republic Steel mill in Buffalo.
A SolarCity spokesman says the company is moving ahead with Silevo's plans and is in talks with New York state to expand them. SolarCity says it's looking at production capacity of 1 gigawatt--about five times more than the Silevo proposal--and more than a thousand employees within the next two years.