Since temporarily stopping production earlier this year because of the down economy, one of Colorado’s bright lights in renewable energy has come roaring back, supplying a much-needed boost to the Front Range economy.

By Ann Rascalli

Vestas Wind Systems A/S announced today that its three Colorado wind turbine factories are officially up and running, and the company has hired more than 1,000 people. Better still, hundreds more are expected to be hired in the next 12 to 18 months. Good news overall, no doubt, and proof that Colorado’s New Energy Economy is alive and well, despite the deep recession still impacting many in the state.

“We have now hired more than 1,000 highly skilled workers [in Colorado] and seek a number of more workers,” said Torben Poulsen, vice president and factory manager for Vestas’ nacelles and hub factory in Brighton, the only factory of its kind in the world. “We’re committed to building local economies wherever our factories are open.”

>>What’s the best way to apply for a position with this clean energy leader? 

Go to this website: sosstaffing.com/vestas. Or, you can meet with company officials and apply at the Southern Colorado Jobs and Career Fair at the Pueblo Convention Center on July 22.

Since the Danish manufacturer opened doors in 2007, more than $1 billion has been invested in Colorado, according to the company, spread around three factories in Windsor, Brighton and Pueblo — and a fourth one currently under construction in Brighton.

One of the big orders that will keep the Brighton nacelles factory humming along is for 139 Vestas V90-1.8 megawatt turbines for the Cedar Point wind farm being constructed by RES Americas east of Denver. That project has been sold to Canadian energy company Enbridge, Inc., and once completed in 2011, the power generated will be purchased by Xcel Energy,as part of meeting the  state’s 30% renewable energy mandate recently passed in the Colorado legislature.

The nacelles is the housing unit atop a wind turbine tower that holds the equipment necessary to convert wind energy to electricity. It’s the heart of a turbine’s operation. The Brighton plant  finished its first nacelle on April 15; it officially opened July 7.

Vestas emphasized that more more workers are needed at each of its three plants, as well as the wind turbine blades plant under construction in Brighton. Here is how it breaks out:

• Vestas now employs about 600 people and expects to hire 100 more at the Windsor facility.

• Vestas expects to hire 750 people for the new blade plant in Brighton next year.

• Already, 280 employees have been hired for the Brighton nacelles facility, and the company says it will employ between 500 and 550 people when running at full capacity with three shifts.

• Down south at the Pueblo towers factory, 283 employees have been hired and the plant expects to have 465 by the end of the year and about 500 employees when running at full capacity.

According to Vestas roughly 70% of the jobs available are for production.

In addition, available jobs at Vestas’ Colorado plants include: production, welders, shipping and warehouse staff, quality inspectors, maintenance, buyers, accountants, and managers. The company wages average between $17 and $25 and hour for production staff. Vestas also pays 100 percent of health care premiums for employees and their family, and offers four weeks of vacation a year.

“We believe this attracts and retains the best talent in Colorado,” said Gary Held, Vestas’ manager for people and culture in the Brighton nacelles factory.