California may not be the Sunshine State, but it’s quickly becoming the Solar State, and San Jose is becoming Sun Jose. SunPower Corp. has as its motto, “Changing the way the world is powered.” They’ll be doing that from San Jose, now that they have decided to relocate their headquarters next spring to a three-building campus in San Jose. Before moving, the building will be upgraded with the goal of reach LEED gold certification.

SunPower manufacturers, delivers, and installs solar energy solutions for private homes, businesses, and utilities. It has been listed on the NASDAQ for five years as of yesterday, and CEO Thomas Werner was invited to ring the opening bell on the New York Stock Exchange to mark the occasion.

On Monday, Werner attributed the decision to stay in the city to “San Jose’s economic incentives and the state’s long-term energy policies.” The city has offered the company a $2.5 million, five-year incentive package, pending approval by City Council. Mayor Chuck Reed was pleased that the company accepted the offer, and said that it will play “a crucial role in the implementation of the City’s Green Vision, adding clean tech jobs that will help stimulate our economy, retrofitting its new buildings to green standards, and for powering its campus with solar power.”

Some 300 people—5 percent of the company’s global staff—now work in its corporate headquarters, but this is expected to grow to 500 over the next few years. Another 400 work in its Richmond facility. Plans to return solar panel manufacturing to Silicon Valley are expected to create an additional 100 new jobs in the region.
Read More at NBC Bay Area.