President Obama's chief environmental advisor will be in Durham Tuesday to tour a successful start-up company that received federal stimulus money.
Nancy Sutley, chair of the White House Council of Environmental Quality, will join Rep. David Price in touring Semprius, Inc. of Durham.
Earlier this month, Semprius was named one of MIT Technology Review's 2012 top 10 most important emerging technologies. The firm says it has developed one of the world's most efficient solar panels that is expected to significantly lower the cost of solar energy.
The firm is expected to open a manufacturing plant in Henderson later this year.
Semprius received a $3 million federal stimulus grant to help develop its solar technology.
Semprius has raised $44 million from venture capitalists and Siemens, the European energy conglomerate, recently bought a 16 percent share in the start up.
Semprius has qualified for $18 million in state and local incentives to build the Henderson plant which is expected to add 256 jobs over five years.
