Pataskala will soon welcome a new solar panel production facility which will create 850 new local jobs.

According to a press release, domestic solar manufacturing company Invenergy has chosen Pataskala as the site of a new solar panel production facility. Invenergy will invest more than $600 million through Illuminate USA for this project which includes a $220 million commitment to acquire and develop a 1.1 million-square-foot facility that will manufacture high-quality domestic solar panels as one of the largest of its kind in the country. The structure will be developed and completed by approximately 150 union workers. The facility is projected to create at least 850 new, good-paying administrative, assembly, and engineering jobs once operational. 

“As an American company and a leading developer and operator of solar projects in the U.S., we recognize the importance of having a strong domestic supply chain to meet the fast-growing demand for affordable solar power,” Art Fletcher, EVP, Global Sourcing at Invenergy said, according to the press release. “Invenergy is proud of the role Illuminate USA will play in bringing the highest-quality, domestically produced solar products to market, enhancing our nation’s manufacturing capabilities with a long-term investment that will create at least 850 good-paying jobs for Ohioans.”

This facility will increase the domestic production of solar panels to meet the growing demand of U.S. customers and will decrease the nation's reliance on imported solar panels. 

“Illuminate USA’s investment is a critical step to establishing a more complete solar power supply chain in the United States as market demand for clean energy grows,” J.P. Nauseef, JobsOhio president and CEO said, according to the press release. 

The facility is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2023 and Illuminate will USA will begin the hiring process this spring.