Invenergy, Longi tie up in 5-GW photovoltaic panel manufacturing JV in Ohio

• Sustainable energy services designer Invenergy LLC will create a solar panel manufacturing joint venture (JV) with China's Longi Green Energy Technology Co Ltd (SHA:601012), or Longi Solar, planning to set up a 5-GW factory in Ohio.

The new entity will certainly be referred to as Illuminate USA and Invenergy will certainly be its support customer, the Chicago-based business claimed previously this month. Under the strategy, it will put greater than USD 600 million (EUR 561.1 m) into the joint campaign, of which some USD 220 million will be assigned to purchase as well as build a 1.1 million-square-foot structure in Pataskala, Licking County.

To be located approximately 20 miles east of Columbus, the Pataskala manufacturing base will certainly be housed in an existing commercial structure. The manufacturing facility is due to end up being functional by the end of this year. The building and construction phase is planned to be launched in April, opening up some 850 job placements, including 150 union jobs.

"As an American business as well as a leading designer and driver of solar projects in the US, we identify the significance of having a solid domestic supply chain to fulfill the fast-growing demand for affordable solar energy," claimed Art Fletcher, EVP, Global Sourcing at Invenergy.

Invenergy, which has actually developed over 6 GW of solar projects globally, has a 775-MW portfolio of solar properties in Ohio.