South Carolina green lights grant, job credits for solar project
(The Center Square) — South Carolina officials approved job development credits for companies planning to develop solar panels and related items.
The South Carolina Coordinating Council for Economic Development also awarded Sumter County a $1.5 million Rural Infrastructure Fund grant to help defray the costs of water, wastewater and building improvements.
SEM Wafertech and Solar4America Technology, both owned by SPI Energy Co., plan to spend $65.9 million to develop Sumter County operations, the first in the state, and officials said the project will create 300 jobs. The companies plan to use an existing building at 1150 Clipper Road in Sumter.
“Sumter County is well-equipped to support global solar companies because of its world-class environment,” Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III said in an announcement.
In Sumter, the companies will develop a silicon wafer-slicing facility. The silicon wafers will be used in various applications, including semiconductors and photovoltaic cells.
Coupled with a facility in Sacramento, California, Solar4America plans to manufacture a variety of solar panels. The companies expect to start operations in the fourth quarter of this year, and both companies hope to increase capacity.
“We plan to bring the highest-quality domestically produced solar wafers and modules to market, enhancing our nation’s manufacturing capabilities with a long-term investment that will create good paying jobs for South Carolina,” SEM Wafertech and Solar4America Technology Chairman Denton Peng said in an announcement.
A South Carolina Department of Commerce spokesman previously told The Center Square that the value of JDCs depends on the wage rate paid to employees and the tier ranking of the county. Since the credits are performance-based, the company may not collect them until they have reached their investment and job creation requirements.
