Tennessee Solar Program Creates Jobs and Grows Companies

The Tennessee Solar Institute announced this Spring that its Solar Innovation grant program has helped grow 35 solar-related companies statewide.

More than $13.4 million in private dollars have been leveraged from the Solar Innovation Grant program logging more than 80,000 job hours, according to a news release.

The program receives $12 million in public funding.

The following are excerpts from a Solar Institute press release:

The Innovation Grant program facilitated such success stories as:

• Bringing jobs from Taiwan back to Upper East Tennessee for Diversified Power International in Piney Flats

• Supporting innovative process improvements in solar installations that have decreased the cost of installing solar energy for Soltility in Spring Hill and Friendsville and CaraSol Energy, a start-up company in Knoxville

• Established a production facility and with a new design in hand, is manufacturing solar thermal panels made possible with TSI grants.

In addition to start-ups, well-established solar companies in Tennessee have taken advantage of TSI grants. These grants have allowed companies like Sharp Manufacturing Company of America, and AGC Flat Glass to embark on energy efficiency upgrades and worker training.

TSI’s Solar Innovation Grant program has created a stronger, more competitive solar value chain in Tennessee. A value chain that includes 180 for-profit companies and employs over 6,400 Tennesseans in solar and solar-related industries.