Tennessee’s job market and solar initiative will be stimulated with the opening of a manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution facility in Clinton, Tennessee. Confluence Solar, based in Missouri, will be investing $200 million for the new facility in Clinton, which is expected to create 200 to 400 new jobs.

Confluence Solar produces mono-crystal silicon ingots that increase the efficiency of solar photovoltaic, which helps to reduce the cost of solar power generation. Tennessee, which has noticed a quick surge in solar capital investments and growth in solar research and development throughout the state, is eager to house the new facility. Wacker Chemie and Hemlock Semiconductor will be investing over $2 billion for the construction of polysilicon manufacturing facilities near Cleveland, Tennessee.

Some of the other initiatives in the state include the establishment of the Tennessee Solar Institute and an investment of $62.5 million in research and energy production. Tennessee Valley Energy Enterprise was introduced by the Department of Energy in March of 2009 for reusing federal sites for the purpose of energy related research.

The Governor of Tennessee, Phil Bredesen, said that these new developments in addition to the advances in energy storage from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory have helped to build a solar footprint throughout the state. Confluence Solar will be building its facility in the Clinton I-75 Industrial Park on a 25-acre site.

Tennessee Valley Authority, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, elected officials, local economic developers and the Clinton Utilities Board worked together to seal the deal.