The manufacturing plants are expected to create 300 jobs while construction of the solar farm is expected to create 300 temporary jobs. Nearly 240,000 panels will be needed.
Columbus-based American Electric Power signed a deal to purchase the electricity generated by the solar farm over the next 20 years and invest $20 million in the project in Muskingum County east of Columbus.
David Wilhelm, a national Democratic Party mover-and-shaker turned venture capitalist who put the deal together, said the overall project price tag is expected to be about $250 million.
“We have a thriving, developing solar industry,” Strickland told a packed room at the Statehouse on Tuesday. “We have a developing wind power industry....This is just the beginning. Ohio uses a lot of energy; we should produce a lot of energy. And in producing that energy we should be creating jobs and embracing the growing, new industries. That’s happening. Today’s announcement is just the latest example of how that is happening.”
In May 2008, Ohio passed an energy reform law that requires power companies to get 12.5 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2025, including 0.5 percent from solar sources. The law also requires that half of the renewable resource power come from Ohio-based facilities.
Earlier this year, Ohio adopted a law that eliminates Ohio’s tangible personal property tax and real property tax for advanced energy and renewable energy projects. Strickland said this project will be eligible to apply for that new tax break.
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