Solar panel manufacturer seeks subsidies to operate in Jacksonville

The unidentified company, code-named "Project Volt," would invest up to $410 million and create as many as 800 jobs

Cecil Commerce Center at 4660 New World Avenue in West Jacksonville (Credit: Jacksonville Daily Record)
Cecil Commerce Center at 4660 New World Avenue in West Jacksonville (Credit: Jacksonville Daily Record)

An unidentified solar panel manufacturer seeks public subsidies to invest up to $410 million in two facilities and create as many as 800 jobs in Jacksonville.

The company, code-named “Project Volt,” would get $24.6 million of subsidy money from the city of Jacksonville and another $29.3 million from the state under the company’s agreement with the city’s Office of Economic Development.

The Jacksonville City Council will consider the city-funded subsidies proposed by “Volt” at its meeting on Tuesday.

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The unidentified company says it has production facilities in eight locations outside the United States and that its first domestic production facilities would be in Jacksonville.

The company would lease manufacturing space in the city-owned Cecil Commerce Center at 4660 New World Avenue in West Jacksonville, and assembly and distribution space in a second facility at 2969 Faye Road in North Jacksonville.

Public subsidies are considered a critical factor in the company’s decision to put its new solar-panel manufacturing operation in Jacksonville as opposed to an alternate location. [Jacksonville Daily Record] — Mike Seemuth