Company to invest $15.6 million, create 167 jobs in Summerville

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) — A new solar energy company is coming to Dorchester County, bringing 167 jobs with it.

U.S.-based manufacturer Translucent Solar has officially chosen Dorchester County for its new 1.2-gigawatt solar panel factory, according to Dorchester County Economic Development.

Investment and jobs

The company is investing $15,675,000 into the site, a move that will create 167 new jobs, Dorchester County Economic Development said.

The Summerville facility will produce high-efficiency photovoltaic modules for utility, commercial, industrial and residential customers. Inside, highly automated production lines will be used for manufacturing.

Translucent Solar was founded in 2022 by a team of energy industry veterans.

“We started the company, my colleagues and co-founders and I, about three years ago, following the Inflation Reduction Act, which created incentives for domestic manufacturing of solar panels, cells, modules and wafers in the U.S.,” Augustus Rylands, Managing Director of Translucent Solar, said. “We’ve been working towards creating this facility of 1.2 gigawatts, which, thankfully, very happy to say is here in Summerville, South Carolina. And that’s been the journey. We looked at a lot of different sites all over America. We talked to a lot of different states. We ran incentive programs. We looked at the availability of talent and people and whether there was a good port nearby. That was also very important to us, since we’re bringing a lot of raw materials.”

A growing solar hub

Rylands said South Carolina’s solar industry is expanding.

“South Carolina is already becoming a bit of a hub for solar energy. We’re by no means the only factory in South Carolina making solar panels. And I think that’s a very healthy sign for the industry,” Rylands said. “I think South Carolina is very open for business. We found a very easy state to work with. And Dorchester County, in particular, the economic development team, were exceptional. They really helped us a lot to get this, you know, to choose Dorchester County and Summerville specifically for our factory. So we were very fortunate to be working with them.”

Rylands also pointed to recent Section 232 tariffs, a measure designed to protect and encourage domestic manufacturing of solar panels and related components.

“I think South Carolina has got a real opportunity to become a major hub for not just panel assembly, but even cells, ingots and wafers, which are the upstream components, all the way back to polysilicon, that lead into this technology,” Rylands said. “Because over the coming years, all of that is going to become is going to be brought back to the U.S. It’s something that’s been developing and building over many years in multiple administrations. But the conditions are increasingly right to bring that industry back home, because it’s originally an American industry.”

Workforce and community

Rylands cited the region’s workforce as a factor in the company’s decision.

“I think there’s a great talent pool. And I think there’s some very strong colleges and schools. And there’s a manufacturing mentality,” Rylands said. “Manufacturing requires patience, it requires determination, it requires building something for the long term. And that is something which I think it’s safe to say the U.S. lost a bit for a while. But I think that we’re finding that strong in South Carolina, and we think it’s coming back.”

Construction underway

Rylands said the facility, which previously housed a British aerospace operation and, before that, Caterpillar and Corning, is currently under construction.

“We’re deep in construction at the moment. We’ve got contractors all over the interior of the facility,” Rylands said. “We were very fortunate to find this facility, and right now, the contractors are working just to do the necessary work to turn it into our solar panel factory.”

Equipment is expected to arrive between October and November, Rylands said.

“It’s something like 200 containers worth of equipment, which will be coming through the port of Charleston,” Rylands said. “We will be positioning things as they arrive. So we’ll be first panel out, I would say, by the end of the year. And then commercial operation at the very beginning of next year. So in Q1 of next year, we’ll be in full commercial one-shift operation. From there, we ramp from one shift, two, three, and four shifts.”

Industry outlook

Rylands said solar energy currently accounts for about 8.6% of the U.S. grid, a figure he said is expected to rise to 20% over the next 20 years.

“Last year, solar plus storage accounted for over 80% of all new additions to the U.S. grid. More than gas, more than nuclear,” Rylands said. “Solar is fast to deploy and good for the environment. And it’s what I think is going to play a big part in helping us win the AI race, and get data centers the energy they need.”

The company will also make use of South Carolina’s transportation infrastructure and the Port of Charleston, according to the press release.

“South Carolina Ports welcomes Translucent to Dorchester County, and we look forward to supporting their business. This investment in our region is a testament to SC Ports’ reliable port service, dependability as a partner, and commitment to keeping businesses’ supply chains competitive,” said SC Ports President and CEO Micah Mallace.

Dorchester County Council Chairman David Chinnis also welcomed the company.

“Dorchester County continues to attract forward-thinking companies that are driving innovation and meeting the demands of tomorrow’s economy,” Chinnis said. “Translucent’s investment and the jobs it will create reinforce our position as a competitive location for advanced manufacturing and energy solutions. We are proud to welcome them to our community and support their continued growth.”

Translucent Solar expects the facility to be operational by the end of 2026 and is actively recruiting for a variety of positions.

Those interested in job opportunities can visit here.