Tennessee Clean Energy Hub Creates 1,000+ Jobs With $78M Plan

More than 1,000 families in Tennessee will soon have new job opportunities thanks to a major clean energy manufacturing expansion.

Create Energy announced it's investing $78 million to expand its renewable energy technology operations across Tennessee, creating 1,003 new jobs in the process. The company acquired a massive 338,000-square-foot building that will become its primary manufacturing hub for solar panels, battery storage systems, and electric vehicle charging equipment.

The expansion puts 973 new jobs at the main facility while transforming the company's existing Portland, Tennessee location into a research and development center. That site will add 30 more positions and continue producing specialized products for global partnerships.

Create Energy founder Dean Solon, who previously built successful solar company Shoals Technologies Group, says the company is focused on bringing the solar supply chain back to America. "I'm proud of what we're cranking out here at Create Energy: real growth, real jobs, and the newest, coolest energy products the world wants," Solon said.

The company has been busy making that vision real. It recently partnered with SMA Solar Technology to manufacture string inverters and teamed up with Stäubli to produce solar connectors. Create Energy even acquired assets from an autonomous mower company to help solve one of solar farms' trickiest problems: keeping vegetation under control on difficult terrain.

Governor Bill Lee celebrated the announcement alongside company leadership. "Tennessee is the best place to live, work and raise a family," Lee said, noting the expansion creates greater opportunity for Tennessee families.

The Ripple Effect

Create Energy's growth reflects a broader transformation happening across the Tennessee Valley. Clean energy manufacturing investments have surged in the region over recent years, driven partly by federal incentives that reward American-made solar components.

The company's approach of creating a "one-stop-shop" for renewable energy hardware helps reduce labor costs and improve system reliability through pre-wired and integrated components. That innovation makes clean energy projects faster and more affordable to build.

With the expansion complete, Create Energy's total footprint in the region will exceed 475,000 square feet of manufacturing and research space. Solon hints there's more to come, noting the company remains active in acquiring other businesses to strengthen its renewable energy ecosystem.

These aren't just manufacturing jobs appearing in an abstract future, they're positions being created right now as America builds its clean energy economy from the ground up.