With plans to open this fall, JinkoSolar (U.S.) Industries Inc. seeks a permit to further build-out its solar panel plant in Jacksonville.
Hoffman Commercial Construction LLC is the contractor for the $13.85 million project.
JinkoSolar wants to build-out almost 300,000 square feet of space at 4660 POW-MIA Memorial Parkway in AllianceFlorida at Cecil Commerce Center.
The parkway was renamed from New World Avenue.
Architectural and engineering firm Woolpert Inc. of Fairview Heights, Illinois, is the project designer. The space includes manufacturing, warehouse, research and development along with room for other functions.
The permit application describes the project as interior construction of tenant space and plant renovation.
The solar panel manufacturer will lease 285,652 square feet in the 407,435-square-foot building.
Work has begun toward the build-out.
In July, JinkoSolar applied to the city for interior structural work at a job cost of $2 million. KBM Builders Inc. is the contractor listed for that build-out.
On July 18, the city approved the $150,000 construction by KBM Builders of a tenant separation wall to divide the building for JinkoSolar and Jacksonville-based e-commerce furniture seller Industry West, which will lease 121,783 square feet.
JinkoSolar is part of Shanghai, China-based JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd.
JinkoSolar agreed to open a 200-job, $50 million plant at AllianceFlorida with the support of city and state incentives. The jobs, which will pay an average annual $45,562, must be created by the end of 2019.
Incentives comprise city tax incentives of $3.4 million, consisting of a $3.2 million Recapture Enhanced Value grant to be paid over 10 years and a $200,000 Qualified Target Industry tax refund for JinkoSolar to be repaid over five years.
The state will pay the remaining $800,000 of the total $1 million QTI refund. Other state incentives were not specified in a city fact sheet.
The company had been targeting an opening by October. JinkoSolar Business Development Director Jeff Juger said in May the project is on schedule. He could not be reached by Monday afternoon about the opening date.
It has a major customer.
In March, Juno Beach-based NextEra Energy said in a news release that it is the counterparty to a supply agreement that was announced by JinkoSolar in January. Florida Power & Light Co. is a subsidiary of NextEra Energy.
Under the agreement, JinkoSolar will supply NextEra Energy with up to 2,750 megawatts of high-efficiency solar modules – roughly 7 million – over about four years.
JinkoSolar will be the first Chinese solar component company to set up a factory in the U.S. after President Donald Trump approved tariffs in January on imported solar panel technology.