"ILLUMINATE USA"
A "Red" Rose by Any Other Name...
Who is "Illuminate USA," besides a sweet sounding American company?
There's a lot more than the name to the story, when it comes to the newest industrial tenant in Pataskala. And if you can't see it coming... all roads may lead to money, money, money.
The Creation of "Illuminate USA"
PICTURE PERFECT ANNOUNCEMENT
In March of 2023, One Columbus and Jobs Ohio issued a press release, announcing "Leading American Solar Developer Brings Landmark Manufacturing Facility to Ohio," to be located "approximately 20 miles east of Columbus." The tenant of this facility would be "Illuminate USA." A nice American sounding company, right?
Buried deep at the end of the press release was the realization that "Illuminate USA" was a joint venture project between "anchor customer" Invenergy, and the brief mention that they will "work with manufacturing partner LONGi to produce Ohio-made solar panels."
DEEPER DIVE UNCOVERS THE TRUTH
By April 2023, in response to a similar operation in Big Rapids, Michigan, the Wall Street Journal published an article highlighting the local fallout from a "Green Energy Factory" involving Chinese companies.
In their article, the authors bring attention to the announced Ohio project and note the lack of attention the recent March press release gave to "Illuminate USA" other owner, LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., stating the Chinese company is "one of the world's biggest solar manufacturers," and that the Pataskala facility will be LONGi's "first U.S. solar-panel factory" through their joint venture with Invenergy.
A JOINT VENTURE?
According to CNBC, just this summer FBI Director Christopher Wray testified in congress that "The Chinese government has 'exploited' joint business ventures in search of companies’ secrets and information."
Per CNBC, Wray testified that virtually all Chinese companies are required to have political cells that "monitor their compliance with Chinese Communist Party orthodoxy," with Wray calling it "a very important issue.”
The Director also told CNCB that under Chinese law, the requirement applies to foreign companies, not just Chinese, and that companies have to comply.
AND FINALLY: IT'S ALL IN THE NUMBERS
By May 2023, in their reporting on the "Illuminate USA" project, Reuters noted that Chinese manufacturers were looking to U.S. markets to reduce delivery risks, such as "[c]ustoms delays, uncertainty over tariffs and... hiked import costs," while also noting the attraction created by the tax credits offered as a result of the Biden Administration's Inflation Reduction Act.
Even more, Reuters mentioned Pataskala was an attractive market for the Chinese company, as "Ohio has attractive industry electricity rates at 10% lower than the national average and wage rates for production roles are also below average levels." An added bonus for LONGi.