Coshocton County facility to create 83 jobs and deploy AI-powered European manufacturing technology
Ohio Sunshine has announced plans to set up a 2GW solar panel manufacturing facility in Coshocton County, Ohio, marking a significant milestone in strengthening a foreign-entity-of-concern (FEOC)-free domestic solar supply chain in the United States.
The project is expected to generate 83 new full-time jobs and reinforce the country’s push toward locally manufactured clean energy infrastructure.
Robert Black, President of Ohio Sunshine, said strong local engagement played a decisive role in selecting the site. He noted that community participation and enrollment were key to bringing the project to Coshocton County, adding that the company is committed to long-term community investment and regional economic development.
The upcoming facility aligns closely with recent federal legislation aimed at building a fair, transparent, and domestic energy supply chain.
According to Black, the new policy framework encourages American manufacturing to meet domestic demand while correcting long-standing market imbalances. He emphasized that a well-developed U.S.-based supply chain would ultimately benefit electricity consumers through fair competition and increased resilience.
To support its manufacturing ambitions, Ohio Sunshine has partnered with Italy-based Ecoprogetti Srl, a leading European supplier of solar module production equipment. With three decades of experience and more than 35GW of installed production capacity globally, Ecoprogetti will provide fully European-designed technology known for precision, reliability, and performance.
The Coshocton plant will feature Ecoprogetti’s latest fully automated, AI-enabled production lines, integrating robotics, computer vision, and real-time data analytics. This advanced setup is designed to deliver high throughput, ultra-low cycle times, and superior manufacturing efficiency, setting a new standard for solar module production in the U.S.
Laura Sartore, CEO of Ecoprogetti, described the U.S. as one of the company’s most strategic markets over the next five years. She said Ecoprogetti is proud to support Ohio Sunshine with its advanced technology and is also evaluating the possibility of local machinery manufacturing in the U.S., building on more than a decade of service operations in the country.
The AI-driven systems will incorporate predictive maintenance, automated quality control, and intelligent material handling to maximize uptime, reduce manual processes, and ensure high-yield, sustainable production.
Construction of Ohio Sunshine’s state-of-the-art facility is progressing toward commissioning in the first quarter of 2027. The plant will utilize advanced N-Type cell technology and combine American ownership and manufacturing with European innovation, reinforcing Ohio Sunshine’s vision of powering the future with domestically produced, high-performance solar modules.