Amid the farm fields and small towns north of Nashville, a wave of advanced manufacturing projects is bringing thousands of jobs to Portland and nearby communities, positioning the region as a hub for companies driving the next generation of domestic energy production.
A $30 million Shoals Technologies Group facility unveiled in May is one of the clearest signs of that shift.
The company plans to invest up to $80 million in its five-year expansion, making the electrical systems that allow solar and battery projects to deliver power to the grid…