Alissa Holly

NV Energy has been given approval for three separate and long-term purchase power agreements for renewable energy. Given by the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada, the approved agreements will last for the next 25 years.

Rudolph Technologies announced Wednesday that Tony Mullins will take up the role of director of global process control software sales immediately. Mayson Brooks, Rudolph's vice president of global sales, believes that Mullins' experience will help him in the new position. "Tony brings a wealth of process control know-how to Rudolph," said Brooks.

eSolar has named John Van Scoter as CEO. Van Scoter comes to the company with 25 years of experience in developing and implementing global market strategies for up-and-coming technologies.Scoter will work on eSolar's Board of Directors immediately and will assume his position as CEO on February 1, 2010.

Professor Utz Claassen has been appointed CEO of Solar Millennium. The decision was reached following a meeting of the supervisory board held earlier this month. Claassen will begin in the new role on the first of January.

Manufacturer of thin-film photovoltaic modules Abound Solar has named Thomas Tiller as CEO. Having served Polaris Industries as CEO for nine years, he will officially take up his position on January 18, 2010. Doug Schatz, current interim CEO for the company, will then become chairman of the board.

First Solar has appointed TK Kallenbach executive vice president of marketing and product management. Kallenbach previously worked for Honeywell Aerospace (once Allied Signal) where he played roles in the company's strategic planning, marketing communications and product management. Kallenbach joined the company in 1979 and worked in a number of senior leadership positions prior to becoming vice president of marketing and product management.

Bank of America, Mendocino College and SunPower Corp. have announced the completion of a of a 929kW solar power system on Mendocino's Ukiah campus. Bank of America financed the solar power system, which is expected to save Mendocino College US$14 million in electricity costs over the next 25 years. The system was built in four months and uses SunPower solar panels equipped with the SunPower Tracker system.

Didier Jeannelle has been named the new managing director of Sputnik Engineering's French subsidiary Sputnik Engineering France S.A.R.L. Jeannelle will consolidate Sputnik's presence in France, starting with a move into a larger space and an increase in staff.

MEMC Electronic materials' subsidiary SunEdison and its project partner Skypower have earned the "Solar PV Project of the Year for Ground Mount" from CanSIA, a solar association in Canada. The award was presented to the partners for the 9.1MW First Light Solar Energy Park in Stone Mills, Ontario. Given by Honourable George Smitherman, the award pays recognition to First Light Solar Energy's status as the largest solar energy park to ever be built in Canada.

Solarfun Power Holdings, a manufacturer of silicon ingots, photovoltaic cells and modules in China, has announced the signing of an agreement between their subsidiary Jiangsu Linyang Solarfun and the government of Jiayuguan City, Gansu Province that will see the construction of a 100MW solar power plant. Solarfun will construct a module production facility in Jiayuguan City to accommodate the terms of the agreement.