Chris Robine, who joined SPG Solar in 2010 as the company’s chief financial officer, has now accepted the position of SPG Solar’s chief executive officer. Prior to SPG, Robine was CFO of General Electric’s renewable energy division where he helped the division double its revenue. Additionally, Robine has previously served as a member on the board of PrimeStar.
PVA TePla has appointed Dr. Arno Knebelkamp as its chief technology officer and temporary deputy CEO. Knebelkamp, who was previously CEO at Vestolit GmbH, will also join the company’s management board.
In SolarTech’s continued effort to hasten the implementation of renewable solar energy projects on state and local levels, the company has made the industry’s first engineering procurement and construction (EPC) contract template for solar financing, which is anticipated to go hand in hand with the power purchase agreement (PPA) that was released in 2009.
After 30 years as principal scientist at the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), Gary Jorgensen is retiring to join SkyFuel as principal materials scientist. Amongst other achievements during his time at the NREL, Jorgensen co-invented ReflecTech Mirror Film, which used in SkyFuel's parabolic trough concentrating solar collector.
The European Commission has awarded Sovello AG €15.5 million of regional investment aid to help build its latest String Ribbon solar-module production facility in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany. When completed, the entire project will have received investment totalling €147 million and created 320 jobs in the region.
MEMC has extended its chief financial officer position to Mark Murphy, who will take over for current CFO Tim Oliver. Oliver will remain with MEMC through the end of 2011’s first quarter in a non-executive role, but plans to leave the company for the pursuit of other interests. In addition to his role as CFO at MEMC, Murphy will also take on the role of senior vice president. The transition will be effective on January 10, 2011.
The board of directors for China Technology Development Group (CTDC) have newly appointed Liao Lin-Hsiang as the chief operating officer and Bruno Diaz Herrera as chief technology officer effective December 13, 2010. Liao will take over for Lu Zhenwei who resigned from his COO position, but has continued on as executive director for CTDC.
A new report by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and GTM Research entitled, U.S. Solar Energy Trade Assessment 2010, found that the U.S. not only has a strong solar industry, but is a leader in the net exportation of solar energy products. In 2009, US$723 million worth of net exports came from the U.S. alone.
Manfred Bächler has resigned from his position as Phoenix Solar's chief technology officer. Bächler will also be stepping down from the Phoenix Solar executive board, citing personal reasons for his decision.
The Czech Senate has approved a new law, which will add a 26% tax on solar energy production over the next three years, as well as 32% tax on carbon credits awarded to solar companies in the next two years. The new taxes will apply to all photovoltaic plants that were guaranteed to receive a fixed feed-in tariff (FiT) for a period of 20 years.
