What’s behind the figure of US$58.8 million?

January 4, 2012
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

News that Norsk Hydro has sold its stake in CIGS thin-film wannabe, Ascent Solar, for US$4 million, to another investor, TFG Radiant Investment Group, may not help the struggling firm with sorely needed cash injections, but it would indicate a level of ‘trust’ in the firm to help ride out the current industry-wide challenges.

However, looking at the investments made by Norsk Hydro since 2007 in Ascent, a rather scary picture emerges. In several significantly sized deals, Norsk Hydro invested approximately US$58.8 million in Ascent for roughly a 20% stake in the firm.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

That stake was sold to TFG Radiant for a loss of over US$54 million, barely 4 years later, indicating that there isn’t much to shout about.

 

Read Next

April 2, 2026
Solar manufacturer Qcells is expanding into integrated home energy systems with a new division targeting the US residential construction sector.
April 2, 2026
LONGi has launched its solar-plus-storage strategy, LONGi One, marking a shift from traditional multi-vendor system architectures to a fully integrated design approach.
April 2, 2026
Monocrystalline passivated emitter rear contact (PERC) modules saw a 20% increase in average price in the US, according to Anza.
April 2, 2026
Pan-African developer Axian Energy has reached financial close on what it is billing as West Africa’s largest solar-plus-storage project.
Premium
April 2, 2026
R.Power's Michał Swół speaks to PV Tech Premium about Germany's position as a leader in Europe's renewable energy auction space.
April 2, 2026
French oil and gas major TotalEnergies has signed a US$2.2 billion joint venture (JV) with the Emirati state-run renewable energy developer Masdar to jointly develop renewables across Asia.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
April 15, 2026
Milan, Italy
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
November 3, 2026
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
November 24, 2026
Warsaw, Poland