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

March 19, 2026
Sunraycer Renewables has broken ground at a portfolio of three solar-plus-storage projects in the US state of Texas.
March 18, 2026
India added 119GW of solar module and over 9GW of solar cell manufacturing capacity in 2025, according to Mercom’s latest report.
March 18, 2026
Origis Energy has commenced operations at its 210MWdc Wheatland utility-scale solar project in Knox County, Indiana.
March 18, 2026
Indian PV encapsulant and backsheet manufacturer RenewSys has commissioned a 3GW solar module manufacturing facility in Raigad, Maharashtra.
March 18, 2026
The latest PV Reliability Workshop highlighted why investing in PV reliability and quality is more important than ever.
March 18, 2026
Danish independent power producer (IPP) European Energy has inaugurated the 108MW Lancaster Solar Farm in northern Victoria.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Dallas, Texas
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