Uptick in solar market parallels demand for larger installations, says OPEL Solar CEO

2 June 2010

Despite an uneven economic recovery and the lingering effects of the global recession, CEO of photovoltaic product supplier OPEL Solar Leon Pierhal has reported a sharp increase in requests for quotes on industrial-scale solar power systems in the US and abroad.

Pierhal said, ‘With the worst hopefully behind us, there is no question that both governments and investors alike are reaffirming their interest and commitment to solar power in a big way.

‘Since late 2008 when the credit markets first crashed, we have seen a significant increase in requests for quotes on both our high concentrated photovoltaic solar panels and our ground-based and rooftop tracker systems. Clearly, this bodes well for both OPEL Solar… and the solar power industry at large.’

Pierhal attributed the increase in quote activity to OPEL Solar’s technological innovation and two key solar installations, both of which are eligible for feed-in-tariffs.

These include completion of a 330kW high-concentrated photovoltaic utility-grade power plant in Spain with its Spanish partner Betasol last October, and it plans to participate in a 1MW solar installation in Portugal with domestic renewable energy company Tecneira.

Noticing a dramatic growth in quoting of utility-scale solar installations, Pierhal said he has seen an especially sharp and recent focus in the marketplace for solar power installations of at least 1MW in size.

OPEL Solar is one of a growing number of solar companies that have been selected to install an initial 1MW solar power plant, this time in France. The company has also partnered with an engineering and construction company to build utility-scale solar power farms in the US.

Pierhal said, ‘Neither the private sector, nor forward-looking countries want to mortgage their future or straitjacket their ability to compete globally by relying exclusively on more traditional fossil fuel sources… Solar is not only here and now, it’s a very viable and cost-effective alternative.’

OPEL Solar, which produces gallium arsenide and solar concentrating photovoltaic technology,  manufacturers solar panels that it claims can generate up to 40 per cent more kilowatt-hours than conventional flat plate silicon solar panels.

With operations in the US and Canada, the company recently announced that it will manufacture its utility scale TF-800 tracker line, which it developed with FEiNA, in the US.

Copyright © 2010 NewNet

Tags: solar, solar installation, solar power

This story was published on Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010 at 4:30 pm and is filed under Europe, North America, companies, solar. You can follow any responses to article entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

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