Suniva® Solar Cells Power Solar Project in India3MW Solar Farm Provides Irrigation for State of Karnataka
NORCROSS, GA – March 16, 2010 – Suniva®, Inc., a U.S. manufacturer of high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells and modules, today announced the commissioning of its largest solar power installation with Titan Energy Systems Ltd. (Titan), located in Karnataka, India. The 3MW, ground-mounted system is the largest grid-connected solar field in India, covering more than 12 acres. The system was designed and deployed by Titan and is owned and operated by Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. (KPCL), one of India’s largest power providers. Karnataka Power will distribute power generated by the system to local farmers for irrigation purposes.
Founded in the year 1800, Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. is one of the most established power providers in India. In addition to this solar project, KPCL owns a number of renewable power plants, including the country’s first hydroelectric power station (opened in 1902) and one of India’s first wind power projects.
Titan designed the 3MW solar project incorporating Suniva’s high-efficiency ARTisun® series solar cells while providing engineering, procurement and construction services. “This project exemplifies Titan’s ability to execute large scale solar projects quickly and cost-effectively, which are key measures of success in rapidly growing solar markets like India,” said John Baumstark, CEO of Suniva. “As we continue to increase solar cell and module efficiency and reduce costs, our customers will benefit from higher performance in large-scale applications.”
“Suniva’s high-efficiency cell technology enables our solar modules and solar projects to exceed their performance targets,” said Sankar Chodagam, Managing Director of Titan Energy Systems Ltd. “As India prepares for sustained growth in its solar market, our partnership with Suniva greatly strengthens our position as a manufacturer and system integrator.”
In November 2009, the Indian government approved a National Solar Mission, which aims to deploy at least 20GW of solar projects by 2020. This strategic initiative is part of the country’s plan to provide power to millions of citizens lacking access to energy sources, as well as to combat climate change. Over the next five years, Titan plans to develop a series of large-scale projects and installations in Andhra Pradesh, India using Suniva’s technology.
About Suniva
Based in Norcross, GA, Suniva® manufactures high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells and high power solar modules with low-cost techniques in order to make solar-generated electricity cost-competitive with fossil fuels. Suniva leverages exclusive licenses to critical patents and patent-pending intellectual property developed by founder and CTO, Dr. Ajeet Rohatgi, at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s University Center of Excellence for Photovoltaic Research, which is funded by the Department of Energy. Led by an internationally regarded team of business executives and photovoltaic scientists, Suniva sells its advanced solar cells and modules Powered by Suniva™ worldwide, renewing U.S. leadership in the new energy economy. For additional information, please visit www.suniva.com.
About Titan Energy Systems Ltd.
TITAN is a pioneer in the design, development and manufacturing of solar photovoltaic modules ranging from 2Wp to 300Wp. Established in 1991, it has received international credibility in the manufacture of solar modules. Specifically for the Indian market, in addition to manufacturing and selling the solar modules, TITAN also undertakes design, construction, operation and maintenance of grid-connected and off-grid solar systems on a “turnkey” basis for end customers.
TITAN has established a quality management system to meet the ISO 9001-2008 standards. TITAN’s modules are certified to meet the performance as per international standards: IEC 61215:2005 and for safety as per IEC 61730-2 by TÜV, Germany and UL 1703-Third Edition by UL, USA.
TITAN currently operates a manufacturing capacity of 100 MW and is significantly expanding its module production to achieve manufacturing capacity of 500 MW. TITAN is the first company in India to install and operate MW-Scale Grid connected Solar Power Plants.