“Barnett and Stiner agreed to permanent injunctions; payment of civil penalties in the amount of $65,000 and $40,000, respectively; and other sanctions.”
The long, sad tale of photovoltaic manufacturer AstroPower winds down?
It has been a while since I posted AstroPower Saga Continues: Fraud Claims Referred to FBI.
Per this Litigation Release No. 20938 issued on March 10, 2009:
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Litigation Release No. 20938 / March 10, 2009
Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Release No. 2946 / March 10, 2009
Securities and Exchange Commission
The company is for sale.
Photovoltaic Signs of the Times?
Solar start-up Blue Square Energy (BSE) had a layoff before the holidays to close 2008, a year marked by internal struggles at the company captured in Blue Square Energy: Solar plans stalled at funding round. BSE has sold assets and equipment from an out of service solar cell line as a second cash preservation step. Discussions are reported to be underway with interested buyers.
It would appear Blue Square Energy: Joseph Babin named new CEO and President may have happened too late to raise a $25 million funding round for the company. Or per Blue Square Energy
Monday, November 10, 2008 11:16 pm | Edgar A. Gunther
Bright Point silicon solar test cell, company structure, Technical Advisory Board, status, and UMG.
First, “Blue Square Energy Announces 14.6 Percent Efficient Solar Cell on Upgraded Metallurgical Grade Silicon” was the third press release in a week from resurgent start-up Blue Square Energy (BSE).
Blue Square Energy has succeeded in producing a Bright Point technology silicon solar test cell with 14.6% percent conversion efficiency. BSE claims this “efficiency result is one of the highest in the world on upgraded metallurgical grade (UMG) silicon and has been verified independently by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (
Thursday, October 30, 2008 5:04 pm | Edgar A. Gunther
| 1 Comment »
Promoted from Blue Square Energy Chief Operating Officer.
All has been quiet, too quiet, at Blue Square Energy (BSE) since I posted Blue Square Energy: Solar plans stalled at funding round back on July 8, 2008. Today, “Blue Square Energy Names New President and CEO” resolved the management dispute with the appointment of Joseph Babin as the new President and CEO of Blue Square Energy replacing former CEO Jeff Barnett.
Mr. Babin said:
I am very much looking forward to leading this talented group of engineers and researchers that BSE has managed to attract. Over the next few months, industry watchers in the solar energy
CEO Jeff Barnett and father/consultant Dr. Allen Barnett asked to tender resignations. Since Blue Square Energy also presents at Alternative Energy Innovations 2007, Blue Square Energy (BSE) has failed to raise the outlined $30 million round of venture capital to fund their expansion plans.
In a recent conversation with BSE Chairman Ray Moyer and Board member Joe Babin, I learned that Blue Square Energy has missed hitting critical milestones in the commercialization of Bright Point and confirmed rumored layoffs had occurred at the company.
“Leadership issues” have contributed to a morale problem at BSE resulting in the resignations of core technical team members. CEO Jeff Barnett is studying for
Monday, December 31, 2007 2:05 pm | Edgar A. Gunther
| 1 Comment »
Select Photovoltaic News Tidbits
In this final Solar Light Flashes of 2007, I need to catch up on accumulated tidbits I’ve collected over the past few months.
Advent Solar, Inc.If recent events at Miasolé regarding former CEO David Pearce are the precedent (see Former Miasolé Employees Confirm Cuts by Jennifer Kho at Greentech Media), then Advent Solar Appoints Peter Green as new President and CEO, tends to indicate Rusty Schmit’s days with Advent may be numbered despite the claim:
Company founder Rusty Schmit will remain a member of the Board of Directors in an active role focused on strategic initiatives and will be working with Peter to ensure a smooth transition.
This development also
Thursday, November 1, 2007 1:50 am | Edgar A. Gunther
| 1 Comment »
[Redwood City, California, USA]
Further details of Bright Point solar cell business plans and the next $30 Million funding round emerge
Blue Square Energy (BSE) President and CEO Jeff Barnett delivered a capable and informed presentation regarding BSE’s plans and solicitation of venture capital for continued expansion on Wednesday, October 23, 2007, at the Dow Jones VentureWire Alternative Energy Innovations 2007 conference in Redwood City, California.
As mentioned in Blue Square Energy sets the impurity enriched solar cell record straight, BSE was founded in 2004 and generated a profit from recycling semiconductor silicon wafers into solar cells by 2005.
With Bright Point silicon solar cell technology, BSE expects to reach $1.22 per
Monday, October 22, 2007 1:27 pm | Edgar A. GuntherComments Off
Select Photovoltaic News Tidbits
Once again, conferences including Solar Power 2007 and 22nd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC) have dominated Blog coverage since September. I have accumulated anecdotes and news about Blog staples and newer companies and topics over this time period.
Advent Solar, Inc.During Solar Power 2007, I talked to an Advent Solar spokesperson at their Hyatt Regency Ballroom stand. The spokesperson claimed the retooling of Advent’s 25MWp (MegaWatt-peak) line to 156mm (millimeter) silicon wafers would be completed by about November 2007 and ready for production in early 2008. The expectation is laid off workers will be recalled to ramp production on the retooled line.
In contrast, before Solar Power 2007, my
Tuesday, September 11, 2007 2:36 am | Edgar A. Gunther
| 1 Comment »
Mr. Scanio, Oral Presentations, and the Q-Cells Band
Here is one for Italian speaking readers. Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, Italian Minister for the Environment, Land, and Sea, answers a press question about Italian Photovoltaic market development in Italiano.
The following presentations made by Dr. Barnett and Dr. Hesse were included in Dr. Ossenbrink’s 22nd EU PVSEC Technical Highlights.
Dr. Allen Barnett presented “Milestones Toward 50% Efficient Solar Cells” on Monday, September 3, 2007. I decided to video this presentation after the first few minutes.
Here is the paper citation:
1AO.6.7 A. Barnett, C.B. Honsberg, K. Goossen & F. KiamilevUniversity of Delaware, Newark, USAD. KirkpatrickDARPA, Arlington, USAS.R. Kurtz, M.W
Select Photovoltaic News Tidbits
Intersolar 2007 and 2006 California Clean Tech Open (CCTO) companies have dominated Blog coverage over the past month. It’s time to get back to covering staple companies and topics although there are follow up Intersolar 2007 and PV Industry Forum 2007 posts plus SEMICON West coverage in the works.
Applied Materials:Applied Materials Names Chris Eberspacher to Lead Advanced Solar Research and Development lends support to the notion that things may not be so rosy at Nanosolar. Dr. Eberspacher left Nanosolar just over one month ago.
Blue Square Energy
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