Advent Solar Arrival

Martin Hermann appointed Chief Strategic Officer

Advent Solar Appoints New Chief Strategic Officer was the recent news from Advent Solar, Inc. Joining Advent Solar in June 2008, Mr. Hermann:

is responsible for the areas of Business Development and Strategy, Planning and Sourcing, as well as Advent Solar’s international growth.

Additional information about Mr. Hermann’s background and experience is available in his public LinkedIn profile.

During my Hiatus, I missed this key Advent Solar press release, With No Need for Manufacturing Unit until Next Year, Advent Solar Releases Work Force. The layoff of 68 workers was the result of the extended research, development, testing, and certification required for the commercialization of 156mm Emitter Wrap-Through (EWT) solar cells and modules. The 156mm EWT solar cell product delay until early next year (2009) confirmed anonymous rumors regarding process issues in my prior Advent Solar posts.

While the Board of Directors is no longer listed on the Advent Solar website, company founder and former CEO Rusty Schmit resigned from the Advent Solar board according to his innovation: article, Confessions of a Serial Entrepreneur.

At the 33rd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC 33), Advent Solar presented this paper in a poster (sorry about the overexposure) session:

Area 4: Poster - Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells and Technologies
#532
Busbarless Emitter Wrap-Through Solar Cells and Modules
Peter Hacke, Brian Murphy, David Meakin, Jason Dominguez, Johnny Jaramillo, Michael Yamasaki, James Gee
Advent Solar, Inc., Albuquerque, NM, USA

Downloadable by registered conference attendees from the PVSC 33 website, the paper details proof of concept work on busbarless (versus edge-contact geometry) 125mm x 125mm EWT solar cells in preparation for larger area 156mm x 156mm EWT solar cells.

Per Advent Solar in March 2008:

In order to get the new larger solar cell to market as soon as possible, the company said that the product development phase will take six months, followed by three months of testing, and then six months of certification.

If Advent Solar succeeds with their 156mm EWT solar cell development and commercialization efforts, will the company rehire workers to kick start production in spring 2009 or pursue strategic options utilizing Mr. Hermann’s “extensive experience in M&A” (Mergers and Acquisitions)?