United Solar Ovonics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of
ECD Ovonics, is an international leader in the design and production of ultra-thin amorphous silicon photovoltaic (PV) technology—i.e., a very slender and flexible material that can convert sunlight into electricity.
The company is growing so quickly that it is increasing its local production capacity from 30 megawatts annually to 180, necessitating the construction of three additional factories: one in Auburn Hills just down the road from its existing plant and two in Greenville. President Subhendu Guha says, "We have seen incredible growth. We have seen grown by a factor of three over the last four years."
United Solar’s most popular product, according to Guha, is an 18-foot-long roll of flexible and adhesive solar laminate. He says, "We can ship it anywhere and you can just stick it onto a roof." The product comes with a quick-connect cable that, once the solar-generated DC electricity is converted to AC, connects directly to a building’s electrical supply.
United Solar’s decision to expand in Michigan was based, in part, on an incentive package made available to the company by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Guha also says of the state, "It has always been a source of good people." The plants in Greenville are especially significant after the town lost almost 3,000 jobs when Electrolux relocated to Alabama.
While United Solar’s products are produced in Michigan, they are used more frequently overseas, particularly in Germany, which, as Guha notes, "doesn’t get anymore sunshine than Michigan. But they know the real cost of electricity, and [the government] give incentives to those that use solar."
One of the highest-profile use of the company’s panels is on a
ThyssenKrupp building in Duisburg, Germany. 1mW of the “peel and stick” PV panels were installed on the front of the building, making the panels a design feature as well as a power source.
Guha acknowledges that his company’s product is not yet cost effective in Michigan, but is currently working on a position paper to present to Governor Granholm about the impact that the implementation of solar energy tax incentives would have on the state.
Source, Subhendu Guha, United Solar OvonicsImage courtesy of ECD Ovonics