Suniva Founder & CTO, Dr. Ajeet Rohatgi Recognized for Industry Leadership at Renewable Energy World Conference & ExpoSuniva also Recognized for Growth Achievements by Climate Change Business Journal
AUSTIN, TX – February 23, 2010 – In a keynote session today at the 7th Annual Renewable Energy World North America Conference and Expo in Austin, Texas, Dr. Ajeet Rohatgi, founder and CTO of U.S.-based high-efficiency solar manufacturer Suniva, Inc., was awarded the Excellence in Renewable Energy Award for Industry Leadership. Renewable Energy World editors selected Dr. Rohatgi for his more than 30 years of dedication to the advancement of solar photovoltaic technologies.
“Throughout my career, I’ve sought to prove that advances in technology and manufacturing can make solar energy cost competitive with fossil fuel-based energy,” said Dr. Rohatgi. “This award is recognition of the progress made toward this goal and of the opportunity this progress now gives us to solve a myriad of global energy challenges, including bringing power to many people for the first time ever.”
In addition to his executive position with Suniva, Dr. Rohatgi is a regent’s professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he founded and directs the University Center for Excellence in Photovoltaic Research and Education, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. Dr. Rohatgi’s achievements in solar technology have previously been recognized by a number of prestigious organizations, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the American Solar Energy Society, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
In December 2009, Suniva was recognized with a Business Achievement Award for finance from the Climate Change Business Journal (CCBJ). The award highlighted Suniva’s success raising a $75M Series C funding round and tripling production capacity at its Norcross, GA-based plant in 2009. CCBJ noted the company’s achievements, “Demonstrate that a U.S.-based company can manufacture domestically while maintaining its edge in a competitive global industry.” Suniva is expanding its Norcross facility at this time and adding more green jobs.
About Suniva
Based in Norcross, GA, Suniva ® manufactures high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells and high power solar modules with low-cost techniques, thus making 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 Department of Energy-funded University Center of Excellence for Photovoltaic Research. Led by an internationally regarded team of business executives and photovoltaic scientists, Suniva sells its advanced solar cells and modules Powered by Suniva™ worldwide. For additional information, please visit www.suniva.com.
About the Excellence in Renewable Energy Awards
Presented by the editors of RenewableEnergyWorld.com and Renewable Energy World North America magazine, these awards recognize the most outstanding projects, programs and technologies in the wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and hydroelectric energy sectors.
About the CCBJ Achievement Awards
The CCBJ awards recognize companies, technology developers and entrepreneurs for taking risks to build a sustainable business in the climate change industry. Winners are honored either for business performance in the form of revenue growth or for gaining traction in new service practices, new technology or unique projects.