Suntech: Here Comes the Sun

The solar power industry can be seen as innovation in itself. Solar power is still a fairly new and ever-developing solution to problems relating to scarce fossil fuel resources and CO₂ emissions.

Suntech, with headquarters in China, is one of the main producers of solar power. It was the first company to set up a megawatt-scale production facility in China. Innovation is a central element for Suntech, and the company states that innovation will continue to be a major part of its strategy. Its R&D program aims at making improvements to increase solar efficiencies and provides a technology road map for the company.

Clean, reusable solution

Sustainability is at the forefront of the world's agenda. Every day, demand for energy is accelerating and becoming a central environmental issue with global implications. Solar energy is generally perceived as a clean, reusable, and affordable solution. On average, sunlight delivers a barrel of oil of energy on every square meter of land every year.

Even though the very early production of solar technologies began as early as the 1860s, the use of solar power did not really take off until 1970s, in the aftermath of the oil shocks. In the intervening years to today, solar power technologies were developed with more or less speed as the price of oil climbed and fell. Since 1997, however, innovations and investments in the solar power industry have been increased profoundly. Since 2000, production of solar power systems has grown an average of 40% annually.

Wider potential

Suntech has managed to harvest the wider potential in solar power production. It has established cooperative relationships with a number of universities and research institutes, most notably the University of New South Wales, in Australia, which is internationally renowned for its solar research facilities. These collaborations enable Suntech to gain access to advanced research facilities and equipment and also to keep the company abreast of the latest industry developments and trends.

What are the benefits?

Solar power offers important global benefits, such as a reduction of reliance of fossil fuels, and a reduction of hazardous environmental impacts. But solar power can also provide more specific benefits where it is installed. For instance, solar power panels on a roof of a building sends a positive message and can in some instances prolong the life of the roof. Suntech has also developed solar power panels that can be used as building material in itself. In addition, solar power help prevent brownouts and increase the stability of the grid.

There is also a good business case for installing solar power. First, there is income from electricity generation and the possibility of selling carbon credits. Second, solar power is a safeguard against electricity price increases. Suntech emphasizes that while electricity prices are increasing globally, once a company has invested in a solar system it has insulated itself against rising energy costs.

What is Suntech?

Suntech was established in Wuxi, China, in 2001. It is a global, NYSE-listed solar company with an international management team and sales offices and installation partners in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. Suntech is a leading manufacturer of solar modules, and in 2007 it witnessed a year-over-year 125.1% increase in net revenues of US $1.3 billion. Suntech's total production capacity will reach 1 gigawatt by the end of 2008.

Suntech products have been used to deliver solar energy to numerous homes, commercial buildings, and power plants. The company delivered solar power to the "Bird's Nest" Olympic Stadium in Beijing; a 23.3-megawatt (MW) solar park in Trujillo, Spain; a 450-kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic system for the San Francisco International Airport; and a 120-kW installation in the Kanazawa Bus Terminal in Kanazawa, Japan.

Combing design and functionality

Suntech's newest product line focuses more on aesthetics compared to its earlier "classic" solar power panels. The new product line consists of panels that can be used to create buildings that are sustainable, functional, and look good. These new panels function not as an add-on, but, rather, as integral parts of the architecture. They can be used like standard building materials, but with the added value of generating electricity directly from sunlight.

Sustainable design is, more than ever, a key consideration for the building industry. As the greening movement has gained momentum, solar power systems have increased in popularity as an effective tool for both architects and builders to help them reduce a building's environmental impact.

Suntech's innovations in the field of solar energy have been successful in addressing two dual demands: The demand to tackle climate change in a sustainable manner, while at the same time ensuring growth and revenues.

Pernille Husby, Copenhagen Climate Council