SunPower Announces the Most Powerful Solar Tracker for Power Plant Applications

SunPower Announces the Most Powerful Solar Tracker for Power Plant Applications
Tuesday October 27, 8:00 am ET

SunPower T20 Tracker Evolution Delivers Maximum Energy with 128-cell, 400-Watt High Efficiency Solar Panel

ANAHEIM, Calif., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- At the Solar Power International 2009 conference today, SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWRA - News, SPWRB - News), a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells, solar panels and solar systems, launched the next generation of its SunPower® T20 Tracker (T20 Tracker). It is the most powerful solar tracker on the market today, incorporating SunPower's high-efficiency 128-cell, 400-watt solar panels for maximum energy output.

SunPower's newest T20 Tracker is a single axis, ground mounted tracker that follows the sun to deliver the highest system performance. It is pre-assembled for a fast, simple and scalable installation and offers customers a choice of design options to meet specific site needs. With fewer moving parts and refined mechanical structure, the T20 Tracker provides increased reliability, durability, less maintenance, and better wind resistance than conventional trackers. Each T20 Tracker unit generates up to 3.7 kilowatts of power and, by following the sun, delivers up to 30 percent more energy than a fixed tilt system of the same capacity.

"The superior design of the latest SunPower T20 Tracker evolves from our experience in deploying more than 200 megawatts of solar photovoltaic (PV) tracking systems worldwide," said Tom Werner, SunPower's CEO. "This tracker is at the core of SunPower's advanced PV power plant technologies which deliver the lowest levelized cost of energy for utility power plants today."

This next generation T20 Tracker also features the new SunPower TMAC Advanced Tracker Controller (TMAC), the most innovative PV tracker control system on the market today. Its features include real-time tracker status updates, remote monitoring and control, proprietary energy production optimization algorithms, and superior reliability even in harsh environments. In addition, the TMAC enables power plant operators to wirelessly monitor the status of the T20 Tracker in real-time through the SunPower power plant SCADA control system, giving them the option to control the array from a central operations center.

SunPower will begin constructing power plant projects using the new T20 Tracker beginning in early 2010.

About SunPower

Founded in 1985, SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA - News, SPWRB - News) designs, manufactures and delivers the planet's most powerful solar technology broadly available today. Residential, business, government and utility customers rely on the company's experience and proven results to maximize return on investment. With headquarters in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. For more information, visit www.sunpowercorp.com.

3971 - Sales Executive - Trenton, NJ

We are seeking an experienced Large Accounts Sales Executive to create and implement strategies and tactics to develop accounts with large, multi-location private sector companies and public agencies. Large Accounts Executives are responsible for selling new and existing, multi-site and multi-opportunity project accounts with annual revenues on the order of $10M - $50+M.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

This position will be responsible for all facets of commercial photovoltaic systems sales including but not limited to:

•Meeting personal sales goals
•Researching and analyzing target markets
•Developing tactical execution plans for coverage of assigned accounts and/or segment
•Identifying key decision makers and relationships within assigned segment that translate into new revenue opportunities
•Performing customer needs assessments and mappings
•Performing opportunity assessments based on customer needs
•Developing and presenting customer focused product and service presentations
•Accessing available solar rebates and incentives
•Completing initial location and building audits and working with proposal development team and Structured Finance team to insure best pricing with maximum margin
•Generating quotes and formal proposal packages, including leading SunPower proposal teams
•Working with in-house counsel to develop contract terms
•Working with SunPower and Client Marketing Teams on developing tandem promotional opportunities
•Leading hand-off of purchase agreements to system installation personnel
•Assessing market conditions to identify necessary product and service offering modifications
•After-Sale account management leading to future orders(Farming)


Education and Experience

•B.S. in a technical area and experience with energy related products preferred.
•Proven track record in complex and strategic sales spanning at least 10 years, selling $10M+ projects over 9 -12 month sales cycles to first-time and repeat buyers for whom multiple people make the buying decision
•Experience working with large, multi-location companies operating in multiple states
•Experience in Deal Structuring and financing is strongly preferred
•Experience selling in the energy and/or construction industry is preferred


Qualifications

•Demonstrated ability to develop new business relationships quickly and to close business
•Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
•Demonstrated ability to manage and interface effectively with cross-functional employee groups of all levels and competencies
•Ability to perform and interpret financial analysis and provide appropriate data and information
•Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills
•Excellent interpersonal and time management skills
•Ability to demonstrate photovoltaic and construction industry expertise
•Ability to deal comfortably and professionally in a wide spectrum of settings
•Fluency in Excel, PowerPoint, and Word


This position is based in Trenton, New Jersey with up to 40% overnight travel.

Please send resume to David.Sneed@sunpowercorp.com

Where the clean-tech jobs are

Where the clean-tech jobs are
by Candace Lombardi

General unemployment may be on the rise, but the clean-tech sector should be a bright spot for job seekers, according to a report released Thursday by Clean Edge research.

The clean-technology sector was one of the largest recipients of venture capital last year, raising about $3.35 billion in the U.S., according to New Energy Finance statistics in the the "Clean Tech Job Trends 2009" report (PDF).

Unlike most reports from research firms, this one is free to download in full.

The 29-page report, which also draws on statistics from other organizations such as the Pew Charitable Trusts, includes a plethora of useful information for the clean-tech job hunter, including schools offering green career training, job posting and social media sites dedicated to clean-tech jobs, a list of the largest clean-tech employers, and a list of the best green-tech blogs.

Based on the number of job postings and placements, and public and private investment, the report found the solar industry to be the leading clean-tech sector, followed by biofuels and biomaterials, conservation and efficiency, smart grids, and wind power.
(Credit: Clean Edge)

For those willing to move for a job, the report lists the 15 areas in the U.S. where people are likely to find the most clean-tech job activity, as well as a separate list for global clean-tech hotspots.


"Unlike the early days of computers and IT, the clean-tech economy is a highly dispersed phenomenon, with no single place, industry, or professional demographic controlling the sector," Ron Pernick, co-founder and managing director of Clean Edge, said in a statement.

Not surprisingly, the San Francisco and Los Angeles greater metropolitan areas topped the U.S. list at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. The greater New York metropolitan area (which includes northern New Jersey and Long Island) was No. 3 for clean-tech jobs. Here's the breakdown:

1. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
2. Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County
3. New York-northern New Jersey-Long Island (N.Y.-N.J.-Conn.-Pa.)
4. Boston-Worcester-Lawrence-Lowell-Brockton (Mass., N.H.)
5. Washington, D.C.-Baltimore (Md., Va., W.V.)
6. Denver-Boulder-Greeley
7. Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton
8. Portland-Salem
9. Chicago-Gary-Kenosha (Ill., Ind., Wisc.)
10. Sacramento-Yolo County
11. San Diego
12. Austin-San Marcos, Texas
13. Phoenix
14. Detroit-Ann Arbor
15. Houston-Galveston-Brazoria

The report also contains a comprehensive spreadsheet detailing the type of clean-tech jobs available, the typical degree level required, and the median pay levels. The jobs range in median pay from $36,100 to $106,000.

And while some jobs like project developer or geothermal power engineer required a bachelor's degree or even a specified engineering degree, most of the jobs on the list were true "green-collar" jobs in that they only require a high school diploma. Those jobs included HVAC service technician, journeyman lineman for smart grid, network operations center technician for smart grid, solar fabrication technician, and solar energy system installer.