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SOLOPOWER NAMES DR. ROMMEL NOUFI AS VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH

SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 11, 2008—SoloPower, a Silicon Valley-based innovator of thin-film solar photovoltaic cells and modules, today named Dr. Rommel Noufi as vice president of research. Reporting to chief technology officer, Dr. Bulent Basol, Dr. Noufi will lead the company's research activities geared toward the continuous improvement of SoloPower’s already high-efficiency electroplating-based Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) solar cell technology.

Dr. Noufi joins SoloPower from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), where for the last 27 years he carried out R&D and served as principal scientist and group manager. While there, he led the CIGS and Cadmium Telluride-based (CdTe) solar cell research activities which resulted in world-record power-conversion efficiencies of 19.9 percent and 16.5 percent respectively. Before NREL and its predecessor organization, Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), Dr. Noufi was a senior scientist at Rockwell International Science Center where he performed research on the photoelectrochemistry of semiconductors, metal oxide electrodeposition and photoelectrochemical solar cells.

Commenting on Dr. Noufi's appointment, Dr. Basol noted, "I have known Rommel since 1980 when he joined SERI and I had the opportunity to work with him on various Department of Energy-supported solar cell projects. He is an accomplished scientist who played a key role in the development of CIGS as a leading photovoltaic material. In fact, the group of prominent scientists he led at NREL still holds the world record for generating efficiencies of nearly 20 percent for thin-film CIGS devices. I am very happy that he is now a member of SoloPower's technical team. I look forward to his contribution to our ongoing effort to build a powerful solar cell technology."

Commenting on his new role, Dr. Noufi stated, "I am happy and excited to be joining a company with a highly promising technology. I'm looking forward to applying my knowledge and expertise of many years toward the successful commercialization of thin-film photovoltaics at SoloPower."

Dr. Noufi received his Ph.D. degree in Analytical and Physical Chemistry at the University of Texas. He holds seven patents and has authored more than 140 publications. Over the years, he has organized numerous photovoltaics-related symposia and meetings.

About SoloPower, Inc.

SoloPower, Inc. is innovating energy economics through its unique thin-film photovoltaics (PV) technology. The company's mission is to mass produce low-cost, high-efficiency PV modules that offer a viable alternative to electricity produced using traditional fossil fuels. SoloPower devices are fabricated on copper-indium-gallium-selenide (CIGS) materials using a proprietary electrochemical process. The company is headquartered in Silicon Valley at 5981 Optical Court, San Jose, California, 95138. For more information on SoloPower, please visit the company on the internet at www.solopower.com


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