Sopogy

Sopogy, Inypsa and Omniwatt announce 50MW MicroCSP Plant in Toledo, Spain

admin — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:11:44 +0000

December 22, 2008

SOPOGY PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: 12/22/08
Contact: Zeina Jafar – Corporate Communications
zjafar@sopogy.com
808-237-2423

Subject: SOPOGY, INYPSA, AND OMNIWATT ANNOUNCE 50 MEGAWATT MICROCSP SOLAR POWER PLANT IN TOLEDO, SPAIN

Honolulu, HI – US based Sopogy, Inc. manufacturer of the proprietary MicroCSP concentrating solar thermal energy system has entered into a solar power agreement with Spanish Solar Project Developer Inypsa Informes y Proyectos, S.A. and German Solar Project Financer Omniwatt to develop a 50 MW solar power plant by December 1, 2010 in Toledo, Spain.

“We are excited to work with Inypsa and Omniwatt in bringing Sopogy’s MicroCSP system to the Spanish market,” said Darren Kimura, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sopogy. “Sopogy’s MicroCSP technologies have been designed for these unique markets by bringing advantages over traditional concentrating solar thermal including fast deployment, pre-engineered kits in the 1MW, 5MW and 10MW increments and use and support of local labor for on-site installation”.
Inypsa, a publically traded Spanish project development firm has decades of experience in large infrastructure projects and is well positioned to take advantage of the growing solar thermal power plant market in the Spanish region. “We are convinced that micro solar thermal generation will be the next revolution in the low-carbon technologies that will define the 21st century. We feel privileged to team up with Sopogy and Omniwatt to deliver Sopogy MicroCSP technology for this project”, said Jairo González Monje, Director General of Inypsa, S.A.

Omniwatt AG, a Germany-based company, specializes in the renewable energy power production, project development and financing of decentralized power plants throughout Europe. “We look forward to working with Inypsa and Sopogy and are committed to promoting clean, renewable energy solutions throughout the world,” said Paul Vesel, Partner at Omniwatt AG.

About Sopogy
Founded in 2002, Sopogy specializes in MicroCSP solar technologies that bring the economics of large solar energy systems to the industrial, commercial and utility sectors in a smaller, robust and more cost effective package. Please visit www.sopogy.com for more information.

About Inypsa
Founded in 1970 under the parent utilities company FECSA, today, INYPSA Informes y Proyectos S.A. is one of the leading companies in the engineering sector in Spain. Thanks to the company’s continued growth, international expansion, financial strength and the ability to combine sound management with technology, INYPSA has managed to situate itself in one of the top spots nationally. This has also led it to be listed on the Madrid and Barcelona stock exchanges since 1989. After more than thirty-five years in the industry, the company has developed extensive experience in national and international markets, with work accredited in more than sixty countries in Europe, America, Asia and Africa.

About Omniwatt
Omniwatt is an emission-less, international, and decentralized power producer, applying technologies that produce energy from fuel-less resources. The company develops and finances new installations, structures existing projects, and acquires established stations.

Sopogy Wins Innovative Company of the Year 2008

admin — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:06:37 +0000

Friday, November 14, 2008

Sun and creativity power Sopogy’s success

Pacific Business News (Honolulu) - by Nanea Kalani Pacific Business News

Christina Failma, PBN

Darren Kimura, president and CEO of Sopogy Inc., with one of the company’s solar collectors, which generate more power faster than typical photovoltaic systems.

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Darren Kimura considers himself a problem solver, always looking for solutions to the world’s troubles.

The Hawaii entrepreneur has built several successful technology companies around that trait, most of them focused on energy-efficient technologies.

“I do one thing — look for customer-based problems,” said Kimura, 33.

Combining this skill with an innovative mindset, Kimura started tinkering with ideas in 2002 to create an affordable technology that could ease electricity costs for businesses.

The tinkering led to building prototypes and eventually the launching last year of Sopogy Inc., PBN’s 2008 Innovative Company of the Year.

Sopogy’s name combines the words solar, power and technology. It was spun off from Energy Industries, which Kimura founded in 1994.

The company has invented a new kind of solar concentrator for generating electricity from the sun’s heat. The technology, resembling large silver troughs, uses mirrors and lenses to concentrate the sun’s rays on fluids, creating steam that turns turbines to generate electricity.

These collectors are very different from the more common photovoltaic panels, which are typically designed for roof-top systems and convert the sun’s energy directly into electricity.

Sopogy’s solar collectors are designed as ground units that can function as solar farms producing huge amounts of energy — up to 50 megawatts, or enough to power 15,000 homes. (The company does, however, also make a roof-top version.)

“At the core of the problem is the fact that as a society, we use more energy than we make,” Kimura said. “The only way to have a fast impact is to take big bites of the apple. You can’t do that with photovoltaics.”

Another distinct feature is the collectors’ capability to store solar energy that can be used after the sun goes down. They also are equipped with tracking systems, which Sopogy engineers created, to maximize productivity and efficiency.

“The software tied to our collectors account for factors such as cloudy skies, high wind speeds and rain,” said Kimura, who serves as president and CEO. “The programming allows the collector to be smart and encodes it with logic, so it can turn itself upside down if it’s cloudy. Although there’s layers and layers of complexity, of course, we’ve tried to make it simple for our customers.”

Kimura said Sopogy has a couple thousand of its collectors — called the SopoNova 4.0 — in use worldwide, including on the West Coast and in Asia, the Middle East and Spain.

“What’s exciting about solar technology is that it can be everywhere and anywhere,” he said. “The technology is made here in Hawaii, tested here, our company is based here, but we just export it out. I think innovation is about trying to create technologies that you can export around the world.”

Most of Sopogy’s 41 employees are based in Hawaii, while some are stationed at the company’s sales offices in San Jose, San Diego and Phoenix.

Kimura said Sopogy is on track to generate $10 million in revenue this year. The privately held company got its start using a combination of venture capital and personal investment from Kimura.

Locally, Sopogy’s technology is in use at the Big Island’s Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority in Kona.

The company sells power from a 1-megawatt system to Hawaii Electric Light Co. The project was designed in phases so that Sopogy could expand the system to up to 10 megawatts.

Sopogy received approval for up to $10 million in state revenue bonds for the NELHA project. It also was approved for up to $35 million in bonds to build a solar farm on Oahu that could generate another 10 megawatts, or enough power for about 3,000 homes, for Hawaiian Electric Co.

Sopogy last year built a 16-collector, 50-kilowatt system in Spokane, Wash., which generates power for the local utility. Sopogy will add a dozen more collectors to the system by next summer.

Sopogy’s collector already has caught the attention of several national and international technology groups.

The National Society of Professional Engineers named it its 2008 new product award winner in the small company category. Meanwhile, the technology is one of four finalists for the Platts Global Energy Awards’ sustainable technology innovation of the year.

“In our world, these awards are like the Emmys or the Academy Awards; all the energy geeks want to win these,” Kimura said. “Out of the hundreds of tech companies in Silicon Valley that are well financed and have great technologies, we’re the one they picked. It’s really exciting.”

Sopogy wants to expand its solar plants around the world and Kimura ultimately wants to take the firm public.

nkalani@bizjournals.com | 955-8001

Pacific Business News (Honolulu) - November 17, 2008
http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2008/11/17/focus19.html

Sopogy is selected as a finalists for 2008 Global Energy Awards

admin — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:51:22 +0000

Sopogy is selected as a finalist at the Global Energy Awards 2008 in the category of: “Sustainable Technology Innovation of the Year”, a new award category that specifically recognizes the enormous efforts currently going into technology research and development in the quest for a carbon neutral world.

“Being acknowledged in this category along side the top leaders in the renewable and energy efficiency field is a great honor and pays tribute to the focus and efforts of the Sopogy team.” Said Darren T. Kimura, President and CEO, Sopogy, Inc. “Its a compliment to be the representing the solar energy industry in this prestigious event.”

2008 Platts Global Energy Awards
Save the date for the 2008 Platts Global Energy Awards. Join the companies and individuals who consistently set a high standard of excellence within the energy industry as they are honored by Platts in New York City on December 3, 2008.

View award website

Sopogy is named Innovative Company of the Year 2008

admin — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 07:15:41 +0000

Sopogy Receives Business Leadership Hawaii 2008 “Innovative Company of the Year” Award

HONOLULU –(Business Wire)– Before 1,000 members of the business community, Sopogy, Inc. was presented the Business Leadership Hawaii (BLH) 2008 “Innovative Company of the Year” Award. The event, which took place at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, honors the best in the business. The Innovative Company of the Year Award recognizes organizations dedicated to developing new approaches to creating products, winning customers, and tackling problems. Sopogy was chosen based on its innovative MicroCSP technologies, used to create Process Heat, Solar Air Conditioning, and Electrical Power, and its commitment to leading Hawaii to a sustainable future and curbing the effects of global climate change.

The 7th annual BLH 2008 awards program is a premier event recognizing leaders in business and non-profits. Finalists were judged by a panel of respected business leaders, many of whom are previous BLH winners. Since its launch in 2002, BLH has recognized more than 160 companies, individuals, and nonprofits. Pacific Business News created BLH to spread the word that Hawaii is a great place to do business because of outstanding and committed leaders.

“The culture of innovation is key to our company’s growth and the development of new products. Sopogy is honored to receive the Business Leadership Hawaii Innovative Company of the Year award,” said Darren T. Kimura, Sopogy Chief Executive Officer.

About Sopogy

Sopogy specializes in MicroCSP solar technologies that bring the economics of large solar energy systems to the industrial, commercial and utility sectors in a smaller, robust and more cost effective package. Please visit www.sopogy.com for more information.

Sopogy is selected as a finalist for Business Leadership Hawaii

admin — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:11:58 +0000

Sopogy is selected as a finalist for Business Leadership Hawaii Awards 2008

Sopogy is selected as a finalist for Business Leadership Hawaii awards 2008.

Please join Pacific Business News and our sponsors on Thursday, November 13, at 5:30 p.m in the Coral Ballroom at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, as we honor, award and celebrate the best in business at the 2008 Business Leadership Hawaii (BLH) awards event.

Registration Form

Sopogy receives Innovation Award by Governor of Hawaii

admin — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 06:27:12 +0000

Governor Lingle Presents Innovation Award to SopogyHONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today recognized three recipients of the Governor’s Innovation Awards for their ingenuity and commitment to developing creative ways to improve Hawai‘i and help the state meet the challenges of the 21st century.

“Our most recent Innovation Award winners are outstanding examples of the ingenuity and innovation of Hawai‘i residents, businesses and government agencies,” said Governor Lingle. “They are applying creative ideas and developing new technologies that will transform our economy away from an over-reliance on land development and position Hawai‘i to compete successfully in the global, 21st century marketplace.”

Sopogy, Inc. develops and manufactures renewable energy technology systems, including innovative and affordable solar collectors. The technology developed by Sopogy can provide the co-generation of electricity, process heat and solar air conditioning from one hybrid system with cost-effective energy storage and power delivery.

“Sopogy, Inc. has accomplished much to advance alternative energy, addressing the important needs of our state and its people” stated Governor Linda Lingle.

“The convergence of Renewable Energy and Innovation is an exciting area where the State of Hawaii has established a leadership position and Sopogy is proud to receive this honor” said Darren T. Kimura, President and CEO.

The Governor’s Innovation Award nominees were evaluated by a 15-member selection panel comprised of industry, education and government representatives statewide. Nominations were submitted online and were judged on creativity; effectiveness in achieving a goal or purpose; transferability and adoptability by others; and significance in addressing an important local or global issue, problem or opportunity. The selection committee provided final recommended nominations to Governor Lingle for her selection.

Sopogy presents MicroCSP at Google

admin — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 06:59:54 +0000

Google Tech Talks September 18, 2008 ABSTRACT

Sopogy is bringing smaller concentrated solar energy systems to the market: Process heat, air conditioning, and power generation.

Dr. Al Yuen of Sopogy presents MicroCSP solar solutions to Google.

Sopogy Solution at Palo Alto Swim Club

admin — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:40:30 +0000

Palo Alto, CA – To celebrate the Eichler Swim & Tennis Club’s 50 years of service to the Palo Alto community, Sopogy, Inc., the manufacturer of MicroCSP Solar Technologies has donated a MicroCSP solar solution to help reduce the center’s energy costs and shrink its carbon footprint by using clean solar energy.

“We’re making this donation to the Eichler Club and the children of Palo Alto who frequent this facility and represent the future so they can learn about solar energy and the power this energy source has in fighting climate change” said Darren T. Kimura the President of Sopogy, Inc. “The Sopogy MicroCSP Solar Solution represents a truly versatile approach to the efficient and proven Concentrating Solar Power industry”.

The Sopogy’s Solar Solution consists of a MicroCSP solar concentrator called the SopoNovaä 4.0, which combines the revolutionary features of the company’s unique modular, versatile and scalable Parabolic Trough technology in a small and efficient solar package. The system at the Eichler Club includes a SopoNova 4.0, heat exchanger, storage tank, automatic system controls and SopoTracker a revolutionary solar tracking technology which enables the system to follow the sun during operation.

About Sopogy

Sopogy Announces Solar Power Application 2008 Contest

admin — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:47:04 +0000

Sopogy, Inc. launches “SopoApps 2008” a solar design skills contest for engineers
and announces a total of $50,000 in cash prizes.

Oct 4, 2008
SOPOGY PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Zeina Jafar – Corporate Communications
zjafar@sopogy.com
808-237-2324

Subject: Sopogy launches SopoApps 2008 a solar design skills contest for engineers and
announces total of $50,000 in cash prizes.

Portland, OR – Sopogy, Inc., in conjunction with winning the New Product of the Year
Award 2008 for its SopoNova 4.0 technology from the National Society of Professional
Engineers’ (NSPE) announces SopoApps 2008 a design skills contest for engineers.
“SopoApps 2008” or Solar Power Applications is a skills contest for HVAC, Plumbing and
Solar engineers. The contest challenges engineers to design practical installations using
MicroCSP solar technologies in 10 categories including: Process Heating, Thermal Air
Conditioning, Industrial, Commercial, Agriculture, Hospitality, Health Care Power, Water
and Innovation. The contest is designed to help accelerate the adoption and installation of
MicroCSP solar technologies. All designs submitted to the contest will be made opensourced
and posted online at SopoApps.com.

The contest runs through October 1, 2008. Judging will be conducted by an independent panel of industry experts. Key factors in judging include production efficiency, cost, completeness, and best overall design. A reception will be held at Solar Power 2008 in San Diego where the winners will be announced. Top winners in each of the 10 categories will receive $5,000.

“The World needs unique solutions to fight green house gas emissions and MicroCSP
technologies are one of the best weapons in this battle. The technology is reliable, quick to
install and a proven alternative to burning natural gas and oil. We now need the best
engineers to bring MicroCSP technologies to their applications and projects. SopoApps is
designed to do exactly this” said Darren T. Kimura, CEO of Sopogy, Inc.
For more information and details on the contest terms and conditions please visit
www.sopoapps.org

Additional Background on the SopoApps
In the solar thermal industry a key problem behind technology adoption is the lack of
available knowledge in applications engineering. This is an industry that has historically
been extremely fragmented and traditional engineering favors conventional fossil fuel
technologies. With global warming and energy issues now a worldwide problem,
SopoApps is designed to become a community for the World’s best engineers to help build
the future of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning.

Sopogy elects T. Michael May to its Board of Directors

admin — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:32:03 +0000

T. MICHAEL MAY JOINS SOPOGY’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS

August 20, 2008

SOPOGY PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: 8/20/08
Contact: Zeina Jafar – Corporate Communications
zjafar@sopogy.com
808-237-2324

Subject: Sopogy elects T. Michael May to its Board of Directors

HONOLULU, Hawaii—Sopogy® today announced that T. Michael May, recently retired President and Chief Executive Officer of Hawaiian Electric Company (NYSE: HE) was elected to Sopogy’s board of directors. Michael also serves on the board of directors of the Electric Power Research Institute, the Edison Electric Institute and The James Campbell Company.

“Michael spent over a decade as CEO of Hawaii’s top company in Hawaiian Electric. There he led the public utility through change and growth. He also developed a deep network in the energy industry and we look forward to benefiting from his insights and experience as a member of Sopogy’s board” said Darren T. Kimura, CEO of Sopogy.

“Sopogy is establishing its position as a leader in the Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) industry. Their MicroCSP technology is clearly one of the most innovative products in the market today. Sopogy is bringing renewable on-site generation to the distributed generation markets” said T. Michael May, recently retired President and Chief Executive Officer of Hawaiian Electric Company. “I feel privileged to join this exciting and dynamic team and believe I can make a positive and immediate contribution to help Sopogy in this next phase of growth.”

Hawaiian Electric Inc, and subsidiaries Maui Electric Company, Limited and Hawaii Electric Light, Inc., supplies power to 93% of Hawaii’s public utility market. At Hawaiian Electric, Michael was responsible for developing and executing the company’s long-term growth strategies, leading the company to encourage renewable energy and energy efficiency. He joined Hawaiian Electric as a Senior Vice President in 1992 and was elected President and CEO in 1995, he retired on August 1, 2008. Prior to Joining Hawaiian Electric he was the founder and Principal of Management Assets Group, President of Caterpillar Capital Company and held the roles of Vice President and General Manager of the Energy Services Division at Solar Turbines Inc a Caterpillar Company and Vice President Finance and Planning, Chief Financial Officer at Solar Turbines, Inc. Caterpillar, Inc.

Michael is a graduate of the University of Mississippi in Industrial Engineering/Management and received his Masters of Business Administration in Finance from the College of William & Mary.

About Sopogy
Sopogy specializes in MicroCSP solar technologies that bring the economics of large solar energy systems to the industrial, commercial and utility sectors in a smaller, robust and more cost effective package. Sopogy’s goals include to create solar solutions that improve the quality of life for all human kind and to bring order and simplicity to the chaos which is the current solar power business. Please visit www.sopogy.com for more information.