AUBURN HILLS, Mich. and VILLAFRANCA, Italy, March 5, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- United Solar, the global manufacturer of UNI-SOLAR® lightweight, flexible solar products and a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD) (OTC:ENERQ.PK) is proud to announce its strategic partnership with Baraclit SpA,a large Italian company with a 65-year history in the industrial prefabricated building sector.
Baraclit's b.Power division will integrate UNI-SOLAR photovoltaic (PV) solar laminates into its "flat roof" system. The addressable opportunity is estimated to be 10 million square meters of Baraclit's industrial rooftop portfolio. The Baraclit building integrated PV (BIPV) configuration complies with requirements of the highest incentive offered under the Italian Feed-In Tariff (FIT) program for "Building Integrated Photovoltaic Plants with Innovative Features."
"The integration of UNI-SOLAR laminates by Baraclit into its 'flat roof' system demonstrates the significant advantage our products offer to roofing companies worldwide," said Nicola Del Duca, Sales Director – Southern Europe. "We are excited to partner with one of the leading industrial prefabrication building companies in the sector, demonstrating that solar energy powered by UNI-SOLAR is a reliable and cost effective choice for building materials."
"UNI-SOLAR laminates meet the needs of our oldest prefabricated rooftops," said Luca Bernardini, Division Director at Baraclit b.Power. "The lightweight, flexible laminates provide better energy production and easy integration without modifying the existing functionality and aesthetics of the rooftop. We are excited to have finalized this partnership for a unique, innovative and reliable solution."
United Solar has more than 25 years experience in the solar industry, is the largest manufacturer of lightweight flexible solar panels in the world, and has been awarded nearly 70 United States patents for various technological advancements.
About United Solar/UNI-SOLAR®
United Solar has been a global leader in building-integrated and rooftop photovoltaics for over 25 years. The company manufactures, sells and installs thin-film solar laminates that convert sunlight into clean, renewable energy using proprietary technology for which the company has been awarded over 70 U.S. patents. UNI-SOLAR® brand products are unique because of their flexibility, light weight, ease of installation, durability, and real-world energy production. For more information on United Solar visit uni-solar.com or follow UNI-SOLAR on Facebook.com/unisolar and Twitter.com/uni_solar.
United Solar and its parent company Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. on February 14, 2012 filed voluntary petitions for Chapter 11 reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court the Eastern District of Michigan. More information about the Chapter 11 filing is available on the Internet at http://www.energyconversiondevices.com/restructuring.php.
About Baraclit Spa
Baraclit is one of the Italian leaders in the sector of concrete prefabricated buildings for the industrial and commercial segment since 1946. With a 300,000 square meter facility in Bibbiena, Italy, 350 employees and a turnover of €60 million, Baraclit has a portfolio of 15,000 buildings with its solutions covering over 22 million square meters. Thanks to the experience of SolarLAB, in 2009 Baraclit's division, b.POWER, was created. Its focus is to study the building integration of photovoltaic products. With 15 MW of photovoltaic products installed in Italy, b.POWER is recognized as a solar energy research and development excellence center and an important voice in the Energy Building sector. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vlMY0ZSxvw