Solar Energy Product, Design and Manufacturing Expert

Technical Consultant #2331

Solar energy product manufacturing, product development and research and development.
Solar industry evaluation of value chain, raw materials, and system level performance.
Testing and evaluation of solar modules for long term reliability.
Solar cell materials, device processing, and system performance.
PV module evaluations, RMA module repair and reconditioning.
Review and analysis of module warranty claims.

Testing; Solar Products - Modules (long term, reliability and parameters)

Expert Witness Experience

Solar energy securities Litigation.
Contract Dispute regarding a $1billion contract for silicon and wafers (London).
Trustee's Expert in the liquidation trust of a photovoltaic module manufacturer.

Undisclosed Company, President, 2010 - Present

Founder and Engineer directing focus to photovoltaic performance and reliability.
Performing field testing of solar modules, detailed laboratory analysis, and warranty services.
Develop specific intellectual property in testing modules in the field avoiding the necessity of dismounting the panels from the array.
Exclusive warranty services in the U.S. for an international company, and contracts with others on a regular basis.

GE Solar; Newark, Delaware, Consulting Engineer, 2007-2009

Operating as Chief Scientist in other large technology firms, managed activities consistent with senior technical leader, focusing on specific technical problems in all aspects of silicon-based solar power generation.

Technology Leader, 2004 - 2007

Led research, development, and engineering efforts within the solar division of GE Energy.
Successfully oversaw the installation of a new wafer manufacturing line. The line included 5 new custom processes and $6.5 million of new capital equipment.
Provided technical leadership to 20 million watt PV module manufacturing line.
Principal Investigator of a winning $44 million DOE proposal (Solar America Initiative) and a $12.3 million NIST/ATP program on Solar Grade Silicon (together with Dow Corning).

AstroPower, Inc., Newark, DE, Vice President, Research and Development, 1985 - 2004

Major responsibilities as leader of research and development included technical leadership, fundraising, program management, and administrative responsibilities.
Technologist: Research and development on a wide range of technology, from basic materials to applied research in support of a manufacturing line.
Scientific focus conducting detailed study of the impact of imperfect material on solid-state device performance.
Detailed material characterization included collaborative research efforts with North Carolina State University, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and many others.
In addition to silicon solar cells, work with III-V materials included light scavengers for unattended ground sensors, mid-IR detectors, and thermal photovoltaic devices.
Administration: Led team of 24 scientists, engineers and technicians.
Facilities included 20,000 ft 2 containing a full suite of characterization equipment and the tool set needed for laboratory device fabrication.
Photovoltaic system level testing was carried both indoors and outdoors.
Fundraising: The department was funded by cost-shared research contracts at the level of $3 to $4 million per year. Funding agencies include DOE, NASA, DOD, NSF, and NIST.

IBM, Inc. , Essex Junction, Vermont, Characterization Engineer, 1980 - 1984

Performed device characterization on a MOSFET VLSI manufacturing line, with strong emphasis on custom chips and process steps.

Instructor

Credentials

University of Delaware Thesis: Light Trapping in Thin Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells and a Thesis for, MIS Solar Cell Structures for Measurement of Minority Carrier Diffusion

Academic and Professional Affiliations

Workshop on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells (Kerfless Silicon Wafers for PV, MIT, Cambridge, MA
Delaware Science and Technology Council through Delaware Lt. Governor's leadership.
Industry Board Chairman of a NSF Solar Silicon Consortium
Program Committee for the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference -Member
Workshop on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell Materials and Process-Member

Awards

Publications and Patents

Author of 72 Publications, including invited papers with subject matter in:
Solar Grade Silicon, BIPV (Building-Integrated Photovoltaics), and Distributed Energy Generation.
Eleven U.S. patents in the areas of silicon material and solar cell device design.
Seven U.S. patent applications.

Ph.D. Electrical Engineering University of Delaware; Newark, DE
M.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Delaware; Newark, DE
B.A.. Physics (Honored-High Distinction) University of Virginia; Charlottesville, VA