Advent Solar has announced that it has reached a key milestone in the company's rapid growth strategy. Enerpoint, MHH Solartechnik and SunConnex have agreed to purchase and distribute Advent Solar Ventura Technology, the solar industry's only comprehensive cell-to-module solar architecture.

Under this agreement, Advent Solar and its European partners will deploy over 250 megawatts (MW) of Ventura-based solutions in Europe through 2013.

"Advent Solar is focused on helping the solar industry move closer to grid parity by providing innovative solar solutions that maximize efficiency and increase energy output," said Peter Green, president and CEO of Advent Solar.

"Our partnerships with Enerpoint, MHH Solartechnik and SunConnex are key elements of our long-term growth strategy in Europe and demonstrate our commitment to moving solar energy from an alterative technology to a mainstream solution."

Advent Solar will provide solar solutions based on Ventura Solar Technology through its relationships with established European solar installers, integrators and distributors, including:

+ Enerpoint S.p.A.: a leading photovoltaic (PV) company, based in Milan, Italy, and active since 2001 in the distribution of highly selected and qualified components for PV systems towards installers and investors. Enerpoint is also specialized in engineering, procurement and contracting of high power PV systems for investors.

+ MHH Solartechnik GmbH: a systems integrator based in Germany. MHH Solartechnik supports all phases of PV projects from planning and yield optimization to actual on-site implementation. The company conducts business in Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland.

+ SunConnex B.V.: a PV-focused distributor based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. SunConnex supports their partners with a multinational team of specialists who have experience with multi-MW installations, on-grid and off-grid projects, and building integrated systems throughout Europe and overseas.

"By extending our existing relationships with Enerpoint, MHH Solartechnik and SunConnex in Europe to include solutions based on Advent Solar Ventura Technology, we are expanding the adoption of innovative solar technology into the European market," said Naresh Baliga, vice president of marketing for Advent Solar.

"These partnerships will help us drive growth in the main countries deploying photovoltaic solar solutions, such as Germany, Italy and Spain, as well as emerging markets throughout Europe."

Advent Solar launched Ventura Technology at the 2008 European Union Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference in Valencia, Spain. Ventura Solar Technology provides a system-level design approach by combining Emitter-Wrap Through (EWT) back-contact cells with semiconductor device manufacturing methods to create a highly scalable platform for module manufacturing.

Ventura Technology enables Advent Solar to develop solar cells and modules that deliver high energy output by optimizing silicon light capture, and dramatically improving cell and module-level connectivity to minimize resistive losses. The architecture provides higher cell-to-module efficiency, while using thinner silicon wafers to reduce costs.

Advent Solar will provide additional information regarding Ventura Technology and its recently extended partnerships at booth 4/C 12 during the European Union Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference.