ABOUND SOLAR

"Abundance Emerges"

The company formerly known as AVA Solar has unveiled a new name - ABOUND SOLAR.

The vision of W.S. Sampath, Abound Solar is based in Fort Collins, Colorado and is embarking on large scale production of low-cost thin-film solar panels. Dr. Sampath is as much a hero as anyone could hope to find in this world. The idea of harnessing the abundant radiant energy that bathes our planet is not a new invention; in fact within the evolution of Earth’s biosphere it is a most ancient innovation. Human-made solar panels have been around long enough that the truly awesome globe-changing promise they offer has almost been forgotten. Perhaps the most precipitous obstacle for the coming of age for solar energy has been affordability.

For over 15 years, Sampath has nurtured a vision to develop technology enabling low-cost production of thin-film solar cells. By reducing production costs, sun-derived energy will be significantly more affordable. In essence, he has fulfilled that dream and will produce solar energy at approximately $1 per Watt bringing the cost down from $13 a Watt achieved by traditional silicon solar cell systems.

The story of this company is a literal ray of sunshine in the midst of the darkest economic times our generation has ever seen. The story of Abound Solar provides great hope accompanying the promise of renewal our president likes to speak of so frequently. The impact this will have on a global scale sends shivers through my fingers. When a child can educate him/herself anywhere in the world by illuminating a book with energy from the sun, even as darkness falls democracy and free thought will prevail. As Thomas Jefferson said "where the press is free, and every man able to read, all is safe." A world full of illuminated minds is a safe world. Barriers to affordable energy keep stone aged philosophies alive on our globe today and as Nikola Tesla foretold, only equal access will remedy that.

Freeing ourselves from the current addiction to fossil fuel represents perhaps the greatest challenge in our world today. Will Abound Solar be the company to rise to the challenge and bring solar energy capabilities to the masses? Time and the market will answer this question. But, Abound Solar certainly has the hope and support of Tom Paine's Ghost.

It has been an inspiration to witness a man with such noble intentions turn a dream into reality on such a scale. As Thomas Paine might say - May the merit of our ideas rather than the weight of history pull us from the brink on which we find ourselves.

SOURCE: Solar Industry Magazine, PV-tech.org

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