SoloPower, a San Jose, California-based manufacturer of high efficiency, lightweight and flexible thin-film solar cells and modules, announced today that it will preview its next generation technology at the 13th annual Renewable Energy and Distributed Generation International Exhibition and Conference, also known as the SolarExpo in Verona, Italy, May 9-11.

“SoloPower’s mission is to make solar power the primary energy source for the world’s commercial and industrial roofs. We look forward to sharing at SolarExpo in Italy one of the top solar industry events in one of the leading countries for solar, our latest products and technology that will help us get there,” said Rob Campbell, Senior Vice President, Global Sales, SoloPower. “Our customer-focused solutions—powerful, lightweight, flexible—can be easily installed where traditional modules cannot. We can easily cover 90% of roof surface area helping maximize energy efficiency while delivering the attractive total installed cost for our customers.”

The SolarExpo comes on the heels of recent news that former U.S. presidential candidate General Wesley K. Clark (USA, Retired) joined SoloPower’s Board of Directors as an independent director, and that the company’s next generation panel achieved an aperture area efficiency of 13.4%, a record for flexible copper, indium, gallium and (di)selenide (“CIGS”) based modules. SoloPower is also in the midst of constructing and hiring for its state-of-the-art, high-volume manufacturing facility in Portland, Oregon, which will begin commercial production later this year. SoloPower’s operations in Portland are ultimately expected to have a capacity of 400MW and to bring 450 jobs to the local community.