19 November 2008

The ball was set rolling today as the firm unveiled its appointment of a Silicon Valley veteran as its new chief executive.

John Hartnett joins G24i from Californian portable cell technology firm Palm Inc, and, according to G24i, "brings a deep understanding of global markets and a wealth of Silicon Valley experience".

Californian hub

A spokesman for G24i told New Energy Focus today that Mr Hartnett will be leading on the Californian proposals.

Subsequently, the new chief executive will divide his time between the company's manufacturing and research headquarters in Cardiff and the new site in the US, and will assume responsibility for leading G24i's next stage of expansion in global markets.

Mr Hartnett, who will commence his role at the beginning of December, said: "I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead G24i through the next stage of the company's expansion. This is an exciting time for green tech companies with innovative technology platforms, and G24i is perfectly positioned to become a dominant market force."

The 46 year-old will also serve as a member of the board of directors at G24i. During his time at Palm Inc he served as senior vice president of global markets and held responsibilities for worldwide sales, service and support.

And a 25 year career in global technology has included positions at Metacreations, Claris, AT&T, Digital Equipment and Wang.

Robert Hertzberg, co-founder and chairman ofG24i, said: "This appointment will propel G24i into the next phase of its rapid evolution. John has the right blend of global experience in portable technology applications and a proven track record in Silicon Valley.

"He will help our technology have a global impact, bringing sustainability to mobile and indoor technology, and other ‘non-traditional' solar environments," he added.

G24i

While the solar industry has been slow to gather momentum in the UK, there are a number of British companies exploiting the need for solar technology abroad, including G24i and BP.

G24i is the world's first commercial manufacturer of next generation Dye-Sensitised Thin Film solar cells. The technology offers a lightweight, flexible and silicon-free alternative to traditional solar cells and works in low-light and indoor conditions.

Current applications include powering mobile electronic devices, and LED lighting systems.

The firm says that by focusing on portability rather than grid tied systems, its technology has "created a new range of possibilities for solar energy to replace expensive and environmentally unfriendly batteries."

Earlier this autumn G24i was described as "the future" by Welsh Assembly minister Jane Davidson as she was taken on a tour of the company's Wentlog Park premises.

G24i's co-founder and interim chief executive officer, Edward Stevenson, said: "This business has come a very long way in a short space of time and its future is limited only by the depth of our imagination. Our technology allows the renewable energy revolution to start from the bottom up and not top down."