Intersolar North America, the most attended industry exhibition and conference for solar professionals to exchange information and develop business connections in North America, announced the winners of its 2013 Intersolar AWARD program, which recognizes landmark Solar Projects in North America and exemplary PV Production Technologies.

"The Intersolar AWARD program honors the absolute best in solar projects and PV production technologies," said Markus Elsasser, CEO of Solar Promotion International.

"Our exhibitors submitted many groundbreaking technologies and projects, which made the job of our jury very difficult. The winners exemplified the central goal of Intersolar -- to develop products and bring online installations that advance the adoption of solar and help to continue to create an affordable, cleaner and safer energy future."

Solar Projects in North America Winners
The Intersolar AWARD winners in the Solar Projects in North America category, which were judged on pioneering character, uniqueness, economic benefits, benefits for the environment and society, degree of technical innovation and proof of innovation, included Free Hot Water, a leading designer, engineer and manufacturer of high-quality solar thermal systems and products; MRI Global, a non-profit contract research organization; and Trina Solar, a global leader in PV modules, solution and services.

Free Hot Water won the AWARD for its solar thermal and PV installation on a student apartment complex on 15th Street in San Francisco. Free Hot Water equipped the 50-unit complex with its heating and cooling system, all linked to a convenient central control system dashboard, which enables monitoring and system management from any computer or mobile device.

The project demonstrates significant cost savings and future viability of solar systems compared to natural gas, and underlines the profitability of sustainable building design with reduced operating expenses for the cost-sensitive United States housing market.

MRI Global won the AWARD for its management and operation of the Solar Technology Acceleration Center (SolarTAC), the largest test facility for solar technologies in the United States. Located on a 74-acre site in Aurora, Colo., the SolarTAC partnership between private industry, the research community and government, offers significant benefits to solar product and system providers.

Research, testing and the demonstration of solar energy technologies, components and grid integration all reflect the spirit of collaboration and innovation of researchers and scientists in the public and private sectors. The data collected onsite for a variety of technologies increases the potential for bankability and generates interest in decision makers and investors.

Trina Solar won the AWARD for its Park Villas solar project in National City, Calif., the largest multi-family affordable solar housing project in California. The solar PV system retrofit, which generates 775,000-kilowatt-hours annually for the 144 housing units, will benefit the public-housing tenants by lowering monthly power costs.

The project, which reduces CO2 emissions by 5,000 tons annually, the equivalent of planting 20,000 trees, has raised the visibility of solar energy efficiency within the community. Using Virtual Net Metering, power can be shared between buildings.

PV Production Technologies Category Winners
The Intersolar AWARD winners in the PV Production Technologies category, which were judged on the degree of technological innovation, technical and environmental benefits, economic benefits and proof of innovation, included LayTec in-line GmbH, a market leader of in-situ metrology for LED and LASER production systems; and Merck/EMD Chemicals, a global pharmaceutical and chemical company.

This was the first time Interoslar's PV Production Technology category AWARD winners were announced at Intersolar North America, which, according to Intersolar event coordinators, is a nod to the region's reputation as the epicenter for the semiconductor industry and related technologies.

Merck/ EMD Chemicals won the AWARD for developing an easy-to-implement process using isishape SmartEtch etching paste, the Merck Selective Emitter (MSE). This etch-back, single-doping process provides better efficiency on both mono-and multi-crystalline Si wafers. This recently developed technology capitalizes on the existing know-how of solar cell manufacturing and simplifies the process by minimizing the number of material applications and removals.

LayTec in-line GmbH won the AWARD for its creation of the LayTec X Link Measurement System, which enables fast and accurate evaluation of the level of EVA cross-linking after lamination.

The LayTec X Link Measurement System, which was created in collaboration with Fraunhofer USA, a leading applied research organization, can be integrated into any solar module production line and is the only available non-destructive procedure. The resulting long-term process stability and increase in yield and quality drives down production costs and increase reliability.