After decades, a solar pioneer (Stan Ovshinsky) sees spark in sales

[jpak]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06332/741837-28.stm

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Stanford R. Ovshinsky has spent 40 years -- and millions of dollars in backing from various partners -- pursuing his dream. He wanted to build a huge machine that would make giant sheets of material that can generate solar power.

"I said we are going to make it by the mile," he recalls. "Nobody believed me, not even in my own company."

Today, Mr. Ovshinsky, 84 years old, finds himself running his factory at full capacity and overwhelmed with orders. His company, Energy Conversion Devices Inc., is the largest U.S.-owned maker of photovoltaic materials, which convert sunlight to electricity. The company is a pioneer in an exploding global industry selling $15 billion a year of what's called "PV."

The company's mammoth machine extends the length of a football field. It runs much like a printing press, spooling out thin sheets of the PV material, which can be used on roofs of homes or businesses. As energy costs rise, along with concerns about global warming, PV is in demand.

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