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Could you please introduce yourself and tell us some more about your personal background?
My
name is Abdullatif N. Albitawi. I am the main partner and general
manager of the company. I am a chemical engineer holding an MSC in
Energy Studies. I am a member of many professional bodies worldwide.
Please introduce your company, tell us briefly about its history, main activities and key products.
Photon for Sustainable Energy Systems,
based in Irbid (Jordan) was established in December 2005 and launched
in September 2006. The main activities are energy management and
renewable energy technologies.
What are the ambitions of your company for the coming 3 years in terms of markets and volumes?
We
are looking to extend our business into markets in neighbouring
countries such as Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Iraq and the Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC). In terms of volumes we plan to sell more
than 10,000 kW of PV cells.
What is your opinion about the current PV market situation in your country?
PV
technology is not yet very commonly used. Applications are very
limitedand technology providers are rare. However, I strongly believe
there is a very high potential for PV technology in our local market.
If you were looking for international cooperation, which kinds of business partners would you be specially interested in?
PV
cells and systems manufacturers and consultants who are looking for
agents or representatives in our region will be of special interest to
Photon.
Which issues or developments are you specially interested in?
Both
technical developments and financial issues (e.g. cost of production
and grants offered by international organizations or corporations) are
of interest to us.
What will help your company grow even faster?
Technical, financial and marketing cooperation from manufacturers.
What market development has surprised you the most in recent years?
The wide use of solar technology in countries like Germany, Japan and the UK.
What do you see as the major challenges in the PV market?
The high cost of PV cells and their low efficiency.
What do you consider as the biggest failures or mistakes made in the solar industry?
Perhaps, the early introduction of the technology onto the market without achieving relatively low production costs.
What are your expectations for the global PV market in the next 5 years?
I am expecting an increase in the production capacities of manufacturers and the installed capacity of PV cells worldwide.
What do you consider to be winning companies and technologies for the future?
I do not know.
Thank you for the interview.
