United Solar’s Martha Duggan Joins U.S. Department of Commerce’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee

United Solar, a leading global manufacturer of light-weight, flexible thin-film UNI-SOLAR solar modules and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices (ECD), announced that U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke invited United Solar’s Martha Duggan to join the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee.

The newly formed committee will advise the secretary on the development and implementation of programs and policies that will help expand the competitiveness of the U.S. renewable energy and energy efficiency industries.

“I am honored to accept Secretary Locke’s invitation to join his Advisory Committee and I look forward to working with the other committee members to provide input to the secretary’s plans for programs and policies that will expand the competitiveness of the U.S. renewable energy industry,” said Duggan, vice president, government and regulatory affairs at ECD/United Solar. “Having participated in Secretary Locke’s clean energy trade mission in China earlier this year, I know firsthand of the Secretary’s commitment to these issues and the fine staff that support this work at the Department of Commerce.

“As one of the long-time leaders in solar research and development, United Solar has helped advance solar energy technology to where it is today. We feel our perspective can be beneficial on a committee advising our government leadership as it further charts the future of renewable energy,” Duggan added.

Duggan will be one of 28 committee members who will serve a two-year term and focus on making recommendations to the secretary of commerce on policies and programs that strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. renewable energy and energy efficiency exports. They will also develop strategies to identify and expand export markets for the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries, both in the short- and long-term.

“We will work closely with the Advisory Committee to help achieve President Obama’s goal of making the United States a leader in the global green economy,” Secretary Locke said. “U.S. companies in these critical sectors need to take full advantage of increased export opportunities that will create green jobs for Americans, which are needed to sustain our economic growth.”

Committee members represent the entire spectrum of the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors, from wind, solar and hydropower to green building, power distribution and energy finance.

Secretary Locke held his inaugural meeting with the Advisory Committee on Dec. 7, 2010.