SunEdison executive takes reins at Sopogy

Honolulu-based solar-thermal technology company Sopogy Inc. said Tuesday it has brought in an executive from a mainland solar energy firm to take over day-to-day operations from founder and CEO Darren Kimura.

Kimura, who launched Sopogy in 2002, was named chief global strategist and chief marketing officer, according to a news release from the privately held company.

David Fernandez left his post as vice president of North American operations at SunEdison to become president and chief operating officer of Sopogy, according to the news release. Fernandez was put in charge of Sopogy to "strengthen its execution capabilities," the news release said.

SunEdison is an investor in Sopogy.

"Mr. Fernandez will strengthen Sopogy’s core business. It is important that we take that step forward to achieve the great potential in our business," said Taro Inaba, a member of Sopogy’s board of directors.

Sopogy’s patented system is a variation of an older technology that uses mirrored troughs to concentrate the sun’s rays to heat fluid-filled tubes. The heated fluid can be used to drive turbines for electricity generation or to create heat for industrial uses. Sopogy took the technology, scaled down the troughs to one-third of the size, and made other improvements that resulted in the systems being more mobile and less costly.

Sopogy’s technology is deployed at project sites in Japan, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico and Papua New Guinea.

"At this stage in our growth, serving as the company’s chief global strategist and chief marketing officer will enable me to develop our brand and drive our sales and commercialization efforts forward," Kimura said.