Sopogy

Sopogy, an acronym for Solar Power Technology, was founded in 2002 by Darren T. Kimura within the Honolulu-based clean technology incubator, Energy Laboratories. Kimura, a serial entrepreneur in the energy sector, established Sopogy after identifying customer needs for more efficient solar solutions through his prior venture, an energy services company. His background in helping major corporations implement energy-efficient systems informed Sopogy's direction. The company secured over $40 million in venture capital from investors including 3M, Sempra Energy, Mitsui & Co, and eBay founder Pierre Omidyar.

Sopogy specialized in what it termed "Micro-Concentrated Solar Power" (MicroCSP), a technology designed to bring the principles of large-scale concentrating solar power to smaller, distributed generation markets. This approach utilized modular, parabolic trough collectors that track the sun, concentrating its rays onto a receiver tube with a heat transfer fluid. The resulting thermal energy could be used for various applications, including generating electricity via Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) engines, powering solar air conditioning with absorption chillers, or providing industrial process heat. This tri-generation capability was a key aspect of its business model. The company targeted commercial, industrial, and utility customers seeking renewable energy solutions for projects typically under 50 megawatts.

Sopogy's product line included collectors like the SopoNova, a site-assessment tool called SopoLite, and the SopoSoft control software for managing solar field operations. The company's strategy focused on a capital-light model, using conventional materials and manufacturing processes that could be easily adapted locally, reducing costs and creating local jobs. Notable projects included the world's first MicroCSP plant, the 2-megawatt Holaniku project in Hawaii, and installations for Masdar City, Southern California Gas Company, and the U.S. military. After a period of operation that saw it garner numerous awards, Sopogy reportedly shut down operations before being acquired in a private transaction by Hitachi Power Systems in 2014.

Keywords: MicroCSP, concentrating solar power, solar thermal technology, Darren Kimura, parabolic trough collectors, distributed generation, solar air conditioning, process heat, Organic Rankine Cycle, renewable energy, Holaniku, solar power technology, energy generation, thermal energy storage, SopoNova, distributed energy, solar collectors, energy efficiency solutions, solar project development, Hitachi Power Systems acquisition