{{Short description|Defunct Israeli solar energy company}} {{Infobox company | name = Zenith Solar | logo = | type = | slogan = | foundation = 2006 | founders = Roy Segev, David Faiman, Bob Whelen | location = | key_people = | num_employees = | parent = | products = Solar energy | homepage = {{URL|http://www.zenithsolar.com/}} }} '''Zenith Solar''' was an Israeli solar energy company based in Ness Ziona.
==History== Zenith Solar was founded in 2006 by Roy Segev, David Faiman and Bob Whelen.<ref name=BW>[http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/mar2008/gb20080326_485582.htm? At the Zenith of Solar Energy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007054706/http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/mar2008/gb20080326_485582.htm |date=October 7, 2008 }}, Neal Sandler, ''Businessweek'', March 26, 2008.</ref>
In 2007, David Faiman, director of the Ben-Gurion National Solar Energy Center, announced that the Center had entered into a project with Zenith to create a home solar energy system that uses a 10 square meter reflector dish.<ref name=Reuters>[https://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL16893018 Reflective mirrors seen raising solar potential], Ari Rabinovitch, Reuters, August 10, 2007.</ref> Zenith bought the rights to solar technology from Ben-Gurion University and Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE to create solar energy using mirrors and lenses that magnify and focus the sun's rays. In testing, the concentrated solar technology proved to be up to five times more efficient than standard flat photovoltaic silicon panels, which would make it almost as cheap as oil and natural gas. A prototype ready for commercialization achieved a concentration of solar energy that was more than 1,000 times greater than standard flat panels.<ref name=BW/> According to Faiman, who led the Israeli team that developed the technology, 10% of Israel’s energy needs (1,000 megawatts) could be met from 12 square kilometres of land.<ref name=Green>[http://greenprophet.com/2007/12/16/7/the-light-of-a-thousand-suns/ Zenith Solar’s Light of a Thousand Suns], ''Green Prophet'', December 17, 2007</ref>
Zenith Solar was assembling solar panel kits at its factory in Kiryat Gat.<ref name="haaretz.com">[https://web.archive.org/web/20111007144424/http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/anglo-file/born-again-ziontist-revolutionizing-solar-energy-field-1.388639 Born-again Ziontist revolutionizing solar energy field], Haaretz</ref> The company used CHP (combined heat and power) technology which it claimed reached efficiencies of over 70%. Marketing claims included "harvesting more energy from a smaller space, less landfill produced from their waste." and "99% recyclable."<ref name="haaretz.com"/>
In June 2013 Zenith filed for bankruptcy<ref>PV-Magazine 2013/10/18</ref> and in December of that year they were acquired by Suncore Photovoltaics Technology Company Limited, a Chinese-US joint venture that specialises in CPV.<ref>[http://www.barlaw.co.il/content/chinas-suncore-represented-barnea-co-acquired-assets-israels-zenith-solar-0 China's Suncore represented by Barnea & Co. acquired the assets of Israel's Zenith Solar] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224120348/http://www.barlaw.co.il/content/chinas-suncore-represented-barnea-co-acquired-assets-israels-zenith-solar-0 |date=December 24, 2013 }}, Barnea & Co</ref>
==See also== *Solar energy in Israel *Science and technology in Israel
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == *[http://www.zenithsolar.com/ Zenith Solar website] *[http://www.suncoreus.com/ Suncore photovoltaic technology website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402150419/http://suncoreus.com/ |date=2015-04-02 }}
Category:Solar energy in Israel Category:Energy companies established in 2006 Category:Renewable energy technology companies Category:Technology companies of Israel Category:Israeli companies established in 2006 Category:Technology companies established in 2006