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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap: break-word;-webkit-nbsp-mode: space;-webkit-line-break: after-white-space'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Wrenches,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>I received the letter below from Photon magazine. I am posting it hear because it seems like a great way to get an answer:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Hi David,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Over the past year, Photon magazine's German publication has been reporting on significant delamination/hotspot problems reported with Shell Solar modules (RSM and S series) in Germany, and the customer-unfriendly response of Solarworld (which inherited the warranties when it acquired Shell Solar in 2006). <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Now, I am trying to figure out if similar problems are happening in North America -- e.g., how many of these defective modules were sold in North America and who are some of the main installers and system owners that are potentially affected. Can you recommend any sources that can help answer some of these questions? These panels were probably sold sometime between 2000 and 2006.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Thank you for your assistance,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Mike<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Michael D. Matz<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>PHOTON USA Corp.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>514 Bryant Street<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>San Francisco, California 94107, USA<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>David Katz<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>CTO & Founder<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>AEE Solar Inc<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>P: 707 825-1200<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>F: 707 825-1202<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>dkatz@aeesolar.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>www.aeesolar.com<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></body></html>