Hanwha Group, South Korea's ninth-largest conglomerate, said Friday that it has
opened a research lab in the United States in a bid to enhance its
competitiveness in solar power technology.
Hanwha Solar America LLC,
based in Silicon Valley, California, held an opening ceremony on Thursday,
aiming to focus on developing original technologies to utilize solar energy, the
group said.
"Hanwha's investment in solar power technology reflects
our belief in the renewable energy as the growth engine of the future," the
company said.
The group has been tapping into the solar energy
industry in the U.S. by acquiring stakes in several local companies.
Hanwha Chemical Corp., the group's chemicals arm, bought a stake in Crystal
Solar Inc., a solar energy venture company, in September last year.
Hanwha also obtained a stake in OneRoof Energy Inc., a residential solar leasing
and financing company in the same month, strengthening its position in the solar
energy market.