Hanwha Solutions Recruits Renewable Energy Expert Formerly with GE

Integration of Global Research and Development Capabilities

Hanwha Solutions is recruiting an energy expert from General Electric (GE) in the United States as its global Chief Technology Officer (CTO).

On the 14th, Hanwha Solutions announced that it appointed Daniel Murfeld, CTO and Vice President of GE Renewable Energy, as the global CTO of its Q CELLS division. GE Renewable Energy is a subsidiary of the US-based GE focused on renewable energy power generation businesses such as wind and hydro power.

Daniel Murfeld, Global Chief Technology Officer of Hanwha Solutions Q CELLS Division

CTO Murfeld majored in electrical engineering at the University of Notre Dame and earned a Ph.D. in electrical and electronic engineering from Northwestern University. After joining GE Global Research in 1999, he led technology development in various fields including solar, wind, hydro, and energy storage systems (ESS) for 23 years at GE Power and GE Renewable Energy. At GE Renewable Energy, he oversaw the operation of the global research and development organization.

At Hanwha Solutions, CTO Murfeld will build a global research network connecting Korea, the United States, and Germany to combine R&D capabilities and drive synergy creation.

He plans to strengthen the company-wide technology roadmap by linking R&D centers located in Pangyo, Korea, and Thalheim, Germany. In the US, he will also enhance technological capabilities in line with the full-scale operation of ‘Solar Hub,’ the largest integrated solar production complex in North America.

In particular, he will oversee the research and development roadmap for perovskite-crystalline silicon tandem cells and next-generation modules, which are targeted for mass production in 2026. He is expected to accelerate national projects on tandem cells and modules carried out in cooperation with domestic SMEs and research institutes, and to boost the pilot production project of tandem cells currently underway at the Thalheim R&D center in Germany.

Additionally, he will comprehensively manage R&D plans for power generation facilities, including the 'Module-Level Power Electronics (MLPE)' system that optimizes solar power generation performance and inverters.

CTO Murfeld stated, "As concerns about climate change and geopolitical crises grow, competition in renewable energy technologies such as solar and wind is intensifying worldwide. We will strengthen Q CELLS’ global R&D capabilities to present Hanwha’s unique clean energy solutions for future generations."