Walter Leithold, now CEO of SolarMarkt AG, founds Solare System Technik. Within the first year, one of the world’s first, technically-demanding, stand-alone systems with alternating current technology systems is developed and implemented under the management of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE.

Solare System Technik becomes the first company to develop photovoltaic building façades in Structural Glazing Technology.

The company demonstrates five challenging and differing PV mounting techniques on one of the largest buildings in South-West Germany, the "Centre for Art and Media Technology" in Karlsruhe. This was also the first time that photovoltaic-produced electricity (100 kWp) was fed into the DC grid of the tram system with 1200 volts.

SolarMarkt GmbH is established in Baden-Württemberg as the first wholesaler of exclusively solar products.

SolarMarkt GmbH installs the photovoltaic noise barrier wall at the autobahn A1 in Switzerland between Bern and Zurich.

Elmar Niewerth founds the energy consulting company ECE, Inc. in California.

By becoming a Public Limited Company, SolarMarkt prepares the ground for further growth. The founding of international sister companies is also part of a strategy to grow the European and American markets.

ThinkSolar is well established nationally and recognized internationally as a wholesale distributor. Our first commercial U.S. integration project is a 650kW PV array for Lithographix, one of the nation's premier printers. ThinkSolar becomes the U.S. manufacturer of AluTec.