BP Solar

In 1981, BP acquired initially 50% of Lucas Energy Systems which became Lucas BP Solar Systems. The company became wholly owned by BP in the mid-1980s. When BP merged with Amoco in 1998 it acquired Amoco's 50% stake in Solarex. In 1999 it acquired Enron's stake in Solarex and consolidated its PV divisions into a new subsidiary named BP Solarex. In that year the company became the world's leading PV producer. In 2001 the division renamed itself BP Solar.

BP Solar and Indian firm Tata Power established Tata BP Solar, a joint venture company, in 1989. The company began commercial operations in 1991 by establishing its first manufacturing unit with a production capacity of 3 MW in India. BP Solar exited the joint venture in 2012, and Tata BP Solar became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Tata Group.

In 2004, the R&D part of BP Solar was sold to the UK's National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec). In 2013, it became Solar Capture Technologies. In 2010, it closed down the factory at Frederick, Maryland. BP Solar closed on 21 December 2011 when BP announced its departure from the solar energy business.

PV power plants using BP solar modules include:

Bürstadt, Germany — 5 MW from 30,000 modules

Springerville, Arizona, USA — 4.59 MW from 34,980 modules

Geiseltalsee, Germany — 4 MW from 25,000 modules