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Note 12 - Related Party Transactions | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2014
Related Party Transactions [Abstract] |
Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block] | NOTE 12. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS On December 12, 2012, our Board of Directors appointed James Tu to serve as our non-executive Chairman. On April 30, 2013, Mr. Tu became the Executive Chairman assuming the duties of the Principal Executive Officer. On October 30, 2013 Mr. Tu was appointed Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer by the Board of Directors. Mr. Tu is also the Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of 5 Elements Global Advisors, an investment advisory and management company managing the holdings of 5 Elements Global Fund LP, a beneficial owner of more than 5% of our common stock. 5 Elements Global Advisors focuses on investing in clean energy companies with breakthrough, commercialized technologies and near-term profitability potential. Mr. Tu is also Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Communal International Ltd. “(Communal”), a British Virgin Islands company dedicated to assisting clean energy solutions companies maximize their technology and product potential and gain access to global marketing, distribution licensing, manufacturing and financing resources. Communal has a 50% ownership interest in 5 Elements Efficiencies (BVI) Ltd., a beneficial owner of more than 10% of our common stock. Yeh-Mei Cheng controls 5 Elements Energy Efficiencies (BVI) Ltd. and owns the other 50%. She is the co-founder of Communal International Ltd. with Mr. Tu and the mother of Simon Cheng and Jennifer Cheng, who are members of our Board of Directors. Mr. Cheng is an employee of the Company. On February 27, 2012, we entered into an Asian Business Development/Collaboration Agreement with Communal. The agreement has a 60 month term. Additionally, during the term of the agreement, we will pay Communal a 5% commission on the net sales that occur within the territory, as defined by the agreement. We have incurred no commissions due under this agreement through March 31, 2014. Effective on January 1, 2013, the Asian Business Development/Collaboration Agreement with Communal was amended to reflect the extension of the terms of the agreement for an additional 12 months, and the addition of certain services and countries in the territory covered by the agreement. In connection with the amended and restated agreement, we paid an additional $425 thousand in 2013, $75 thousand of which was paid in the first quarter of 2013. Nothing was paid during the first quarter of 2014. We recorded expense of $56 thousand under this agreement during the first quarter of 2014 and 2013. As of December 31, 2013, we may terminate the agreement upon 30 days written notice.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for related party transactions. Examples of related party transactions include transactions between (a) a parent company and its subsidiary; (b) subsidiaries of a common parent; (c) and entity and its principal owners; and (d) affiliates. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39622-107864 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39603-107864 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph b -Article 3A Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(k)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 08 -Paragraph k -Article 4 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39691-107864 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39678-107864 + Details
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