Sunovia Announces Collaboration With the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich for the Development of Advanced CdTe Solar Cells
Sunovia Energy Technologies, Inc. (NASD OTC Bulletin Board: SUNV) and EPIR Technologies, Inc. (EPIR) are pleased to announce a collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich, Switzerland (ETH Zurich) for the further development of cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cells.
The collaboration with ETH Zurich provides the companies with important experience and knowledge within the field of solar cell development and manufacturing, and should expedite product development efforts. Specifically, the effort will involve the development of CdTe thin-film solar cells including the use of plastic substrates. Plastic substrates, upon which the CdTe solar cells will reside, are flexible. Flexible substrates permit the transportation and deployment of solar cells from rolls, which significantly reduce shipping and installation costs. Flexible solar cells are also less susceptible to damage than the present-day solar module technology that employs fragile and heavy glass protective sheets.
The collaboration is strengthened by additional research and development in the field of infrared (IR) detection, wherein ETH Zurich will grow and characterize II-VI semiconductor lead-tin-selenide (PbSnSe) layers on silicon substrates for the companies. ETH Zurich’s efforts are led by Dr. Hans Zogg, head of the Thin Film Physics Group, which contains both IR and solar cell technology subgroups. The solar cell projects are led by Professor Ayodhya Nath Tiwari. ETH Zurich is a science and technology university with an outstanding research record. Twenty-one Nobel laureates are connected with ETH Zurich, and its II-VI semiconductor materials research is among the most advanced in the world. ETH Zurich established the world record for conversion efficiency (14.1%) with the development of its flexible and lightweight CIGS solar cells. They also demonstrated 12.4% conversion efficiency for a CdTe-based solar cell grown with a simple vacuum deposition method.
Dr. Chris Grein, EPIR’s vice president for research and development, stated, “The combination of EPIR, Sunovia and ETH Zurich creates a world-class team with unparalleled II-VI semiconductor experience and talent.”
On March 14th, the companies announced the completion of Phase I in the expansion of the world class Electro-Optic manufacturing facilities in Bolingbrook, Ill., just west of Chicago. Electro-Optic technologies include advanced solar modules, IR detectors and components and biosensor-decontamination devices.
Sunovia and EPIR have exclusively partnered to commercialize solar and IR technologies for the renewable energy and night vision markets. Sunovia is the exclusive marketer of all products, technologies and intellectual properties that are developed at the facility, and currently owns a significant equity interest in EPIR.
The completion of Phase I is a significant step in the companies’ work to manufacture CdTe-based advanced solar cells and CdTe and mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) IR detectors and components. More than $25 million has been invested into R&D and the state-of-the-art facility, which includes a 2,000 sq. ft. clean-room for the manufacture of advanced electro-optic products. The world class products manufactured at the facility require both extreme material purity and air filtration/cleanliness. The companies also have access to related facilities at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi, Md. and the Army’s Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate at Belvoir, Va.
About Sunovia Energy Technologies, Inc.
Sunovia is a Sarasota, Fla.-based renewable energy and energy conservation company that is working to develop one of the most advanced and cost effective cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cell technologies ever created. Sunovia is also the owner of the proprietary EvoLucia™ LED lighting product line, the incredibly energy efficient solid-state lighting solutions have received UL, CE, FCC, TUV, CSA and IP23 regulatory approvals, and are now being marketed worldwide.
Sunovia owns a significant equity interest in Illinois-based EPIR Technologies, Inc. (http://www.epir.com), one of the most advanced IR sensor and IR imaging companies in the world. EPIR’s knowledge, experience and expertise in the growth of CdTe, HgCdTe and other II-VI semiconductors equal or exceed any other company in the world. Their prowess in this area is unmatched and has been endorsed by the award of unprecedented congressional funds for the development of a manufacturing capability for CdTe on Si and the award of a patent for growing CdTe directly on a Si readout integrated circuit. EPIR and Sunovia have a network of close collaborative relationships with the major Defense Department and industrial labs involved in IR detection and imaging, including the Army Research Laboratory, the Night Vision Electronic Sensors Directorate, BAE, Lockheed Martin, DRS, Raytheon, Rockwell, Texas Instruments and other laboratories around the world.
Sunovia Energy’s Web site is located at www.sunoviaenergy.com. EPIR Technologies, Inc.’s Web site is located at www.epir.com. More information about this exclusive partnership may be viewed in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), available online at www.sec.gov.
The Sunovia Energy logo is a registered service mark of Sunovia Energy Technologies, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Sunovia Energy products and services are provided by Sunovia Energy Technologies, Inc.
Forward-Looking Statement
Some of the statements made by Sunovia in this press release are forward-looking in nature. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Sunovia believes that its primary risk factors include, but are not limited to: development and maintenance of strategic acquisitions; domestic and international acceptance of our product lines; defending our intellectual property and proprietary rights; development of new products and services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; successfully completing commercial testing of new technologies and systems to support new products and services; and attracting and retaining qualified management and other personnel. Additional information concerning these and other important factors can be found within Sunovia’s filings with the SEC. Statements in this press release should be evaluated in light of these important factors.