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Spire Receives DOE Contract to Develop a Microcrack Detection Technique for Silicon Solar Cells and Wafers

Posted on: Tuesday, 4 November 2008, 09:00 CST

Spire Corporation (Spire) (Nasdaq: SPIR), a global solar company providing turnkey solar factories and capital equipment to manufacture photovoltaic (PV) modules and cells worldwide, today announced that it has received a contract from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a microcrack detection technique for silicon solar cells and wafers. This automated diagnostic system will enable solar cell and module manufacturers to significantly reduce the cost and improve the reliability of their PV modules.

Both mono- and multi-crystalline solar cells and wafers occasionally contain microcracks that are difficult or impossible to detect by visual inspection. These cracks can propagate during module assembly or after installation, resulting in cell breakage and module power loss. Spire will investigate a microcrack detection technique that can be used as an in-process diagnostic method for identifying defective crystalline silicon wafers or solar cells in a production line. This new diagnostic capability will enable solar cell and module manufacturers to reduce labor requirements for inspection and rework, increase production yields, and improve module reliability and lifetime in the field.

Upon successful demonstration of the crack detection technology, it will be engineered into Spire's production cell test, cell string, and assembly equipment.

About Spire Corporation

Spire Corporation is a global solar company providing turnkey production lines and capital equipment to manufacture photovoltaic modules and cells worldwide. Spire Semiconductor provides processing technology for Spire's silicon solar cell manufacturing lines and produces and sells custom gallium arsenide cells for solar concentrator systems. For corporate or product information, contact Spire Corporation, "The Turnkey Solar Factory Company," at 781-275-6000, or visit www.spirecorp.com.

Certain matters described in this news release may be forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk of dependence on market growth, competition and dependence on government agencies and other third parties for funding contract research and services, as well as other factors described in the Company's Form 10-K and other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Source: Business Wire

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