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Suniva has achieved record conversion efficiencies on its monocrystalline-silicon solar cells and started production on its second manufacturing line.

The Norcross, GA-based company said that its ARTisun cells are achieving efficiencies of better than 18%, which the firms claims is a record for screen-printed cells in full-scale production. Its newly commissioned manufacturing line will add 64MWp of cell-making capacity to the existing 32MWp line opened in October 2008, pushing the firm's total production capability threefold to nearly 100MW.

Through optimized metallization and other proprietary processes initiated by Suniva founder/CTO Ajeet Rohatgi at Georgia Tech's University Center of Excellence for Photovoltaic Research and further developed in its R&D department, the company has achieved NREL-certified lab efficiencies of more than 20% on screen-printed cells. The company said it plans to steadily raise its commercial efficiencies above 20% through a series of incremental design and processing innovations.

Suniva's low-cost cells are integrated into high-performance solar modules available through the company and such customer-partners as REC, Solon, and Titan Energy.

“Our strategy supports both rapid expansion and continual technology advances,” said CEO John Baumstark (pictured). “Less than a year ago, we opened the doors to our first facility. Today, we have entered our next stage of growth and development with a significant manufacturing expansion.”

Suniva also recently completed a $75 million Series C financing round led by Warburg Pincus.