A collaborative development programne (CDP) between First Solar and Intermolecular that was established in 2012 to target higher efficiency CdTe thin-film modules has been amended.
According to an SEC filing from Intermolecular on 30 December 2013, the company would reduce the number of full-time employees or contractors it provided to First Solar as part of its High Productivity Combinatorial (HPC) development platform activities.
Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis
Photovoltaics International is now included.
- Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
- In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
- Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
- Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
- Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
- Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual
As a result, Intermolecular would receive reduced fees in 2014, while the royalties owed by First Solar that related to any Intermolecular IP used in production modules would become “volume-based”.
The amended CDP will be effective to 30 November 2014 and would potentially lower First Solar’s upfront costs in the CDP and points to Intermolecular having to provide production worthy-improvements to earn ongoing revenue from the deal.
Over the last two years, First Solar has increased R&D efforts to boost conversion efficiencies and speed up the migration of performance enhancements from the lab to the fab.
