With a demonstrated and verified conversion efficiency of 18%, Innovalight has found a commercial partner in the form of JA Solar, which intends to use the ink technology and equipment required to enter volume production by the end of 2010. JA Solar said that is was already developing silicon ink-based high efficiency solar cells (on silicon) at its R&D pilot line in Yangzhou, China.
“Innovalight’s silicon ink in conjunction with JA Solar’s leadership in high-volume solar cell manufacturing with demonstrated yield, conversion efficiency, and low production costs, provides a very promising solution to enhance the conversion efficiency of solar cells utilizing our existing solar cell manufacturing lines,” remarked Qingtang Jiang, JA Solar’s Chief Technology Officer.
Innovalight has partnered with several equipment suppliers this year, notably Roth & Rau and OTB Solar, in an effort to have the tool and process infrastructure in place for future commercialization. The company said in 2007 that its liquid silicon process has the potential to reduce cells costs by more than 50% and expected commercial production of the ink to begin in 2009.
