Natcore Technology has formed three strategic alliances to help manage requests for solar cell manufacturing facilities. The company will join forces with Jacob White Construction, Spire Corporation, and Helium Resources to help incorporate its liquid-phase deposition (LPD) technology into plants in New Mexico, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, and Brazil.
Houston-based Jacob White Construction is to help Natcore build the facilities and provide consulting services during design, construction and startup phases; Spire Corporation will equip the factories and train staff; and Helium Resources is tasked with recruiting qualified personnel to work and manage the plants.
“Our goal is to make solar power cost competitive with conventional power,” said Chuck Provini, Natcore's president and CEO. “We feel our technology can do that by revolutionizing the way that solar cells are made. We are replacing the old chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method with our LPD wet chemistry process. These alliances will also help us reach our goal.
“They give us instant expertise in plant design, construction, automation, and staffing. Spire's automation experience in particular, combined with recent advances in our exclusive technology, will help us to produce efficient solar cells at potentially the lowest cost in the world.”
Brien Lundin, Natcore chairman added, “Dealing with the toxic waste issue will become a major hurdle as the solar cell industry matures and expands. With our wet chemistry process, Natcore is on the leading edge of solving this problem.”
