Siva Power wins US$3 million DOE deal to demonstrate low-cost CIGS thin-film ideas

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

The US Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot Initiative is providing CIGS thin-film start-up Siva Power with US$3 million in funding as part of the program to bring novel and highly innovative ideas to commercialisation. 

Siva, led by semiconductor equipment industry pioneer and Silicon Valley entrepreneur, Brad Mattson and CIGS guru Dr. Markus Beck its CTO have extensively modelled a 300MW single production line that is claimed to have US$0.40/W production costs within the first year of operation, and scale to US$0.28/W two years after that.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

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

Or continue reading this article for free

The DOE funds were said to be used to actually demonstrate a CIGS co-evaporation source with 12x higher manufacturing throughput (m2/min) than currently available sources. This is seen as key to enabling a fully automated CIGS deposition system at a 3x reduction in capital expenditure, labour, and overall overhead costs per watt. 

“There are two parts to the solution,” said Dr. Markus Beck, Siva Power CTO. “You need to have the right technology, but also the right processes to enable the efficient scaling of product in order to make a huge difference in the solar industry. I dedicated my career to seeing CIGS make it, and now we have the team and support to make it happen.”

A third part to the solution perhaps would be sufficient capital at low cost to effectively ramp and operate a CIGS thin-film line at a 300MW throughput. 

Read Next

July 1, 2025
Spanish independent power producer (IPP) Zelestra has secured financing and reached financial close for its 220MW solar-plus-storage plant in Chile.
July 1, 2025
Independent power producer (IPP) Arevon Energy has closed a US$600 million credit facility to support its solar PV and energy storage portfolio in the US.
July 1, 2025
The UK government has released this week (30 June) its Solar Roadmap, which sets out practical measures to meet the country’s solar PV targets.
July 1, 2025
Solar developer ib vogt has sold a 110MW solar PV plant in Spain to international fund NextPower V ESG, which is operated by investment firm NextEnergy Capital (NEC).
July 1, 2025
French private equity firm Ardian Clean Energy Evergreen Fund (ACEEF) has bought 117 solar PV plants, worth 116MW of total capacity in several locations in Italy.
July 1, 2025
Swedish independent power producer (IPP) OX2 has begun operations at a 100MW solar PV plant in Poland, its first project as an IPP.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
July 2, 2025
Bangkok, Thailand
Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 22, 2025
Bilbao, Spain
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA