Space Industry and Business News  
NREL Commercialization Project Accelerates PV Technology Innovation

File photo: Thin PV film
by Staff Writers
Los Angeles CA (SPX) May 29, 2008
Crystalline silicon cells continue to dominate the market for photovoltaic (PV) modules and systems. To support the commercialization of these PV devices, NREL researchers continue to reduce their manufacturing costs and increase their efficiency, but also work to develop thin-film PV cell technology from both silicon and alternative materials.

A recent collaborative research effort between NREL and Ampulse, a venture-backed company with funding from Battelle Ventures and its affiliate, Innovation Valley Partners, will take silicon technology one step further with a new innovative approach.

"The partnership with Ampulse aims to make inexpensive silicon PV film with the efficiency of today's crystalline silicon cells," said NREL Researcher Howard Branz. "It also will help Ampulse, which focuses on film PV on flexible substrates, to enter the marketplace with commercially viable products."

"We are confident that the NREL team has the combined talent, skill, and experience to create potentially breakthrough products with market-leading efficiencies and advantageous economics," said Glenn Kline, Innovation Valley Partners general partner and Ampulse acting CEO.

The NREL and Ampulse partnership is evolving through a $500,000 cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA). The CRADA has received support from the Department of Energy's Technology Commercialization Development Fund (TCDF) Program, which has provided NREL with $4 million to establish such commercialization efforts.

"Without TCDF Program support, this commercialization opportunity would not have happened," said Tom Williams, NREL technology transfer office director. "In addition to the program funding," Williams said, "the flexibility and speed possible under the TCDF were essential to moving the collaboration forward with all the key stakeholders."

Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which has a similar work-for-others agreement with Ampulse, will participate with NREL and Ampulse on this collaborative effort.

Related Links
All About Solar Energy at SolarDaily.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


ATK Ultraflex Solar Arrays Deploy And Provide Critical Power To The Mars Phoenix Lander
Minneapolis MN (SPX) May 29, 2008
Alliant Techsystems reports that the Ultraflex Solar Arrays deployed and now provide power to the Mars Phoenix Lander. This is the first flight for this unique solar array technology developed by ATK's Goleta, California facility.







  • Pacific students lagging in computer age: researcher
  • Icahn moves to replace Yahoo board, restart Microsoft talks
  • Intelsat And Panasonic To Bring Broadband Service To The Skies
  • Google wins from end of Microsoft-Yahoo affair: analysts

  • Two Ariane 5s Are Readied For Launches In May And June
  • Arianespace Completes The Assembly Of Another Ariane 5
  • Zenit Rocket Powers A Successful Sea Launch Campaign
  • Sea Launch Initiates Countdown For Launch Of Galaxy 18

  • China's new jumbo-jet firm no threat to Airbus, Boeing: state media
  • China unveils new jumbo jet company: report
  • NASA And JAXA To Conduct Joint Research On Sonic Boom Modeling
  • Analysis: Can airplanes go green?

  • Raytheon Tests Distributed Common Ground System Block 10.2 System
  • SAIC Awarded Contract To Support Space And Naval Warfare Systems Command
  • Raytheon Awarded Contract For Key Command And Control Solution
  • ATCi Introduces New Features To Its Warrior Satellite Surveillance System

  • Study finds best times for radio signals
  • Self-Repairing Aircraft Could Revolutionize Aviation Safety
  • US, China Space Debris Still Orbiting Earth
  • Northrop Grumman Resonating Gyro Achieves 10 Million Operating Hours In Space

  • Globalstar AppointS Thomas Colby Chief Operating Officer
  • SES AMERICOM Announces Change In Executive Management
  • Bill Flynn Joins Americom Government Services to Lead Navy Programs
  • NASA names science directorate deputy

  • China Launches Weather Satellite For Olympic Games
  • Seeing Clearly Despite The Clouds
  • GeoEye Scheduled To Launch Next-Gen EO Satellite
  • NASA/Northrop Grumman Agreement Opens Door To Earth Science Research

  • Trimble Introduces GNSS Reference Sensor For Infrastructure And Network Applications
  • Universal Receiver Tester Offers Innovative GPS Test And Simulation Capabilities
  • Kyocera Wireless Announces Brew Support And Developer Tools For New M2M Modules
  • Drive, Walk And Discover Updated Version Of Nokia Maps

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright Space.TV Corporation. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space.TV Corp on any Web page published or hosted by Space.TV Corp. Privacy Statement