Solar Spotlight on Innovalight

Innovalight scientists showcases the latest solar technology.

A new solar cell processing technology by Innovalight, Inc., could make high-cost, dirty fossil fuels burned out options of the past.

On the horizon is inexpensive solar power that will revolutionize solar energy for the masses.
The liquid-based technology by Innovalight offers an inexpensive method to produce lower-cost solar cells. This translates to cheaper solar power on the rooftops of houses and buildings everywhere.
Silicon ink, comprised of a dispersion of silicon nanocrystals, can be printed onto certain substrates making Innovalight a pioneer in advanced silicon-based solar cell technology.
A traditional silicon solar cell technology that requires many steps, often at very high temperatures, is in desperate need of new breakthroughs to lower costs.
Most recently, Innovalight has made news by achieving a record 18 percent conversion efficiency with silicon-ink processed solar cells. Most solar cells today rate around 15 percent conversion efficiency, which is the percentage of sunlight converted into usable energy, said company president and CEO Conrad Burke.  The company’s current goal is to soon reach 20 percent conversion.
“In order to reduce the cost of producing extremely high efficiency solar cells – anything above 20 pc – new methods of manufacturing will be required that use much fewer steps and higher yields. We believe that printing of silicon ink is one way to breakthrough such cost barriers,” Burke said.
The company has been commended by the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and recently featured on major news outlets such as Discovery Channel and CNN for its technology breakthrough.
The privately-held firm, appropriately based in Sunnyvale, Calif., streamlines the manufacturing process while harnessing the immense power of the sun. The result is solar cells produced at lower temperatures and therefore lower cost. Crystalline silicon solar cell technology accounts for about 86% of the commercial solar panel market today. But solar panels can be costly for most existing and new home buyers.
Burke noted the additional benefits of silicon ink technology is that it can be printed using touchless processes that uses less material and thinner substrates.
“Compared to conventional processes to make solar cells, much fewer steps are used, so therefore the costs can be reduced dramatically,” he said.
Innovalight recently teamed up with JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of high-performance solar products. Using existing solar cell manufacturing lines, JA solar Holdings will produce a new generation of solar cells using silicon ink technology from Innovalight.
Burke predicts it will be available on the market by 2010.
“The commercial and residential rooftop market is the largest and fastest growing segment,” Burke said, adding that this technology could be incorporated for both commercial and residential rooftop applications.
Burke explained that his company does not plan to manufacture solar cells and panels, but works with leading solar cell and solar panel manufacturers who are applying Innovalight’s technology to already existing solar manufacturing.
Innovalight was founded in 2002 and is venture capital supported. It has received significant development funds from the United States Department of Energy. Since 2002, the company worked to develop and fine tune its silicon ink technology. Burke was brought into Innovalight in 2005 to completely re-engineer the company. He ultimately ended up refocusing the company exclusively on the solar sector.
The company does not have any significant competition in this arena, Burke said, adding that Innovalight has sixty patents protecting this technology.
Innovalight’s 2008 PV Incubator program was selected for recognition by the U.S. Dept. of Energy. Also, the company was recognized as a technology partner winner at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland in 2006.
Mr. Burke, an Irish immigrant, has a career including research and development, marketing, product management, general management, and operations in major global organizations. Burke was senior vice president of world wide sales and marketing for Bookham Inc. He has a M.S. in Physics from Trinity College, Dublin, and a B.S. in Physics from University College, Dublin, Ireland. He has also attended The London Business School.
While revolutionizing solar energy, Burke said something good is being done for the planet. Since the technology is emission-free and eco-friendly, the company has received attention from those interested in clean energy. But he stressed that he is not an environmentalist, but foremost a capitalist. He said his goal is to bring low-cost solar energy to the American people and to the global community. The energy infrastructure is being rebuilt and Burke’s company is taking part in leading the way.
Burke expects huge profits and returns for his investors, including ARCH Venture Partners, Convexa Capital, and Harris & Harris Group, Inc.
Burke’s company is made up of 40 engineers, half of which are immigrants and half of which are PhD.s, He attributes his company’s success to the high level of expertise amongst its employees.
Five years from now Burke said he sees his company producing multi gigawatts of silicon ink and partnering with many solar module manufacturing companies worldwide.
For this silicon-valley start-up, success has come strong and its discoveries are attracting much attention throughout the world and in the United States. Burke has met with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Senator John McCain to discuss the need to situate the United States at the forefront of solar technology. The current leader is Germany. The open forum discussion centered on making visas easier to obtain and changing the perception of the United States to one of premiere status in the solar energy field – something Innovalight has begun to do on a worldwide scale.
Harnessing the sun’s power means harnessing solar science on a molecular level, when it comes to Burke’s discoveries. The company is at the forefront of the technology, manipulating tiny particles of silicon powder.  Burke is hoping his molecule-sized discovery will have an impact as immense as the sun’s power.