Partnership heralds low cost, flexible organic solar cell manufacture

24 March 2013

New manufacturing partnership sets out to develop a platform for the low cost production of lightweight, flexible solar cells.

Solar cell technology developer Solar Press and coating and printing experts Kroenert have announced the signing of a long term partnership agreement to develop and sell turn-key manufacturing systems for Organic Photovoltaic (OPV) modules.

This move, believed to be the first of its kind, will enable low cost production of lightweight, flexible solar cells, reducing the barriers to entry for OPV manufacture, and extending the capability to all regions of the world.

Solar Press UK was founded in 2009 as a joint venture between the Carbon Trust and C-Change. Under the partnership agreement with Kroenert, OPV process technology expert, Solar Press will develop and optimise its production process and ink formulations to enable the manufacture of commercial OPV modules using Kroenert's production coating and printing equipment. Kroenert technology.

Chris Harris, CEO of Solar Press said: "Kroenert offers world class coating and printing production equipment that is ideally suited to volume OPV production. Our partnership agreement represents an important step in building the necessary eco-system of partners to bring about the delivery of turn-key production systems for manufacturing OPV modules using Solar Press' proprietary production process and ink formulations."

Frank Schaefer, Sales Director New Products for Kroenert said: "Solar Press have impressed us with their vision and the progress they have made towards delivering a commercially viable OPV production process and ink formulations. In partnership with Solar Press we can offer a turn-key OPV production solution that minimises the investment required by customers wishing to manufacture OPV modules and products."