Ascent Solar Technologies Inc., a Littleton, Colo.-based developer of thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules, has been awarded a $165,000 contract by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Under the terms, Ascent will develop advanced materials and processing tools that could lead to higher manufacturing speeds. The company estimates this could mean lower manufacturing costs for its thin-film copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) PV material.
''We will be investigating a novel new approach to increasing the production in the CIGS process,'' said Dr. Joseph Armstrong, Ascent Solar's chief technical officer, in a statement.
