HP and Xtreme Energetics (XE), a solar energy system developer based in Livermore, Calif., have entered into an agreement for the development of a solar energy system designed to generate electricity at twice the efficiency and half the cost of traditional solar panels.
Under the technology collaboration and licensing agreement, HP will license its transparent transistor technology to XE in return for royalty payments.
The transparent transistor technology that will be used in XE's solar energy device was co-developed by HP and Oregon State University. The technology includes thin-film transparent transistors, which are made from low-cost, readily available materials such as zinc and tin. The materials raise no environmental concerns and allow for higher mobility, better chemical stability and easier manufacture, according to XE and HP.
The transistor technology enables control of XE's concentration and tracking system as it provides a transparent electronic mechanism to maximize the concentration of light. When coupled with XE's system, the technology improves conversion efficiency, as maximum light can get through without being blocked by traditional non-transparent electronics.
‘Open innovation to foster collaborative research is essential in today's fast-paced, innovation-fueled market,’ says Joe Beyers, vice president of intellectual property licensing at HP. ‘Through our collaborative research and by licensing HP's core intellectual property in electronics, we are accelerating the pace of technology transfer so that it can be applied more rapidly into creating commercial, renewable energy solutions.’
SOURCES: Xtreme Energetics, HP
