Sunovia Energy Technologies Inc. and EPIR Technologies Inc. have received a $9 million Defense Department SBIR Phase III contract that allows for the expansion of production capacities and capabilities of the companies' cadmium telluride on silicon (CdTe/Si) manufacturing program.
Sunovia and EPIR are the only companies in the solar energy business that are capable of growing single-crystal, high-quality CdTe/Si wafers, according to the companies. The growth of CdTe/Si was pioneered by Dr. Siva Sivananthan of EPIR for applications in the infrared imaging industry.
After more than 10 years of research and development, the two companies have achieved commercialization of CdTe/Si wafers. This technology is now being adapted for the solar markets, and Sunovia and EPIR expect to provide ultra-high efficiency solar cells that can be produced at about one-fifth the cost of today's high-efficiency solar cells.
The companies are currently under contract to install 20 MW of solar energy at the Parque Cibernetico in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
SOURCE: Sunovia Energy Technologies Inc.
