Sencera International Corp., a photovoltaic thin-film module and systems developer, has secured a $3.6 million equity investment from The Quercus Trust. The funds will be used to accelerate increases in cell efficiency and to complete process integration of Sencera's Viper manufacturing platform – a process projected to manufacture solar modules at a cost less than $1 per watt.
Established in 2003, Sencera customers included the U.S. Army and the U.S. Display Consortium. Its plasma processes and hardware were successfully utilized in thin-film transistor and integrated circuit applications. In 2006, Sencera began contract work for leading CIGS solar cell developers, and last year embarked on the development of proprietary thin-film amorphous silicon and microcrystalline silicon solar cells.
The company plans to build a prototype 1 MW thin-film photovoltaic manufacturing platform. Work will also center on solar-cell efficiency milestones. Upon the completion of the demonstration phase, Sencera will begin construction of a 35 MW – 50 MW PV module manufacturing line.
