DayStar Technologies, makers of ConcentraTIR and Photovoltaic Foil products, manufacture Cu(In,Ga)Se2-based (CIGS) solar cells on flexible media as an alternative to wafer-silicon solar cells. DayStar believes the unique combination of its CIGS solar cell design, coupled with proprietary manufacturing processes on flexible media, could substantially lower costs and remove deployment barriers currently limiting large adoption of solar energy. Dr. John Tuttle, chairman and CEO of DayStar Technologies, has released an operational update primarily focused on the implementation of commercial scale manufacturing plans.
Production of solar cells is planned in three progressive scales, referred to internally as pilot, commercial scale and full. Commercial scale production has an established goal of 6000 cell starts per day by the end of 2006. Pilot production activities have resulted in the first product deliveries to Blitzstrom GmbH.
Presently, second-generation manufacturing methodologies are being refined and expanded at the Halfmoon, N.Y., facility. Third-generation methodologies will be implemented at a sophisticated 100,000-sq ft facility to be located in Malta, N.Y.
One high-profile application for LightFoil is in the High Altitude Airship program, which is presently being researched by various defense firms under contract with the U.S. Department of Defense.
