From C/Net News

Silicon Valley solar company Solexant has raised $41.5 million to pursue technology it says can slice the costs of solar power with a printing-like manufacturing process.

The company's technology, which was developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, takes raw semiconductor material and creates nanoparticles which, once dissolved in a solvent, creates an ink which can be printed.

Initially, it plans to use cadmium telluride to make solar cells, but in the future it hopes to use materials more efficient at converting sunlight into electrical energy, said CEO Damoder Reddy on Friday.

Solexant has been operating a pilot facility able to make two megawatts per year worth of solar cells in San Jose, California and plans to build a larger facility with the latest round of funding. The nanocrystal material allows for a roll-to-roll production process, which is faster and cheaper than other techniques such as vapor deposition, Reddy said.

[More...] [Comments...]