News

30 October 2006

RoseStreet Labs establishes JV with Sumitomo Chemical

RoseStreet Labs LLC and Sumitomo Chemical Co Ltd have established a joint venture (JV), RSL Energy Inc, to develop and manufacture full spectrum solar cells for renewable energy markets. The company will be headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

RSL Energy says it is commercializing technology utilizing full spectrum solutions that are forecast to achieve practical efficiencies above 48% in both single junction and multi-junction devices. The company has exclusive patent licenses from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and Cornell University for semiconductor devices, which it claims use a larger fraction of the solar spectrum compared to other products.

RSL Energy will commercialize Berkeley Lab’s multi-band technology, which incorporates a new semiconductor material that can achieve the efficiencies of a triple junction device, yet costs the same to manufacture as a single junction device, says the company. In September this year, the technology won the R&D 100 Award, followed in October by the R&D 100 Award for Most Promising Technology.

The company is also commercializing the InGaN multi-junction technology of Cornell and Berkeley Lab, for next generation concentrator based photovoltaics (CPVs) used in distributed energy power generation. RSL Energy says R&D will take place during 2007, with the first prototypes due in 2008, for field testing in CPV distributed energy, flat panel, space and architectural applications.

Bob Forcier, president and CEO of RoseStreet Labs, said: “With our strategic relationship with Sumitomo Chemical and the Berkeley Lab and Cornell breakthroughs in photovoltaic devices, we plan to leapfrog advances in solar cell applications. We believe RSL Energy can provide a unique product solution for a broad range of renewable energy applications, at a cost of ownership close to prevailing utility rates. Full Spectrum technology also has the potential for products to be supplied on a variety of substrates thereby enabling creative applications in the architectural, wireless, automotive, rooftop/shingle, and distributed energy industries. We are also proud to have Dr. Wladek Walukiewicz, innovator of multi-band technology and our Chief Technology Officer for RSL Energy, to drive the technology development of full spectrum solutions for the global photovoltaic markets.”

Masami Nakamoto, executive vice president of Sumitomo Chemical, said: “Sumitomo wishes to collaborate with RoseStreet Labs, Berkeley Lab, and Cornell University by bringing a variety of its comprehensive technology and commercialization experience, accumulated over the years, into RSL Energy. Sumitomo plans to use its US subsidiary, Sumika Electronic Materials Inc, located in Phoenix, Arizona to participate directly in the development of InGaN, thus achieving the prompt commercialization of the innovative technology.”

Visit RoseStreet Labs: http://www.rosestreetlabs.com

Visit Sumitomo: http://www.sumitomo-chem.co.jp/english

Visit Berkeley Lab: http://www.lbl.gov

Visit Cornell University: http://www.cornell.edu

Visit Sumika: http://www.sumikamaterials.com