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HelioVolt Corporation was a privately held solar energy company based in Austin, Texas that suspended operations in 2014. The company manufactured photovoltaic (PV) solar modules using a thin film semiconductor process based on copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) to produce CIGS solar cells. HelioVolt manufactured these thin film modules for commercial rooftop, utility-scale ground mount, residential, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and custom installations. The company raised over $230 million in investments, including over $80 million by SK Group.[1]
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Photovoltaics |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Founder | Dr. B.J. Stanbery |
| Defunct | 2014 |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Key people | Dr. B.J. Stanbery Steve Darnell John Prater Dr. Peter Hersh Dr. Bao Sang |
| Products | CIGS solar cells |
| Website | www |
History
editHelioVolt Corporation was founded in 2001 to develop and commercialize its FASST® process for applying CIGS thin-film photovoltaics directly onto conventional construction materials. The company’s FASST® process,[2][3] based on semiconductor printing, was conceived by HelioVolt founder Dr. Billy J. Stanbery, an expert in the materials science of CIGS and related compound semiconductors.[4] FASST® is a patented manufacturing process for CIGS synthesis.[5]
HelioVolt produced thin film solar PV modules for commercial rooftop, utility-scale ground mount, residential, BIPV and custom installations. HelioVolt suspended operations in 2014[6] and the contents of the Austin facility were auctioned in January 2015.[7]
Investments
editLarge-scale investment in HelioVolt began with $8 million in Series A funding from New Enterprise Associates in 2005.[8] A further $77 million was added in a Series B funding round co-led by Paladin Capital Group and the Masdar Clean Tech Fund in August 2007.[9] The Series B funding round was closed for a total of $101 million in October 2007 with investments from Sequel Venture Partners, Noventi, and Passport Capital.[10] The latest investment will fund factory expansion preparation activities.
Technology
editHelioVolt developed a new way to manufacture thin-film CIGS semiconductor coatings for solar panels, based on research into the fundamental device physics of the CIGS semiconductor material.[11] However, this solar thin-film processing method was flawed and failed to scale economically, leading to the company's demise in 2014.[12] The contents of the Austin facility were auctioned in January 2015.[13] Conventional semiconductor processing requires a vacuum process to deposit the semiconductor film on the substrate. The need for vacuum chambers makes this a lengthy batch-oriented production process. HelioVolt developed a nanomaterial-based coating that could be sprayed onto a wide variety of substrates without requiring a vacuum. Non-vacuum or atmospheric deposition processes offer a combination of lower costs, process simplicity and reduced manufacturing times.[3] The company's FASST manufacturing process[14] won a Nanotech Briefs "Nano 50" nanotechnology award in 2006. In 2008, HelioVolt and NREL won an R&D 100 Award for their innovative Thin Film Solar Printing Process,[15] as well as the year's coveted R&D Magazine's Editor’s Choice for Most Revolutionary Technology.[16][17]
HelioVolt produced thin film solar cells that could convert 14% of the sunlight that hit them into electricity, and solar modules with conversion efficiencies of above 12 percent, as certified by NREL.[18]
References
edit- ^ Colthorpe, Andy (2017-08-07). "HelioVolt secures another US$19 million investment from South Korean conglomerate". pv-tech.org. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
- ^ Eldada, Louay (Jan 10, 2010). "Can HelioVolt Challenge First Solar?". IEEE Spectrum. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ a b "HelioVolt and NREL extend CRADA to commercialize solar nanotechnology". Nanotechnology.com. 2006-09-12. Archived from the original on 2016-05-15. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
- ^ [1] . [dead link]
- ^ "HelioVolt's Solar Technology Awarded Two Wall Street Journal Innovation Honors". Nano Science and Technology Institute. 2006-09-28. Archived from the original on 2010-06-20.
- ^ "Austin-based solar energy company HelioVolt suspends operations". Austin American Statesman. Archived from the original on June 15, 2014.
- ^ "Assets of HelioVolt's failed solar panel plant in Austin heading to auction". Austin Business Journal.
- ^ "HelioVolt Receives $8 Million Investment from New Enterprise Associates". Solar Headlines. 2005-06-20.
- ^ "HelioVolt Completes $77 Million Series B Funding Round". Venture Capital Reporter. 2007-08-16. Archived from the original on 2008-02-11.
- ^ "HelioVolt raises $101M — biggest solar investment yet?". VentureBeat. 2007-10-21.
- ^ "Nanostructure Discovery by HelioVolt CEO Propels Solar Thin-Film Commercialization". nanotechwire.com. 2005-01-11. Archived from the original on 2008-04-20.
- ^ "Austin-based solar energy company HelioVolt suspends operations". Austin American Statesman.
- ^ "Assets of HelioVolt's failed solar panel plant in Austin heading to auction". Austin Business Journal.
- ^ "Green Energy Efficiency Innovations | Environment Saving Technologies".
- ^ "HelioVolt, NREL Win R&D 100 Award for Thin Film Solar Printing Process". Compound Semiconductors Online. 2008-07-24.
- ^ "HelioVolt, NREL Win R&D Magazine Editor's Choice for Most Revolutionary Technology". Compound Semiconductors Online. 2008-10-23.
- ^ "Let the Solar Revolution Begin". Solar Today. 2009-03-01.
- ^ "Rapid reactive transfer printing of CIGS photovoltaics". SPIE. 2009-08-25.