Silevo advised that it had exited its stealth mode with its new proprietary Triex technology. The hybrid solar solution is said to combine high-performance crystalline silicon N-type substrates, thin-film passivation layers and a tunneling oxide layer in one solar module. The solar module is powered by the company’s tunneling junction, which it states allows for the three materials to cohesively work together and produce high-efficiency, competitive module costs with optimum energy yield.

Silevo’s corporate headquarters in California’s Silicon Valley are supported by its R&D and manufacturing operation base in Asia. The company recently finalized US$33 million in financing with New Margin, a new lead investor, which was joined by GSR & DT Capital. The company intends to use the financing to develop a high-volume manufacturing facility in Hangzhou, China and explore advanced research to bring Triex to 24% conversion efficiency.

“Since our collaboration started in 2009, Silevo has matured their cell technology from R&D cells of ~13% efficiency to pilot production cells of ~21% efficiency-an impressive 60% improvement. They have achieved these gains by rethinking conventional silicon cells and taking innovative approaches to optimize all aspects of device performance rather than focusing on incremental improvements to efficiency,” said Dr. Bruce King, PV performance team lead at Sandia National Laboratories.

The company has modules in pilot production with the Triex cells said to be showing between a 20% and 21% conversion efficiency on full-size substrates with proven production materials. Customer qualification samples were shipped today from its pilot production center in Fremont, California with high-volume commercial production slated to begin in the first half of 2012.



For more detailed information on Silevo’s technology be sure to check out PV-Tech’s recent product review.