MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cogenra Solar, a provider of high-performance solar technology, today announced that it has been awarded $2 million by the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative. With this award, Cogenra will scale its record-setting Dense Cell Interconnect (DCI) technology through an automated production line based in the United States.

Cogenra’s DCI is an advanced PV cell interconnect technology that boosts solar module power up to 15 percent compared to currently available modules. In a series of tests conducted by third-party laboratories, DCI technology set world records for peak power output in N-type mono crystalline cells, P-type mono crystalline cells and multi crystalline cells. DCI enables maximal power generation by eliminating copper interconnect ribbons, solder-joints and inter-cell gaps. Current use of ribbons shades the silicon cells from sunlight, increases resistance losses and is a leading cause of PV module degradation.

“DCI technology is directly aligned with the goals of the SunShot Initiative—to deliver clean solar energy at a price point,” said Cogenra Solar CEO and founder, Dr. Gilad Almogy. “The Department of Energy shares our vision to deliver record-setting power as well as enhanced reliability and beautiful aesthetics at a much lower cost-per-watt. We are honored to receive this award to automate and scale this innovative technology while creating manufacturing jobs right here in the United States.”

Existing module manufacturing lines can be seamlessly upgraded to Cogenra DCI manufacturing line with minimal capex addition, increasing module power capacity by up to 15 percent while significantly reducing cost-per-watt.

The SunShot’s Solar Manufacturing Technology 2 program intends to spur photovoltaic and concentrating solar power manufacturing and supply chain companies in the U.S. by aiding the development of innovative cost-reducing and efficiency-increasing technology into useable manufacturing equipment and processes. Awardees are expected to move technology from the development to pilot stages of manufacturing or construction, or from pilot to full-scale manufacturing or construction within one to four years, while demonstrating their proposed cost reductions.

About Cogenra Solar

Cogenra Solar is a manufacturer of innovative, low cost and high reliability PV panel and systems. Cogenra’s proprietary technology is field proven in over forty installations worldwide. Originally developed to maximize the performance, output and reliability of the T14 low concentration PV system, the breakthrough DCI technology has gone through extensive internal and third-party testing to prove its superior reliability and performance. Cogenra is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. For further information visit www.cogenra.com.

About the SunShot Initiative

The U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative is a collaborative national effort that aggressively drives innovation to make solar energy fully cost-competitive with traditional energy sources before the end of the decade. Through SunShot, the Energy Department supports efforts by private companies, universities, and national laboratories to drive down the cost of solar electricity to $0.06 per kilowatt-hour. Learn more at energy.gov/sunshot.