A Massachusetts company backed by Silicon Valley venture money said Tuesday that it has successfully conducted the first-ever demonstration of manufacturing solar cells by inkjet printing.

Rick Hess, president and CEO of thin film photovoltaic technology developer Konarka Technologies Inc., called the demonstration a "milestone" for the company and an "essential breakthrough in the field of printed solar cells," in a statement.

Inkjet printing is a commonly used technique for controlled deposition of materials in specific locations on a substrate, primarily used to make flexible electronic circuits. By using the process in the development of solar cells, the need for "clean rooms" is eliminated, and manufacturers can work with a number of different substrates, including plastics, and different colors, according to company officials.