Industry News
December 17, 2008
Konarka Announces Collaboration & $45 Million Investment From Total To Grow PV Thin Film Business
Konarka Technologies, Inc., a developer of Power Plastic®, a material that converts light to energy, announced that the company has signed bilateral R&D and cooperation agreements with Total, described as one of the largest publicly-traded integrated international oil and gas companies in the world.
Konarka has secured $45 million in funding and Total will become the leading shareholder with its stake being slightly less than 20%. Konarka will work on developing new components for their products with Total’s chemical subsidiaries – Atotech, Bostik, Hutchinson, Sartomer and Total Petrochemicals USA. Already present in solar energy through its interest in Photovoltech and Tenesol, Total intends to step up its crystalline silicon-based cell production. At the same time, it aims to grow in the thin film segment; which it thinks Konarka will help it to do.
"This is a very substantial and significant investment from a major global energy corporation," commented Howard Berke, Executive Chairman and co-founder of Konarka. "This strategic alignment will give Konarka access to a new strength of resources, assets and operations from around the world. Through the agreements, Konarka will be very instrumental in helping Total to secure its future in solar energy by facilitating the growth of its solar thin film segment of the company’s renewable energy business."
Following the transaction, Philippe Boisseau, President, Total Gas & Power, stated: "This investment positions Total strategically to secure the future of solar energy while expanding its technological portfolio."
"We look forward to working with Total’s five chemical subsidiaries on technical collaboration, as well as efficient operational procedures," commented Rick Hess, President and CEO at Konarka. "Active in the area of solar energy for the past 20 years, Total also brings extensive expertise in carbon chemistry. The collaboration between the two companies will advance the deployment of solar power for more cost-efficient, renewable energy around the globe."
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Primitive batteries capable of producing ½ volt of electricity were made in Mesopotamia between around 200 B.C. and 200 A.D. They were used mainly for electroplating silver onto copper.