Nines Photovoltaics secures EUR 350,000 to bring technology to market - report

Sep 13, 2013 - Irish solar cell technology firm Nines Photovoltaics has obtained EUR 350,000 (USD 465,000) in financing from Kernel Capital for the development and market launch of its silicon-wafer processing tool, the Irish Times said Thursday.

Kernel Capital is the manager of Bank of Ireland's (NYSE:IRE) Seed and Early Stage Equity Fund. Other investors also contributed to Nines' project but their share of investment was not revealed.

Nines Photovoltaics is working on a technology that aims to cut the cost of solar power by changing the solar cells production process. The project is developed together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Germany. Currently, the Irish firm is validating its first silicon-wafer processing tool in manufacturing conditions.

Nines has developed a tool to separate layers of silicon from a crystalline silicon wafer. The etching is currently made in a wet-based chemical process, but Nines claims to be the first to use a novel high throughput atmospheric pressure dry etching technology. The company is the pioneer in offering a processing solution using only Zero Global Warming Potential chemicals. The company explains that the transition to dry etching is expected to considerably reduce solar cell maker’s water consumption, cut costs and boost efficiency.

(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.328)

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