Solar3D eyes solar acquisitions

Aug 27, 2013 - Solar3D Inc (OTC:SLTD), the US firm developing a three-dimensional (3D) silicon solar cell, said Tuesday it was looking for acquisition targets that would allow it to expand to additional segments of the solar sector.

While the company’s technical team is working on a third-generation prototype of its 3D cell, the company intends to acquire “quality businesses with proven management”. Chief executive Jim Nelson said that potential targets might include other technology-focused firms in the field of energy storage and inversion or global manufacturing and domestic installation firms. “Solar3D has management strength and access to capital resources that may allow us to build our solar business along multiple paths and still maintain focus on the big prize -- the commercialization of the Solar3D Cell,” Nelson said.

In July Solar3D said its second prototype is completed and producing nearly 10% more than the first version of its solar cell. The initial prototype had an efficiency of more than 25%. The company used thinner silicon to make the second prototype. Now it is working on a third prototype which is expected to be cheaper to make and produce even more power.

The design of Solar3D’s solar cells, according to its manufacturer, allows them to generate "at least 250% of the power of a basic silicon solar cell". A wide-angle modification made early in 2012 also allows the cell to keep its high efficiency over a wider range of incident angles, meaning that its output is greater than that of other solar cells in the morning and evening hours as well as in the winter.

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