Konarka Technologies, Inc., a company developing solar plastic films that convert light to energy, signed a comprehensive R&D collaboration agreement with Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. (KPI1.BE). In addition Konica Minolta has invested $20 million in Konarka.
The companies will begin full-scale collaboration in April in the joint development and distribution of organic thin-film photovoltaics.
The companies aim to improve organic thin-film photovoltaic
performance with higher conversion efficiency, longer life and lower
manufacturing costs, and mass production. Currently, Konarka’s says its
roll-to-roll process simplifies manufacturing scale-up, lowers capital
and labor costs and can be produced using existing coating and printing
equipment.Upon successful results of the joint development
milestones, the companies are expected to establish a joint venture
company in Japan to produce organic thin-film photovoltaic panels.
Konica Minolta will be Konarka’s lead Asian business partner
headquartered in Japan.
Konica Minolta Group offers diverse products and services ranging from office equipment, optical devices, medical imaging, graphic imaging to measuring instruments. The company is actively developing optical, nano-fabrication and imaging technologies with a particular focus on OLED lighting.
Konarka Technologies is headquartered in Lowell, Massachusetts. and has a full scale production manufacturing facility in New Bedford, Massachusetts, with European headquarters in Nurnberg, Germany, business development offices in Asia and a research and development facility in Austria.
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