Energy Conversion Devices Inc. (ECD, Rochester Hills, MI) announced that it has been awarded a three-year, cost-shared, three-phase subcontract by the US Department of Energy's (DOE, Washington, DC) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL, Golden, CO) to develop new optically enhanced back reflector and improved deposition processes for amorphous silicon-based solar cells. NREL will incrementally fund more than $1.1 million of the approximately $1.4 million subcontract, with ECD providing the balance of the funds.
In a joint statement, Stanford Ovshinsky, president and CEO of ECD, and Robert Stempel, chairman of ECD, stated, "This program is a prime example of the collaborative research between government and industry to advance clean, renewable energy. We are pleased to continue our long-standing collaboration with the DOE and NREL and to build on the success we have achieved to date."
