AQT announces strategic partnerships to speed up market entry

SANTA CLARA, USA: AQT, a leading developer of low-cost CIGS (copper-indium-gallium-diselenide) thin-film solar cells, today announced key partnerships with two leading solar companies to drive the delivery and deployment of AQT’s breakthrough solar cells into commercial projects beginning in 2010.

The partnerships with Solar Enertech and HelioPower validate AQT’s unique business model and will accelerate fulfillment of the growing number of orders for its low cost alternative to traditional solar cells.

Solar Enertech, a large-scale producer of photovoltaic cells and modules, is working closely with AQT as a module manufacturing partner for AQT’s CIGS cells and will assist with product certification and qualification beginning in the second half of this year. Solar Enertech’s research and development team will join efforts with AQT to complete the final process of turning CIGS cells into modules.

“We are very excited to be partnering with AQT on CIGS technology to broaden the range of low cost offerings to the market,” said Leo Young, CEO of Solar Enertech. “It is in line with our value added strategy to the non-silicon segment and leverages our creative technology team.”

HelioPower, a leading solar power design and installation firm, has engineered solar power solutions for residential, commercial, community and utility-scale partners since 2001. HelioPower has designed and installed over 1,000 solar power systems and serves clients worldwide. AQT and HelioPower will jointly address AQT’s initial customer installations and provide a smooth market entry for AQT’s products.

“Reliability, flexibility and economic viability are the cornerstones of our business model,” said Ty Jagerson, executive vice president, Commercial Sales, HelioPower. “We see AQT’s products as a natural addition to our solar portfolio.”

In addition, AQT announced last month a partnership with Intevac, a leader in high-productivity manufacturing equipment, in which Intevac will provide AQT with its production-proven manufacturing equipment for its current and future production needs.

“AQT’s CIGS 2.0 business model relies as much on world class partners like Solar Enertech and HelioPower as it does on our breakthrough solar cells, and we will leverage the existing PV ecosystem to rapidly deliver solar solutions to market,” said Michael Bartholomeusz, CEO, AQT. “Leverage is perhaps the most effective force multiplier in this space and will go a long way towards helping us to collectively attain grid parity.”