Octillion Announces Development Plan For New NanoPowerWindows
Octillion Announces Development Plan For New Solar To Electricity Glass Windows (NanoPowerWindows)
New nanosilicon photovoltaic solar cell technology could adapt home and office glass windows into ones capable of generating electricity from sunlight without losing significant transparency or requiring major changes in manufacturing infrastructure.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia–(BUSINESS WIRE) November 28, 2006
Source: businesswire.com press release
Octillion Corp. (OTC:OCTL) is pleased to announce that its research and development initiatives are well under way for the development of a new patent-pending technology using nanosilicon photovoltaic solar cells that have the potential to convert normal home and office glass windows into ones capable of converting solar energy into electricity. These nanosilicon photovoltaic solar cells are created through a unique electrochemical and ultrasound process that produces identically sized (1 to 4 nanometers in diameter) highly luminescent nanoparticles of silicon that provide varying wavelengths of photoluminescence with high quantum down conversion efficiency of short wavelengths (50% to 60%). The process of producing these silicon nanoparticles is supported by 10 issued US patents, 7 pending US patents, 2 issued foreign counterpart patents and 19 pending foreign counterpart patents.
When thin films of silicon nanoparticles are deposited (sprayed) onto silicon substrates, ultraviolet light is absorbed and converted into electrical current. With appropriate connections, the film acts as nanosilicon photovoltaic solar cells that has the potential of converting solar radiation to electrical energy.
Our present research and development work involves integrating films of silicon nanoparticles on glass surfaces in order to convert solar energy coming through home and office windows into electricity, without losing significant transparency or requiring major changes in manufacturing infrastructure. Among our current research and development initiatives are:
* Construction of a small scale prototype window coated with nanosilicon photovoltaic solar cells;
* Testing of photovoltaic conversion in the prototype window;
* Optimizing materials used in the prototype window;
* Obtaining target light transmission of 70% through the prototype; and
* Conducting a cost benefit engineering analysis.
The Company’s research and development work is being conducted at fully equipped research facilities located at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) pursuant to a Sponsored Research Agreement (SRA) with UIUC. The SRA allows Octillion to benefit from leading edge research for significantly less than conventional organizations, who often spend large amounts of capital for such things as land and building acquisition, equipment and furniture purchases, and other incidental research costs.
“In addition to Octillion’s unique business model which benefits from the existing research and development infrastructure of the institutions we deal with, we also try to confirm, whenever possible, the major financial details, intellectual property rights and exclusivity terms for any license agreement to technologies being funded by us well in advance of a decision being made for potential commercialization,” states Mr. Harmel S. Rayat, a director of the Company. “This arrangement eliminates many financial and business uncertainties and allows us to plan accordingly.”