Sept. 2023 - PI Energy Update
At PI Energy, our goal is to significantly drive down the total installed-cost of solar PV and open new markets to solar power, resulting in a far faster global transition to clean energy. Here are some details on our recent updates and progress.
Technical
We are targeting to complete a major technical hurdle over the coming weeks: integrating all the layers of our photovoltaic ultra-thin solar cell.
Solar cells generate electricity from an interaction between the incoming light and their constituent layers.
Positive progress towards commercialization of our technology is highly dependent on the rate of prototyping, which in turn is a product of our materials processing and testing diagnostics.
Image: Ultra-thin silicon processing at PI Energy, Aug. 2023
Over the past few months our technical progress includes:
1.) Solar cell precursor materials processing: Our processing rate has improved by over 3x. During the last month, we have started the process of integrating the constituent layers of our solar cell. This is critical to improving the device performance.
2.) Diagnostics rate: Most semiconductor fabrication steps are followed by a diagnostic where we probe specific physical properties of the materials. Previously, we were shipping our processed semiconductor materials to an outside contractor for diagnostics. Now, we are performing diagnostics in-house at about 4x faster rate. What used to take us a 2 week turn-around is now taking a few hours. This also saves us money and time.
3.) Diagnostics capability: In addition to bringing the diagnostics in-house, we are examining additional physical properties and doing so across larger areas of our materials’ surface. Adding more diagnostic methods allows for better material characterization. It allows us to know how to improve at a faster pace.
Team
Our newest board member, Michael Allman, was appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors. This is the first change in this position since the founding of PI Energy. Michael Allman formerly served as CEO of Sempra Renewables, that invested billions of dollars in clean energy. He is a veteran of the solar energy and broader energy sectors.
In June 2023, we added a nanoelectronics engineer to support our prototyping, testing, and fabrication.
Market Outlook
The goal for a global transition to renewable energy continues to gain momentum as more countries commit to a future of net zero emissions. During this summer of 2023, all-time high temperature records impacted North America, Europe, and Asia. We expect that the market demand for cost-competitive renewable energy will continue to increase.
The disruption of fossil fuel markets since the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine continues to add momentum to energy transition efforts. In particular, we have found an increase in interest for PI Energy from potential investors and commercialization partners in the European Union.
The US’ new industrial policy to re-shore key manufacturing industries is also targeting solar PV. There are new laws and billions of additional dollars of federal and state incentives for new US solar PV manufacturing. These efforts are supported by the argument that the US can re-shore solar PV production, supporting domestic manufacturing and job growth while eliminating vulnerable supply chains based in the People’s Republic of China. At PI Energy, our goal is to have US manufacturing of solar PV, with market competitive products for the domestic and global solar energy market.