Konarka Technologies has formed strategic alliances with Lapp Kabel, ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe, Bischoff Glastechnik and the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology
Nuremberg, 13 September 2011. The US manufacturer of organic solar cells Konarka Technologies has expanded its strategic partnerships internationally. At a press conference at the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, EU PV SEC, on 7 September in Hamburg, Germany, representatives of Konarka, as well as of the new partners Lapp Kabel, ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe, Bischoff Glastechnik and the Fraunhofer IWES presented plans for their cooperation.
“Many façade surfaces lend themselves well to photovoltaics, but today lie idle. Until recently the right technology had simply been lacking”, said Dr. Lars Pfeiffer, responsible for Quality and Development of the business unit Color/Construction of ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG. The company plans to integrate Konarka’s cells in metal facades, thereby producing a multifunctional as well as an aesthetic product, which not only takes over the task of encasing the building, but produces solar power as well. “The development of such environmentally friendly products goes along ideally with the concern’s guiding principle: ‘Steel goes green'”, Pfeiffer adds.
Highly Efficient and Inexpensive
The continuous process Konarka uses in production (roll-to-roll) is also an established method at ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe. “Refining large surfaces is what we do every day. Our Coil-Coating process for the manufacture of high quality products is highly efficient and, thus, inexpensive. Konarka’s processes fit ideally to these construction cycles, even when our steel rings are slightly heavier than the foil rolls Konarka has previously used”, said Pfeiffer.
