Three Solar Players Push Envelope With New U.S. Plants

Low cell efficiencies have limited the appeal of organic solar cells, said Lawrence Gasman, principal analyst with NanoMarkets in Glen Allen, Va. Conventional polysilicon cells, which are widely used for solar panels on the market today, can reach efficiencies of more than 20 percent.

NanoMarkets in May predicted that the organic photovoltaic market will generate about $1 billion in revenues by 2015 -- respectable, but a tiny sliver of the photovoltaic solar market overall, Gasman said.

"I would be really, really surprised if they're saying they're going to be shipping a gigawatt of material in the near future," Gasman said of Konarka's plans.

Still, Konarka believes it will find a market for its plastic material. But instead of targeting utilities or builders of home and business solar power systems, the material could be used to turn portable consumer products -- such as backpacks, umbrellas and tents -- into mobile power generators.

The U.S. Army also is interested in Konarka's technology, and has given the company $1.6 million to develop materials for soldiers in the field, Wemett said.

Nathaniel Bullard, a senior analyst at U.K.-based research firm New Energy Finance, said Konarka's strategy to capture what he called the "trickle charge" market could pay off down the road.

G24 Innovations began licensing another solar-cell technology developed by Konarka in 2006 to make small panels for charging cell phones and other electronic devices.

Konarka didn't disclose the cost of its New Bedford plant or how much its power plastic will cost to manufacture.