1366 Technologies, a wafer manufacturer headquartered in the United States, and Hunt Perovskite Technologies (HPT), a solar technology firm based in the United States, have merged their separate businesses to form CubicPV.
According to a joint statement from the two firms, the move is intended to combine the best of both technologies in order to produce multi-junction solar cells. 1366’s Direct Wafer process and HPT’s printed perovskite solar PV technology will be combined in powerful tandem modules. Tandem or multi-junction technology, layers two light absorbers together in one device and can enhance the power output of the end plate by 30per cent over existing single-junction technology.
CubicPV will also receive a $25 million investment from Hunt Energy Enterprises, L.L.C. (HEE), First Solar, Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV), and others. HEE will be appointed to the Board of Directors. In the past, HPT has received 18 patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, as well as 30 more patents from different international patent offices. These patents cover a method of producing printed metal halide perovskite photovoltaic devices. 1366 has been working towards a tandem future over the last two years.
1366 and HPT will operate as CubicPV immediately, with offices in Bedford, Massachusetts, and Dallas, Texas. The new company name holds significance as it represents the cubic crystal structure shared by silicon and perovskite.