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Intel makes third solar move with investment in thin-film materials supplier
"Materials innovation is critical to enabling new capabilities in semiconductor device manufacturing. Our financing of Voltaix is part of Intel Capital's manufacturing strategy to foster innovation around integrated circuit manufacturing and complementary cleantech areas such as thin film photovoltaics," said Arvind Sodhani, president of Intel Capital and Intel executive VP.
By Ann Steffora Mutschler, Senior Editor -- Electronic News, 7/29/2008
Marking its third foray into the solar energy arena this year, chip giant Intel Corp through its Intel Capital investment arm has invested $12.5 million in Branchburg, NJ-based semiconductor and thin film materials supplier Voltaix, which will allow the company to accelerate its manufacturing capacity expansion.
Voltaix is a manufacturer of electronic chemicals and gases used in front-end semiconductor manufacturing and a supplier of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) precursors for production of photovoltaic cells.
Voltaix President John P de Neufville noted that the company has provided critical materials for semiconductor and thin film solar applications for more than 25 years. “We believe that thin-film solar-cell production, particularly products that can support building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), is poised for significant expansion. This financing will help enable us to construct a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility to meet growing demand for thin film energy technologies,” he said in a statement.
Production of thin-film photovoltaics, which use amorphous silicon, CdTe and CIGS technologies, is expected to increase more than four-fold between 2007 and 2010, according to Deutsche Bank. Market researchers at Yole Development estimate that the market segment for thin film photovoltaics will reach $6.7 billion by 2015.
“Materials innovation is critical to enabling new capabilities in semiconductor device manufacturing. Our financing of Voltaix is part of Intel Capital's manufacturing strategy to foster innovation around integrated circuit manufacturing and complementary cleantech areas such as thin film photovoltaics,” added Arvind Sodhani, president of Intel Capital and Intel executive VP, in the statement.
Voltaix is the former ChemOvonic division of Energy Conversion Devices Inc, which was spun off as an independent business in 1986. In 1998 the company acquired Florida Scientific Laboratories Inc, and today operates facilities in Branchburg, NJ, and High Springs, Fla.
Intel’s first venture into the solar-power market came last month when the microprocessor leader spun off key assets of a start-up business effort inside its new business initiatives group to form SpectraWatt Inc, which included a $50 million, Intel-led investment round.
And earlier this month, Intel expanded its cleantech portfolio by leading a $133.7 million (85 million Euro) investment round in thin-film CIS photovoltaic solar module maker Sulfurcell Solartechnik GmbH.
