Energy Conversion Devices (ECD), which supplied the line for GE Research's OLED lighting project, has filed for bankruptcy.
Difficulties in the global solar industry, the main market for ECD's tools and technology, have taken a toll on many photovoltaics (PVs) businesses in the past six months - including the highly publicised bankruptcy of Solyndra. ECD took bankruptcy action to facilitate a sale of its subsidiary United Solar Ovonic (Uni-Solar) business, to enable Uni-Solar to be viable in the long-run.
During the bankruptcy and sale process, Uni-Solar will continue to operate and serve its customers, while moving forward on its development of advanced nano-crystalline silicon PV technology.
Venture
Uni-Solar was established in April 2000 by ECD, and metals and coatings firm Bekaert. The aim of the venture is to manufacture, market, and sell PV products and systems, and the business was one of the first to market with a flexible PV module based on amorphous silicon technology.
ECD went on to acquire Bekaert's stake in Uni-Solar in 2003. In 2009 Uni-Solar acquired Solar Integrated Technologies, to supply building-integrated (BI)PV systems for the residential roofing market.
The company's PV laminates are supplied for lightweight BIPV applications by companies including Tata Steel and CA Buildings Products.
Using its 30-year history of roll-to-roll manufacturing of semiconductors and other thin films, ECD supplied equipment for GE Research's line US for industrialising high-throughput, low-cost production of solution-processed OLED lighting, using plastic films as substrates instead of glass. The line has been installed and running at GE Research's facilities in Niskayuna, New York state for the past few years.
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Energy Conversion Devices
ECD, which launched Uni-Solar and supplied GE Research’s OLED lighting project line, filed for bankruptcy in February 2012
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United Solar Ovonic
Uni-Solar was one of the first to market with a flexible PV module based on amorphous silicon technology
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