UbiQD and First Solar Partner for Developing Quantum Dot-Enhanced Solar Modules

UbiQD, a New Mexico, US, based nanotechnology company, has announced a joint development agreement with First Solar, a solar technology company. This collaboration is to further incorporate fluorescent quantum dot technology into advanced solar modules. The Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanoparticles that exhibit high-efficiency photoluminescence over a wide range of tunable colours, making them effective at optimizing light spectra.

These companies have been conducting exploratory work since early 2022, and the initial results have supported the formulation of the formalized joint-development effort that they announced today. Previously, UbiQD has collaborated on several greenhouse products under its UbiGro® brand that adjusts the spectrum of sunlight to enhance crop growth. Now, the company is engineering these materials for potential applications in utility-scale solar to significantly increase the efficiency of current PV technologies.

Commenting on the significance of the initiative, Markus Gloeckler, chief technology officer, of First Solar said that, ‘As we work towards developing the next generation of photovoltaics, we are exploring a range of enhancements that could allow us to convert more sunlight into energy.’ He described the UniQD tieup as ‘an exploration of the potential use of quantum dots in optimizing the absorption of light and looks forward to continuing our work with UbiQD on exploring this possibility.’

First Solar claims that it does not rely on the polysilicon value chain dominated by China, but instead uses proprietary cadmium telluride (CdTe) technology to make reasonably efficient and cost-competitive solar cells. The form has been on a massive capacity expansion drive in the US, and in India as well, as it seeks to build on its unique advantage. 

Hunter McDaniel, UbiQD CEO said that ‘With First Solar’s domain expertise and leadership position they are collaborating on developing the potential to enhance panel efficiency using quantum dot technology,’. He elaborated that “If successful, this application in solar modules will be a perfect example of the broad applicability of our core technology. With emerging applications in food and energy, these novel nanomaterials are proving to be a key tool in humanity’s urgent response to climate change and further sustainable economic development.”