Solestial and Meyer Burger forge deal to expand solar cell production
Technology tamfitronics Solestial manufacturing facility in Tempe, Arizona. Credit: SolestialLOGAN, Utah — Solestial announced a strategic partnership Aug. 5 with Meyer Burger Technology to dramatically expand production of silicon solar technology.Tempe, Arizona-based Solestial’s radiation-resistant solar cells and flexible solar power modules are designed for long-term space applications. Meyer Burger, a publicly traded Swiss company, brings expertise in manufacturing solar cells and modules.Through the partnership, Solestial and Meyer Burger plan to produce 1 megawatt of solar cells annually by mid-2025. For comparison, Solestial currently produces less than 100 kilowatts per year.“This is a huge scale up for Solestial,” Andy Atherton, Solestial chief operations officer, told SpaceNews by email. “It’s also worth noting that the entire global manufacturing capacity for space-specialized solar is less than 2 megawatts today. So, we’re adding meaningful global scale with this partnership.”Solestial flexible solar power...