IntriEnergy Newsletter - February 2024
IntriEnergy Achieves Another Patent Milestone
European Patent Approval - Tandem Junction Photovoltaic Cell
IntriEnergy is pleased to report the European Patent Office has recently issued a Notice of Intent to Grant our tandem junction photovoltaic cell patent. The next step in the process for IntriEnergy is to advise the European Patent Office, in which countries we wish to activate this patent protection. We will be making these decisions based on IntriEnergy’s market potential in each country.
The European patent process is unique in that once a conventional European patent has been granted, it effectively splits into a group of separate national patent rights. The applicant can choose to let its patent rights lapse in one or more of the chosen countries, without affecting the patent rights remaining in other countries. The European patent protection is enforced in 39 countries.
This is a significant milestone for the company as we now have secured patent protection in our key target markets: North America (USA and Canada), India, and Europe.
IntriEnergy continues to work with Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT) to validate the increased energy output of IntriEnergy’s D·ARK anti-reflective coating. As noted in our last newsletter, to design a multiple layer diamond-like carbon (DLC) structure, we needed to ensure the quality of the single layers be at par with current state of the art anti-reflective coatings. This work was successfully completed, demonstrating the industry breakthrough IntriEnergy developed in the lab is proving achievable as we commercialize at GIT.
As work was initiated to grow multiple-layer films, GIT experienced a component failure within their equipment, resulting in a new part delay to the project, but we are back online. GIT is currently growing an additional batch of DLC single layer films based on our previous performance characteristics to ensure the equipment is providing consistent results. Once completed, GIT will begin growing multiple-layer films.
Our original project goal remains – to demonstrate D·ARK’s increased power output. Following completion of the multiple layers, GIT will utilize its commercial cell pilot line, to produce two batches of industry standard N-type solar cells:
Utilizing IntriEnergy’s D·ARK anti-reflective coating.
Utilizing today’s best-in-class anti-reflective coating.
A side-by side-comparison will be conducted, demonstrating IntriEnergy’s enhanced photon capture and increased energy output. We are targeting this to be achieved in Q2 of this year.
In the last newsletter we advised the next steps would involve optimized film and characterization of our PV cell utilizing our new deep performance modeling derived from our validated SiC PV device yields. We are pleased to announce the latest run of samples has tested the feasibility of the innovative layer structure for Silicon Carbide and has demonstrated an increase of 40% in power from a standard structure. Optimization of efficiency and layering of the solar cell design is now underway.
As mentioned in our previous newsletter, ultimately, we will integrate D·ARK anti-reflective coating and the IntrinSiC film stack into one PV Cell which we expect to complete at Georgia Institute of Technology for final commercial optimization.
We look forward to keeping you informed of our progress o these projects over the coming months.
