8th May 2008

HelioVolt Corporation, a producer of thin film solar energy products, and Architectural Glass & Aluminum Co. (AGA) have announced a partnership to develop and manufacture building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) products. The joint offering will incorporate high-quality solar energy systems directly into standardized curtain wall products, the exterior glass façades that dominate modern urban construction. By embedding PV thin film into building materials, the solar-enabled curtain walls are designed to improve aesthetics, simplify installation and reduce operating costs for solar energy in new construction.

“Driven by the inherent value of being able to generate clean electricity at the same place it’s being consumed, the market for distributed solar energy is developing at breakneck speed,” said HelioVolt CEO Dr. BJ Stanbery. “In addition to offering advances over the typical solar panel products that dominate the market today, HelioVolt’s manufacturing process enables next-generation smart building materials capable of powering cities of the future.”

“AGA has a 40 year history of delivering specialized curtain wall products and services to our customers throughout the Western United States. This new solar-enabled product line will add value and innovation to our already trusted offering,” said Joe Brescia, CEO of AGA. “HelioVolt’s unique manufacturing process and quality of the resulting CIGS thin film make the company a valued partner as we move into a new category of BIPV products.”

BIPV is a fast-growing segment of the global multi-trillion construction materials market. The US Department of Energy estimates that development of practical, efficient and economical BIPV products, deployed on roofs and façades of commercial buildings and homes, can generate 50 percent of the electrical needs of developed countries like the United States. According to NanoMarkets, an industry analyst firm, BIPV products are projected to be the largest opportunity within the thin-film market, and are expected to constitute about $800 million in 2011.

Delivering cost and efficiency benefits to the solar energy market, HelioVolt’s proprietary FASST process manufactures high-performance CIGS thin film ten to one hundred times more rapidly than competitive processes. Currently constructing a manufacturing facility in Austin to produce advanced solar energy modules, HelioVolt’s agreement with AGA marks the company’s first partnership for delivering BIPV products to market.

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