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Rayton Solar, a US-based company, has raised more than US$1 million in seed funding to develop its patented process which is designed to lower solar manufacturing process costs.
Rayton is using 1/50 to 1/100 less silicon (the most expensive component of a solar panel) than the industry standard. They are only utilizing 4 microns of silicon with zero waste in the manufacturing process, while conventional wafers are over 200 microns thick and waste more than 60% of the raw material. In addition, Rayton is the only commercial solar manufacturer that is capable of using Float Zone Silicon - a higher grade silicon that is 25% more efficient than the industry standard.
Rayton Solar's patented technology is to use a particle accelerator (virtually a laser beam) to conduct ion implantation - they blast H+ protons directly into a silicon ingot (raw material), attach the silicon to a substrate, exfoliate directly off the ingot with zero silicon waste, then conduct screen-print wiring and finalize the solar cells with anti reflective coatings. The finished cells then go through conventional module assembly lines to become solar panels for residential, commercial, and utility use.
This technology unlocks Float Zone Silicon for use in the solar industry. Historically this grade of silicon has been uneconomical for use in solar panels, but with the reduction in silicon use Rayton has made it cost effective. The 60% cost reduction allows US-based manufacturing to be cost competitive with solar panels made abroad, the company reports.
The one million dollars they raised in seed financing will get them through the process of becoming UL-certified and allow them to sell their product in the US. Rayton has developed working solar cells using their patented technology. Also, Rayton has partnered with a large US-based residential installer to buy their product once production begins.
Source: novuslight