The announcement was made Wednesday by Energy Secretary Steven Chu. The selection process was conducted in accordance with the "Best Value Selection" requirements of the Department of Energy.

The Solar America Initiative is the major U.S. program for the development and commercialization of solar energy, and the Pre-Incubator award is one of the most prestigious SAI awards.

The primary SAI program goal is the development and commercialization of environmentally friendly solar energy technologies to produce electricity at costs competitive with electricity generated from fossil and nuclear fuels (known as grid parity).

The Partners expect to achieve grid parity by commercializing ultra-high-efficiency multi-junction CdTe-based concentrator solar cells at a small fraction of the cost of III-V multi-junction solar cells now used in concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) applications.

CPV technology uses inexpensive lenses to concentrate sunlight onto small, highly efficient solar cells, thus requiring less land and far less costly material than other photovoltaic technologies.

Dr. Siva Sivananthan, President and CEO of EPIR Technologies, stated, "The selection of our solar technology by the Department of Energy is a confirmation by the government's leading solar energy experts of the potential commercial value of the developments that EPIR and Sunovia have accomplished. I wish to take this opportunity to personally recognize and thank Senator Durbin for his longstanding belief in EPIR Technologies and green energy. Senator Durbin's support is extremely valuable and has been a key element in our 50-plus percent growth over the past twelve months. I look forward to continue growing EPIR at a rapid pace and creating new green jobs in Illinois, while improving our national security and our environment."

Carl Smith, CEO of SUNV stated, "Our new solar energy technology has the potential to revolutionize the generation of electricity on a global basis. Our partners at EPIR have a virtual monopoly on single crystal CdTe/Si production which provides us with critical advantages and protections as we commercialize this new product line." Mr. Smith added, "We have already signed a contract to construct the largest CPV solar energy power plant in the world which will create important manufacturing jobs for many workers laid off by the U.S. semiconductor and automotive industries. EPIR has already begun hiring skilled technicians and workers in Illinois who were laid off by these industries, and we are working through the appropriate channels to ensure that new manufacturing jobs are created in states with important demographic synergies. We are proud to be creating these new jobs in the U.S. at a time when a majority of companies are eliminating jobs."

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Solar America Initiative (SAI)
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