Mar 12 2008
Sunovia Energy Technologies, Inc. announced today that it has established a new infrared materials and systems integration division for advanced cadmium telluride (CdTe) and mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) infrared imaging and sensor products.
In addition, in response to numerous inquiries specific to the company’s business structure and mission, the company provided the following clarification:
Sunovia Energy Technologies, Inc. has three operating divisions:
- next-generation solar and infrared sensor materials and systems;
- next-generation light emitting diodes (LEDs); and
- solid-state lighting engines and fixtures.
The company’s solar cell and infrared technologies division is leveraging the inherent synergies between infrared and solar by capitalizing on the existing market demand for highly efficient cadmium telluride (CdTe) and mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe)-based infrared materials. The experts working with Sunovia are recognized as the top scientists and engineers in their respective fields, and by leveraging that expertise in the manufacturing processes for these materials, Sunovia believes they can accelerate the deployment of infrared technologies and advance their next-generation solar cell program simultaneously.
The Sunovia team demonstrates proven expertise in the area of CdTe on Silicon (Si), an infrared sensor material for military and commercial markets that efficiently converts light into electricity. CdTe is identified by experts and companies in the industry to be one of the most promising materials for the production of highly efficient solar cells. Initially, the company will deliver high-efficiency CdTe-based materials to the infrared sensor market while working to advance the CdTe-based solar cell technologies for the space and military markets. Then, the company will target the commercial, utility and residential markets as manufacturing costs are reduced.
Sunovia’s chairman and CEO, Carl Smith, stated, “After thorough discussions with Dr. Siva Sivananthan, it became clear that a significant infrared market exists for our HgCdTe and CdTe infrared materials, and that due to the inherent similarities between infrared and solar materials, we can simultaneously develop both materials without compromising our focus and efforts on the solar front.”
Additionally, the company’s solid-state lighting division has developed a proprietary product line called EvoLucia™ that is a unique high-efficiency light emitting diode (LED) light engine and fixture line. The current EvoLucia light fixtures require less than 20 percent of the electricity that a standard incandescent light fixture requires. In addition, our fixtures equal or exceed the light output of comparable fluorescent fixtures, and have none of the adverse health effects of fluorescent and compact fluorescent lights as they contain no dangerous pollutants, such as mercury. Finally, EvoLucia™ fixtures are FCC, CE, CSA, and TUV-approved so they can be used in Europe as well as the U.S. The company owns the intellectual properties (patents, patent applications, copyrights, etc.) to the EvoLucia™ line of fixtures and light engines.
Sunovia’s goal is to replace the current high-performance GaN LEDs in the EvoLucia™ fixtures with new non-Gallium Nitride (GaN) LEDs. The company’s LED division is working to refine proprietary non-GaN LED technologies that the company believes have the performance and cost-efficiency potential to ultimately replace GaN LEDs within the field emission, mobile electronics and general lighting markets. The II-VI materials that comprise Sunovia’s LEDs are substantially more prevalent than GaN, and they are confident that they will be able to deliver an LED to the market that equals or exceeds existing GaN efficiencies at a lower price. Sunovia is collaborating with top microphysics universities and recognized experts within the II-VI materials sector to expedite the commercialization of these technologies.