Q-Cells AG, the world’s 2nd largest manufacturer of solar cells announced the purchase of the U.S. firm Solar Fields LLC. The purchase was made by merging Solar Fields into Q-Cells’ technology development company, Calyxo Gmbh. Solar fields received $5 million cash and 7% of the stock of Calyxo, Q-Cells retained the other 93%.
Calyxo is ramping up to produce solar cells with next-generation Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) technology. Solar Fields had developed deposition technology that had been licensed to Calyxo. The merging of the companies gives perpetual control to all of the technology being developed by Solar Fields. All of intellectual rights and employees were transferred to the U.S. arm of Calyxo Gmbh.
With the growing volume of solar companies and photovoltiac cell production facilities competition may soon take a toll of those companies who do not have low cost structures and/or advanced technologies. The Chinese solar companies are staking out the low cost end of the spectrum, so the European companies like Q-Cells and REC are working on advanced technologies like CdTe to produce ever more efficient photovoltiac modules.
Q-Cells stock trades in Germany and has almost tripled in the last year. The company’s stock trades in the U.S. on the OTC Pink Sheets, symbol: QCLSF.
This article is not a recommendation to buy or sell any securities.
