October 17, 2008 1:37 PM PDT
1366 Technologies is somewhat unusual among solar start-ups in that it is pursuing a series of significant, but incremental, technology improvements to silicon solar cells. Many other start-ups are using new materials to undercut silicon on price or are developing complicated solar concentrators.
The first in a series of technology advances 1366 Technologies has done is a light-capturing backing. Rather than have light bounce off the surface of a cell, the company developed wiring that reflects light back onto the surface of the cell, giving it another chance to make electricity. Here company founding member Adam Lorenz shows how the red light is reflected back onto the cell.
Photo by Martin LaMonica/CNET Networks
Caption by Martin LaMonica
