Solar start-up SolFocus pens Indian deal

Solar-electric company SolFocus on Tuesday announced a manufacturing and distribution agreement with Moser Baer India. Moser Baer, which has invested $7 million in the company, will manufacture the SolFocus panels for sale in India and the region, according to the companies.

SolFocus has designed a solar concentrator that reduces the amount of costly silicon used in traditional photovoltaic panels. "We are committing significant resources to commercialize this emerging technology and mass produce CPV (concentrator photovoltaic panel) products," Deepak Puri, chairman and managing director of Moser Baer India, said in a statement.

The company intends to set up an 80-megawatt photovoltaic cell and module manufacturing plant. Commercial production is planned for 2008.