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Xunlight Corp. Enjoys Limitless Possibilities

Thin film PV manufacturer collaborates with University of Toledo on innovative technologies

By Marshall Pearson

The decline of domestic manufacturing in recent years has strongly affected rust belt towns throughout the country, but companies like Xunlight hope to redefine these areas by developing green technology and leading them into the 21st century.

Xunlight Corp., located in Toledo, OH, was formed in 2002, and a continuing partnership with the University of Toledo has allowed them to develop thin-film silicon-based solar cells and photovoltaic modules soon to hit the commercial market. Dr. Xunming Deng, Xunlight president and CEO, is a physics and electrical engineering professor at the university currently on a leave of absence in order to devote his time to running Xunlight.

During his tenure at the school’s Thin Film Silicon Photovoltaic Laboratory, Deng led the team that developed the thin solar cells and aggregate products. Xunlight currently holds the exclusive license to this technology.

Xunlight’s line of lightweight solar panels is created using a unique “roll to roll” manufacturing process that emphasizes flexibility and durability. A strip of stainless steel a mile long and three feet wide is fed through two large rollers that deposit the solar cell material onto the metal. It is then encased in polymer or plastic that protects the solar cell material from the elements, and this casing gives the products, according to the company, a lifespan of around 20 years.

Todd Armstrong, the business assistant to Deng, sees the materials used in the manufacturing process as one of the product’s strengths, and believes it will separate Xunlight from the competition.

“Most of the solar panels throughout the world are glass encapsulated and are rigid frames. Our products are flexible and lightweight, and this makes our product fairly limitless,” he said.

He goes further in highlighting the versatility of Xunlight’s flexible solar modules, saying that despite their target application, these photovoltaic products can be used in most settings where energy is required. Most solar energy companies create products for businesses and other large installations, but the company’s products have a wide variety of applications and nearly endless possibilities.

“They will have lots of uses in residential homes and business applications, but you can also roll it up and put it in your backpack,” said Armstrong. “Our primary target market is commercial rooftops, but there are lots of different markets for our technology. We don’t have any set guidelines to limit sales potential.”

Given the decline of the automotive and other manufacturing industries, the company’s choice to remain in Toledo may seem like an unorthodox move, but Xunlight feels that there are several benefits to staying planted in the Midwest. The University of Toledo’s rich history in solar power development aside, the government has expressed an interest in promoting the city as a center for renewable energy research and manufacturing. According to a recent article in CNBC, Toledo mayor Marty Finkbeiner claims that there are more than 6,000 people employed at over 15 facilities dedicated to solar energy in the city, and his goal is to increase that number to more than 20,000 within a decade.

The state of Ohio has backed up its intentions by awarding Xunlight $4.9 million and loaning the company another $7 million to expedite the sale of its products. Xunlight is grateful for Ohio’s support of the solar industry, and according to Armstrong, both the federal and local governments have been instrumental in the company’s development.

“We have had a great partnership with the state. They have helped us tremendously. The state has put a lot of efforts in research,” he said. “We have a great working relationship with the government. We wouldn’t be where we are at without them.”

In addition to government support, Xunlight has benefitted from Toledo’s readily available manufacturing facilities and a workforce equipped to perform well in the production of advanced technology. Armstrong says that the combination of these factors has created an environment conducive to incubating cutting edge companies like Xunlight.

“Toledo has very strong employment base. Compared to other areas, you might expect, it also has a fairly low cost, strong manufacturing skill set and is a great area for photovoltaic research,” he says.

Despite the permeating recession and staggering unemployment numbers in rust belt towns, Xunlight and other companies dealing with photovoltaics have thrived. Their continued success seems assured, and the company has received more than $30 million in venture capital from a variety of investors. Solar power and other green energy sources are poised to expand, and Armstrong feels optimistic about the future of the industry. Although Xunlight is still pre-revenue, it aims to launch its products commercially in 2010.

“We are at the very beginning of harnessing the sun’s power. We are getting further and further away from fossil fuel. The better the technology gets, the more it is used and the lower the cost,” he says.