News

22 April 2009

 

PV developer Wakonda recruits Peter Borden as executive chairman

Wakonda Technologies Inc of Woburn, MA, USA has recruited Dr Peter Borden as executive chairman, focusing on the firm's strategic vision and direction (including work on product and market strategy and the development of strategic alliances).

Wakonda was founded in 2005 by Dr Les Fritzemeier and Dr Ryne Raffaelle to exploit their respective expertise in metallurgical processing and photovoltaic devices. The firm is commercializing Virtual Single Crystal (VSC) thin-film technology that allows III-V triple-junction terrestrial photovoltaic cells to be fabricated on germanium film on flexible metal foil about 2 mils (0.0508mm) thick, rather than on germanium crystal wafer substrate (producing low-cost, high-efficiency PV cells that can be made using roll-to-roll manufacturing processes and integrated into buildings, infrastructure and personal power applications).

Investors include Advanced Technology Ventures, General Catalyst Partners, Polaris Venture Partners, Applied Ventures LLC (the venture capital arm of Applied Materials Inc) and the Massachusetts Green Energy Fund. Wakonda was named the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2007.

“Peter brings an extensive solar industry background to Wakonda, as well as first-hand experience working with emerging companies, having founded and led two previous companies,” says president & CEO Les Fritzemeier.

Previously, Borden was with Applied Materials from 2003 after its acquisition of Boxer Cross Inc, which he co-founded and led as chief technology officer to develop metrology systems for VLSI process control. Prior to that, he was VP & co-founder of High Yield Technology, where he pioneered the first commercially successful in-situ particle monitoring systems for VLSI process equipment. Earlier, Borden worked for Varian Associates, where he led the Photovoltaics Group, working on III-V and silicon concentrator cells and systems.

“Wakonda’s approach creates new opportunities in solar cell manufacturing that will impact both existing and emerging photovoltaic markets,” believes Borden.

Borden holds Ph.D. and MS degrees in Applied Physics from Stanford and BS degrees in Physics and Electrical Engineering from MIT. He is the author of over 80 publications on photovoltaics, silicon and III-V devices and processing, and VLSI process monitoring, and has over 30 patents.

See related item:

PV developer Wakonda raises $9.5m in Series A financing

Search: Wakonda III-V triple-junction PV Germanium

Visit: www.wakondatech.com