Quantum dot nanotechnology company UbiQD has signed an exclusive, multi-year agreement to supply its proprietary fluorescent quantum dot technology to First Solar. This would allow for the incorporation of quantum dot technology into First Solar’s thin-film solar panels.
The two companies have been working together since 2023 on collaborative solar designs. Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanoparticles that exhibit high-efficiency photoluminescence over a wide range of tunable colors, making them effective at optimizing light spectra.
“This is a turning point for the quantum dot industry with this first high volume QD supply agreement outside of display,” said Hunter McDaniel, PhD, founder and CEO of UbiQD. “This partnership showcases how U.S. innovation and manufacturing can deliver differentiated performance especially at a time when making breakthroughs in efficiency and materials is more vital than ever. First Solar has been an excellent partner, and together we’ve demonstrated not just performance benefits, but also the cost-effectiveness and scalability of our materials for solar spectrum optimization.”
UbiQD’s proprietary quantum dot technology was originally developed at U.S.-based research institutions Los Alamos National Laboratory and M.I.T. When incorporated into solar panel encapsulation, QDs can more than double the bifacial quantum efficiency of light conversion for specific wavelengths/colors — a critical edge as solar manufacturers compete globally on performance and price.
“At utility-scale, even incremental gains in bifaciality translate into significant real-world impact on energy yield,” said Markus Gloeckler, chief technology officer, First Solar. “We’re excited about the potential for quantum dot technology to contribute meaningful gains to the performance of our bifacial modules.”
While First Solar’s cadmium-telluride (CdTe) thin-film panels have not traditionally been produced in bifacial designs, the company’s Series 6 module can come in a dual-glass bifacial form.
UbiQD plans to build one of the highest volume QD manufacturing facilities in the world, in New Mexico in the coming year.
