A Chinese company has announced that it is teaming up with a U.S. startup to produce high efficiency solar cells.

According to JA Solar Holdings, it has signed a three-year agreement with Innovalight for work on Secium high efficiency solar cells. Pilot production is already underway on the cells, and they are expected to reach the commercial market during the second half of 2010.

"JA Solar will continue to stay at the forefront of solar cell technology and commercial production of high-efficiency solar cells through partnerships between our internal R&D group and external partners like Innovalight," said Dr. Peng Fang, CEO of JA Solar.

JA Solar reports that its Secium solar cells have achieved a conversion efficiency rate of 18.9 percent, and that the agreement with Innovalight is aimed at bringing that figure above 20 percent.
Innovalight’s contribution to the deal will focus largely on the nanotechnology-based silicon ink that it uses to boost photovoltaic performance while lowering production costs.

As solar technology becomes increasingly efficient, homeowners will be among those who benefit the most in the form of increasingly affordable clean energy options.