Confluence Solar

Confluence Solar, founded in 2007 by John DeLuca, specialized in developing equipment to produce high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon ingots at a lower cost than conventional methods. The company aimed to supply solar cell manufacturers with low-cost, high-quality single-crystal silicon, a foundational material for high-efficiency solar cells. DeLuca brought over 25 years of experience in silicon research to the venture.

The company's primary business was centered on its proprietary and continuously-fed Czochralski (CCz) growth technology, designed to reduce the production cost of monocrystalline wafers. This positioned the company to cater to solar cell makers looking to enhance efficiency without significantly increasing expenses. In 2010, Confluence Solar announced plans to build a $200 million, 200,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Clinton, Tennessee, which was expected to create around 250 jobs.

Before it could fully commercialize its technology, Confluence Solar was acquired by GT Advanced Technologies (formerly GT Solar) on August 24, 2011. The acquisition was valued at $60 million, with a potential for an additional $20 million in earn-outs based on performance milestones. The deal enabled GT to enter the monocrystalline silicon equipment market and become a key merchant supplier of this advanced technology. Prior to the acquisition, Confluence Solar had raised approximately $12.7 million in a Series A funding round in 2008 from investors including Convexa Capital, OCI, and Oceanshore Investors.

Keywords: monocrystalline silicon, solar ingot, Czochralski growth, CCz technology, silicon crystal growth, solar cell manufacturing, photovoltaic equipment, renewable energy components, semiconductor materials, solar wafer production, single-crystal silicon, GT Advanced Technologies, John DeLuca, solar manufacturing, high-efficiency photovoltaics, silicon research, solar technology, crystal growth equipment, Convexa Capital, Oceanshore Investors