Konarka Technologies

Konarka Technologies, founded in 2001, was a U.S.-based company that operated in the organic photovoltaics (OPV) sector. It was established as a spin-off from the University of Massachusetts Lowell by a team that included Nobel laureate Dr. Alan Heeger, materials scientist Sukant Tripathy, and serial entrepreneur Howard Berke, who also served as CEO. Dr. Heeger received the 2000 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his foundational work on conductive polymers, the core science behind Konarka's technology. The company aimed to commercialize this science by developing flexible, lightweight solar cells that could be manufactured at a low cost.

The company's core product was "Power Plastic," a photo-reactive polymer material that could be coated onto flexible plastic substrates using roll-to-roll manufacturing, a process analogous to printing newspapers. This technology was designed to convert both sunlight and artificial indoor light into electricity. Unlike traditional rigid silicon solar panels, Konarka's cells were lightweight and versatile, targeting applications where conventional photovoltaics were impractical. The intended markets were broad, including building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) where the material could be incorporated into windows and facades, portable electronics, and military applications such as power-generating fabrics for uniforms.

Konarka's business model relied on developing and manufacturing these organic solar films for a variety of commercial, industrial, and government clients. The firm secured substantial funding, raising over $170 million from private investors like Chevron, Total, and Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and an additional $20 million in government grants. Despite achieving an NREL-certified record efficiency of 8.3% for its organic solar cells at the time, the company faced significant hurdles. Ultimately, challenges related to production scaling, the product's lower efficiency and shorter lifetime compared to established solar technologies, and intense market competition led to its downfall. Konarka Technologies filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in May 2012, ceasing all operations and liquidating its assets.

Keywords: organic photovoltaics, OPV, flexible solar cells, Power Plastic, thin-film solar, Alan Heeger, Howard Berke, roll-to-roll manufacturing, conductive polymers, building-integrated photovoltaics, polymer-fullerene solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, printed electronics, renewable power, nanotechnology solar, solar plastic film, portable energy, alternative energy, University of Massachusetts Lowell spinoff, Konarka bankruptcy