Black Silicon Solar is developing a nanostructure texturing technique called "black silicon" to improve the cost-efficiency of solar cells. The black silicon process can reduce manufacturing costs by 10% by replacing one texturing step and reducing processing time by 12%. This could save a company like QCells $90 million annually based on their production levels. Black Silicon Solar aims to license the black silicon technology to cell manufacturers and has filed a patent. Their milestones include completing a commercial prototype and securing funding to support further research and development.

1. Black Silicon Solar
Nanostructures improving cost-efficiency of solar cells
Rasmus Davidsen, DTU Nanotech
www.blacksiliconsolar.com

2. Agenda
• Black Silicon Solar
– Technology
– Market and Business Plan
• Milestones for the project/company
• Venture Cup 2011 Pitch (3 minutes)
Black Silicon Solar

3. What we do
Black Silicon Solar

4. Nanostructures = black
Black Silicon Solar

5. Black Silicon Texturing Approach
• Apply nanostructures on solar cell:
• Replace 1 process step:
Black Silicon Solar

6. Comparison
Black Silicon Solar

7. Solar cells are still too expensive...
25
Generating cost of electricity for different technologies 23
20
US Cents per kWh
15
12.8
11
10
7
5 4
0
Nuclear Coal Hydro (large Wind (on-shore) Solar (Utility
scale) Scale)
Sources:
Nuclear, Coal: Parsons Brinckerhoff ”Powering the Nation” 2010
Hydro, Wind, Solar: RENEWABLES GLOBAL STATUS REPORT 2011 , REN21
Black Silicon Solar

8. Need:
Cell manufacturers
must reduce
manufacturing costs!
Black Silicon Solar

9. Market
• Silicon solar market:
$50 Billion
Addressable market:
$700 Million
• Target Customers:
• Partners: Equipment manufacturers
Black Silicon Solar

10. Technology
Customers:
Equipment Manufacturing Partner
Licensing fee

11. Process comparison
Time min Cost % of total
(% of total)
Conventional Texturing 40 (14 %) 13 %
Black Silicon 4 (2 %) 3%
Reduction, 12% 10%
total in manufacturing
Black Silicon Solar

12. Customer Value
• Reduces total manufacturing cost by 10%:
QCells 2010
Manufacturing Savings 10 US cents/Watt
Annual Production 900 MW
Annual Savings $90 Million
Black Silicon Solar

13. Status
• Lab-scale proof-of-concept  (Technical University of Denmark)
• US Patent filed (June ‘11)
• Commercial Prototype (in progress, 6-12 months)
Cost analysis (Hjalmar Nilsonne, Imperial College London)
• GAP funding covering 6 months further R&D
Black Silicon Solar

14. Milestones
Bachelor-project, DTU Nanotech
Fall 2009
Grøn Dyst Competition, DTU
June 2010
World Future Energy Summit, Abu Dhabi
January 2011
Cleantech Challenge 2011,
London Business School
Venture Cup 2011
(founding start-up company)
Master Project, DTU Nanotech
September 2011 - March 2012
Further GAP-funded R&D, DTU Nanotech
April-November 2012
?

15. Venture Cup 2011 Pitch

16. Black Silicon Solar Cells
Energy Cost ($/MWh)
250
Absorption (%)
• More Efficient
100%
90% 0.95
200 211
80%
• 10 % Cheaper
70% 150
0.7
60%
100 112.5 113.9
50%
94.8 97
86.4
40%
50 66.1
30%
20% 0
10% Coal Gas Wind Solar Biomass Hydro Nuclear
0%
Silicon Black Silicon
Black Silicon Solar Cells
Rasmus Davidsen, DTU

17. Business Model
Revenue from first customer
Gain of technology 10 US cents per Watt
25% cut of gain 2.5 US cents per Watt
Qcell production 900 MW
Cash need = 1.7 Million US $
(1 year start-up period + patent)
Rasmus Davidsen, DTU

18. The Team
• Rasmus Davidsen, M.Sc.-student, nanotech, DTU
• Hjalmar Nilsonne, KTH, Sweden
• Michael Stenbæk Schmidt, PhD, DTU Nanotech
• Ole Hansen, Professor DTU Nanotech
• Anja Boisen, Professor DTU Nanotech
• Rolf Berg, Professor, Legal Adviser, DTU
Rasmus Davidsen, DTU

19. Outlook
• Competitive edge → Energy source of the future
”Replace black gold($/MWh) black silicon!”
Energy Cost with
Cost ($/MWh)
250
200
150
100
50
0
Coal Gas Wind Black Silicon Solar Biomass Hydro Nuclear
Rasmus Davidsen, DTU

20. Thank you 
Questions ?
Rasmus Davidsen, DTU