Ascent Solar testing CIGS modules for power beaming, marine applications

<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The US-based developer of copper indium gallium selenide thin-film PV products said its modules will be tested without modifications by companies developing marine PV and power beaming applications.</span></p><p><a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/09/07/ascent-solar-hits-15-2-efficiency,-in-production-trials-for-cigs-cell/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Ascent Solar Technologies</a>, a U.S. manufacturer of copper indium gallium-selenide (<a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/04/18/cigs-solar-cell-based-on-ultrathin-glass-substrate-achieves-record-efficiency-of-17-81/">CIGS</a>) thin-film PV products, announced it shipped modules for testing to an ocean technology company and a power beaming technology company active in defence and aerospace.</p>
<p>The project partners were not disclosed.</p>
<p>“Ascent provided its standard thin-film PV modules for these tests; no modifications or adjustments were made on the modules that were delivered,” Ascent Solar Technologies’ CEO, Paul Warly, told <strong>pv magazine. </strong></p>
<p>The company, which recently announced a <a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/06/12/ascent-solar-unveils-production-scale-15-7-cigs-modules-for-space/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">15.7%-efficient module</a>, said the ocean monitoring technology company will evaluate module functionality and saltwater durability in an <a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/09/09/solar-and-wave-powered-uncrewed-vehicle-for-marine-monitoring/">ocean monitoring application</a>.</p>
<p>The space and defence partner will test the CIGS devices’ receiving capabilities as part of its work on a <a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/06/23/first-attemp-to-design-solar-power-transmission-demonstrator/">space-based power beaming</a> system that is being designed for orbiting satellites, according to Ascent.</p>
<p>This is not Ascent’s first time participating in wireless power transmission tests. “The company has worked with several space and defence institutions in the past to test and make improvements to Ascent’s thin-film PV technology’s power beaming capabilities,” said Warly.</p>
<p>Power beaming over longer distances is a research topic in many countries around the world, with recent activity being reported by <strong>pv magazine</strong> in <a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/06/23/first-attemp-to-design-solar-power-transmission-demonstrator/">China</a>, the <a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/05/15/uk-startup-building-solar-power-beaming-tech-for-space-applications/">United Kingdom</a>, and <a href="https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2025/02/14/skys-the-limit-for-mass-produced-space-grade-solar-cell-innovation/">Australia</a>.</p>