Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc., (OTCMKTS:ASTI - previously NASDAQ) is a publicly traded photovoltaic (PV) company - its primary product being a flexible CIGS solar cell on a plastic substrate. The firm's thin-film solar modules are manufactured from CIGS cells using copper indium gallium (di)selenide semiconductor (CIGS), which has shown a 10.5% NREL efficiency in real-world conditions. A key factor re. this proprietary technology is its relative size, weight and flexibility: Ascent's CIGS panels currently allow for 85 watts/meter, and 48 watts/kg, thereby giving them the greatest power density and weight ratio among available flexible photovoltaic products[2] by a significant margin. This allows for the efficient use of solar power in a range of new contexts, in which size or weight restrictions have previously rendered solar power impracticable: e.g., cell phones, airplanes, unmanned vehicles, consumer electronics, railways, space programs, and off-grid applications. The firm enetered the manufacturing stage for its products in 2013 - conincident with its SBIR involvement - and teaming up with a range of other companies for integrating these materials into a range of building and construction materials), Foxconn (for a "pilot project" at the Zhengzhou factory, which was then manufacturing the iPhone 5),[5] and Bye Aerospace (for solar-powered unmanned aircraft). Also in 2013, launched the EnerPlex brand. EnerPlex - the consumer side of Ascent Solar - a brand of solar and electronic consumer products launched by the firm. Unlike traditional glass backed panels, the panels integrated into all EnerPlex products are monolithically integrated on plastic (not glass) substrate. Ascent Solar had been founded in 2005 by ITN Energy Systems, a company engaged in commercializing emerging energy technologies through spin-offs and joint ventures. During first few years of operation, primary focus was research the CIGS thin-film technology and of efficient methods for manufacturing
