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Technology Stocks : American Xtal Technology, Inc. (AXTI)
AXTI 12.99-12.3%Dec 16 3:59 PM EST

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To: Pullin-GS who wrote (284)3/17/2006 2:43:09 PM
From: Pullin-GS  Read Replies (1) of 290
 
AXTI a nich solar play???

GA-substrait photovoltaic is leaps and bounds more efficient than that of equivalent size silicon cells. Unfortunatly the cost difference between the two make silicon cell $$/watt cheaper.
However:

Hybrid car solar is just now starting to make some headlines.
The real-estate available for solar-cell placement is very limited on a car. Having a cell with 50-100% more capacity for same area currently seen by the best silicon-based solar technologies is justification IN-AND-BY-ITSELF to go with a GA-substrate cell technology for hybrid cars. The price premium for a several-hundred watt GA-substrait photovoltaic system might be considered a non-issue when dealing with the overall price of the car?
A silicon photovoltaic system is cheap, but it can only deliver half to two-thirds of what GA substrate can for the same given square-foot. For space-constrained implementations the extra wattage delivered could very well be worth the added cost.

Translation: Do we have a market now for GA-substrate solar cells? Satellites (the only use for it currently) are fine and all, but you don't see many people going out to buy satellites. Watt/for/watt comparisons of SI to GA is heavily in favor or SI by a huge margin. But does that really matter in the hybrid-car application where performance is key?

Call it a side-solar play in an area that may be undiscovered IMO. The GA-substrate and GA solar manufacturing sector has not seen any growth in the recent solar-boom. Could this change?

Pullin'
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