Disasolar Honored at RITF 2012 Award Ceremony

Disasolar, a French SME based in Limoges specialized in thin-film photovoltaics, has received the innovative enterprise award on Nov. 14, 2012. This prize was awarded by Total Group as part of the Research and Innovation for transport systems of the future (RITS) symposium. This prize rewards the company for its technological innovations, strategic partnerships, growth potential and technology transfer from one transportation field to another.

Disasolar is an SME specializing in thin-film photovoltaic sheets and modules destined for power generation. The company commercializes and installs second generation PV modules. It pursues other activities in the development of third generation organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells, using organic materials.

Disasolar has undertaken many successful projects; it developed applications in various sectors such as transportation. In the light of these projects, Disasolar was chosen by the jury of manufacturers and members of the sponsoring department.

In 2009, Disasolar signed its first study contract with SNCF (French National Railway Company). In July 2010, a TER (Regional Express Train) of the Poitou-Charentes region had its roof covered with PV modules, a first in France. Subsequently, in 2011, Disasolar implemented a bus for Paris airports along with Transdev and a car-sharing vehicle with ADM Concepts.

In 2012, Disasolar announced it was developing projects in the military sector: the company is equipping Panhard VBLs (Light Armored Vehicle) with solar modules which will be able to power the radio in degraded mode; and a research contract with the DGA (General Directorate for Armament), the French Government Defense procurement agency, to develop camouflage OPV modules.

The ambitious research program undertaken by Disasolar to develop these third-generation cells underlines the company’s cooperation and partnerships for research. Disasolar brings numerous prestigious French, European and international research laboratories together, including public French laboratories CEA/INES and CNRS/XLIM, Dutch Holst Centre and Canadian Queens University.

“We are proud to receive on this day the prize of the innovative company, which rewards our capacity to develop cutting-edge projects, establish partnerships between manufacturers, collaborate with public research laboratories and to facilitate technology transfer,” said Stephane Poughon, president of Disasolar. “We would like to thank Total Group and the RITF organizing team. This award recognizes our expertise, the relevance of our strategy and its implications. It encourages us to pursue our efforts to develop an industrial process for the ink-jet manufacturing of custom-made OPV modules. We are convinced this implementation will be a distinction in the photovoltaic market and an opportunity for the French manufacturing industry in the years to come.”