Charlotte-Based Solar Energy Cell Firm Raises $3.6M

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sencera International, which is focused on developing photovoltaic thin film technology for use in solar power, has closed on $3.6 million in equity funding.

“The dawn of a new solar age” is the company’s motto.

The Quercus Trust, which invests in renewable energy, led the financing.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, thin films of special photovoltaic material can produce solar cells with relatively high conversion efficiencies but using much less material than crystalline silicon cells.

Sencera, which was founded in 2003, is working with clients such as the U.S. Army and U.S. Display Consortium for increasing the efficiency of solar cell technology and reducing power production costs.

The company launched development of new proprietary technology, including silicon solar cells.

Russell Jewett, Sencera’s founder who has a PhD in nuclear engineering, has worked at Sandia National Labs and launched a semi-conductor company, Lam Research, in 1997. He sold that firm before launching Sencera.

The financing will be used to develop a prototype for a 1 megawatt solar cell manufacturing platform using thin film photovoltaic technology. After a demonstration phase, Sencera plans to launch a manufacturing line and employ between 60 and 75 workers.