Konarka Expands Agreement with DuPont

Konarka Technologies Inc. of Lowell, Mass., said it has expanded its license agreement with DuPont Displays, giving it sole rights to photovoltaic (PV) technology covered by patents for photovoltaic (PV) applications developed by its chief scientist and co-founder, Nobel Laureate Alan Heeger, and several DuPont patents for related technology. In 2004, Konarka licensed IP from DuPont to develop organic polymer-based solar cells; the expanded agreement grants Konarka sole licensee and sublicensee rights. Under the original agreement, Konarka has had access to IP originally developed by DuPont and by the University of California at Santa Barbara, including work developed by Heeger and by Serdar Sariciftci, a professor of physical chemistry at Johannes Kepler Universität, Linz (Austria). Konarka makes Power Plastic, a material that converts light to energy. "The acquisition of a preferred position in this intellectual property will help us to further maintain our leadership position in the development of organic photovoltaic technology and the commercialization of Power Plastic," said Rick Hess, president and CEO of Konarka. William Feehery, president of DuPont Displays, said, "We are very pleased that DuPont Displays' technology developed as part of our OLED displays effort can also be a part of enabling the advancement of organic photovoltaic technology through this agreement with Konarka."