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Spire Wins DOE Grant For Solar Cells & Wafers

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^{Published in Science and Technology on Wednesday, July 21st 2010 at 7:06 GMT by Market Wire}  

BEDFORD, Mass.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--[ Spire Corporation ] (Nasdaq: SPIR), a global solar company providing capital equipment and turnkey manufacturing lines to manufacture photovoltaic (PV) modules and cells, today announced it has been notified by the Department of Energy (DOE) that it has received a grant to develop a microcrack detection system for solar cells and wafers.

"The early detection of microcracks in wafers and cells will reduce scrap, improve production yield, and increase the lifetime of installed modules, thereby reducing total energy generation cost."

A significant percentage of PV cells contain microcracks that are difficult to detect with currently available technology. These cracks can spread through the cells, resulting in power loss and cell breakage during module assembly and post installation. As part of this program, a non-contact photoluminescent technique will be developed to image microcracks. This technology will be integrated into high speed crack detection cell test equipment for cell and module assembly lines.

"We are pleased that the DOE is supporting our efforts to develop this critical capability," said Roger G. Little, Chairman and CEO of Spire Corporation. "The early detection of microcracks in wafers and cells will reduce scrap, improve production yield, and increase the lifetime of installed modules, thereby reducing total energy generation cost."

About [ Spire Corporation ]

[ Spire Corporation ] is an American global solar company providing advanced technology and capital equipment to manufacture photovoltaic cells and modules.

Certain matters described in this press release may be forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk of dependence on market growth, competition and dependence on government agencies and other third parties for funding contract research and services, as well as other factors described in the Company's Form10-K and other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.