Silicor was one of 24 companies that to received this year's prestigious distinction, which honors innovative companies from around the world that are poised to have a significant impact on business and society.
Silicor Materials produces solar-grade silicon that enables solar photovoltaic (PV) cell and module manufacturers to increase their margins in an increasingly competitive global market. Leveraging a proprietary technology, Silicor provides the lowest-cost alternative to traditional polysilicon commonly used throughout the PV industry without compromising efficiency.
"Being named a 2015 Technology Pioneer is not only an incredible honor, but it also recognizes the critical role that materials innovation will play in driving improved economics for solar," said Theresa Jester, CEO of Silicor Materials.
"Our solar-grade silicon is the lowest-cost alternative to traditional silicon and represents one of the industry's best opportunities for further cost reduction. Improved industry margins will result in a healthier solar market, thus leading to the accelerated adoption of solar around the world."
Silicor Materials recently announced plans for the development of its first large-scale solar silicon production facility in Iceland. It will have a nameplate capacity of 16,000 metric tons, with the ability to yield up to 19,000 metric tons of solar silicon each year.
Each year since 2000, the World Economic Forum has chosen a select number of Technology Pioneers from hundreds of applicants. The 82-member selection committee comprising distinguished technology and innovation experts, academics and venture capitalists selects winners based on their demonstrated ability to design and implement transformative business solutions. Past technology Pioneers include Nest Labs, Dropbox, Kickstarter, Spotify, MBA Polymers, and Google.
The 2015 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneers will be honored during the Annual Meeting of the New Champions, which will take place from September 10 to 12 in Tianjin, People's Republic of China. The event celebrating science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship will bring together more than 1,500 leaders from business, government and research from over 90 countries.
