Eight19

Eight19 Limited is a solar energy company that emerged as a spin-out from the University of Cambridge in July 2010. The company's name, Eight19, is a reference to the 8 minutes and 19 seconds it takes for sunlight to travel from the sun to Earth. It was established through a collaboration between Cambridge professors Sir Richard Friend, Henning Sirringhaus, and Neil Greenham from the renowned Cavendish Laboratory, and the technology development firm TTP. Initial funding of £4.5 million was secured from the Carbon Trust and specialty chemicals company Rhodia to develop and manufacture low-cost, high-performance plastic solar cells.

The core of Eight19's business is its organic photovoltaics (OPV) technology, which involves producing flexible, lightweight solar cells from carbon-based materials. Unlike traditional silicon-based panels, these organic solar cells can be manufactured using low-temperature, roll-to-roll printing processes, which significantly lowers production costs and embedded energy. A key benefit of this technology is its stable efficiency at higher temperatures, making it particularly suitable for hot climates. The company has focused on developing product prototypes for a variety of markets, including building-integrated photovoltaics, autonomous electronics, and off-grid consumer and industrial applications.

A significant part of Eight19's strategy involved a dual approach: advancing its core OPV technology while concurrently developing a practical application to address a pressing market need. This led to the creation of the 'IndiGo' system, a pay-as-you-go solar solution designed for the 1.6 billion people worldwide without access to grid electricity. Launched in Kenya in 2011, the IndiGo system initially used silicon technology but was designed to eventually incorporate Eight19's own OPV modules. The system, which included a solar panel, a rechargeable battery, LED lights, and a phone charging port, overcame the barrier of high upfront costs for users in off-grid communities by allowing them to pay for energy in small increments via mobile phone scratch cards. Trials for the OPV-based IndiGo systems began in Africa in 2012 to test their real-world performance.

Throughout its history, Eight19 has secured further funding to advance its operations, including a £1 million investment in 2014 and another £1.3 million in 2017 to accelerate commercial engagement and manufacturing readiness for customers in retail, consumer goods, and the Internet of Things (IoT) sectors. The company's business model balances the need for revenue generation with the social goal of providing affordable, clean energy, positioning itself as a key player in developing energy harvesting solutions.

Keywords: organic photovoltaics, OPV, flexible solar cells, roll-to-roll manufacturing, plastic solar technology, Cambridge University spin-out, Cavendish Laboratory, pay-as-you-go solar, IndiGo system, off-grid energy solutions, solar energy harvesting, cleantech, renewable energy, Sir Richard Friend, printed electronics, energy access Africa, sustainable development, Carbon Trust, TTP, Rhodia