Stion

About Stion

Stion Corporation was a United States-based solar energy company founded in 2006, with its headquarters in San Jose, California, and manufacturing facilities in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The company was established based on the work of its first Chief Technology Officer, Howard Lee. Stion specialized in the development and manufacturing of thin-film solar panels, specifically focusing on copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) technology. The business was primarily backed by Khosla Ventures, which took a controlling share in the company in 2013.

The company's business model encompassed both manufacturing and service provision. Stion produced high-efficiency CIGS solar modules and, through its Stion Energy Services arm, offered turnkey solar systems directly to end-users of electricity. Its target clients included residential, commercial, utility, and off-grid applications. Stion's products were based on a monolithically integrated circuit design, which aimed to reduce the bill of materials and simplify the manufacturing process. These glass-on-glass modules, available in both framed and frameless versions, were noted for their durability and performance in various conditions, including better performance in shade and high temperatures compared to typical crystalline silicon modules.

A significant milestone was the 2011 opening of its 700,000+ square foot factory in Hattiesburg, the first thin-film solar factory in the Southeastern U.S., which received a $75 million loan from the state of Mississippi. By June 2012, Stion had achieved a record 14.8% aperture efficiency for a commercial CIGS module, as verified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Despite shipping over $60 million of products to more than 125 customers globally, Stion ceased operations in 2017. The closure was attributed to intense, non-market competition from foreign solar panel manufacturers, which made it difficult for the company to compete at its scale. Following the shutdown, the company's assets were slated for sale to pay off creditors, including a settlement with the State of Mississippi.