世纪新能源网（记者sunnie）报道，美国知名的薄膜太阳能电池技术性领导企业Konarka公司，昨日申请破产保护。Konarka隶属于雪佛龙（CHEVRON）集团，位列世界十大石油公司之一。
Konarka创始人****************首席执行官及总监霍华德·博克在昨日的公司声明中表示，Konarka公司无法获得资金和订单支持，鉴于现在的财务状况，我们无法经营下去。
Konarka公司成立于2001年七月，团队成员都是在奈米科技、光电技术上国际知名的科学家。包括Konarka联合创始人，艾伦·杰伊·黑格是美国物理学家、化学家，诺贝尔化学奖获得者。 Konarka发展的太阳能塑料电池，可使太阳能发电的成本更便宜、携带更轻便，在太阳能发电技术上有多项重大突破。
Konarka采用有机薄膜电池技术（Dye-sensitized Solar Cell, DSCs）。DSCs电池是以氧化钛奈米颗粒为主的半导体，体积非常微小；置入玻璃基体薄膜后，射入光会激发有机染料的分子，再被奈米细孔薄膜上的氧化钛奈米颗粒吸收，导致电子在半导体中被释放并形成电流。
今年2月Konarka公司宣布（查阅本站报道），该公司的下一代有机光伏电池（大规模印刷生产的光电塑料）荣获世界上第一个来自德国莱茵TüV集团（OPV）产品认证。但Konarka的光电塑料电池效率只有8.3%，虽然Konarka声称他的价格很便宜，由于最近2年来硅材料的大幅下跌（475美金跌至24美金），使得Konarka公司优势荡然无存。
2009年美国政府曾经给予Konarka公司650万美金支持，希望Konarka公司将OPV电池效率提升至20%，但Konarka至今难以突破10%效率。
Lowell, Mass. - June 1, 2012 - Konarka Technologies, Inc., a leading developer of thin-film solar panels, has filed for bankruptcy protection under chapter 7 of the Federal bankruptcy laws. Under chapter 7 proceedings, the company’s operations cease and a trustee is tasked with liquidating the company’s assets for the benefit of creditors. Creditors will be asked to submit their claims to the Bankruptcy Court and are unable to obtain payment from the company.
Howard Berke, chairman, president and CEO of Konarka, said, "Konarka has been unable to obtain additional financing, and given its current financial condition, it is unable to continue operations. This is a tragedy for Konarka’s shareholders and employees and for the development of alternative energy in the United States."
Konarka was founded by Mr. Berke and by Dr. Alan Heeger, the winner of the Nobel Prize for his work in conductive polymers. Among the Company’s assets are over hundreds of owned and licensed patents and patent applications in the field of solar energy and a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
Mr. Berke noted that several large international companies had expressed interest in financing or acquiring the company. He further noted that, given the worldwide interest in the company, including from the Chinese government, the company had not entirely given up hope that a rescue financing or acquisition would emerge in the bankruptcy. Under Chapter 7 proceedings, however, any such transactions are evaluated by a trustee and not by the company itself.
