Albuquerque tech startup expands to San Diego

mPower Technology, an Albuquerque-based solar energy startup which launched in 2015, has opened a new office in the San Diego area as it works to commercialize its technology.

The company creates lightweight, bendable solar cells that officials say are superior to those built out of traditional materials. It moved into a new space in Carlsbad, California, at the beginning of the year. It aims to produce its solar cells primarily for the aerospace industry, in addition to the Internet of Things and roofing industries.

"We believe [the San Diego area] is a great location in terms of being a technological center," President and CEO Kevin Hell said. 

MPower's technology meshes laser-cut pieces of silicon with bendable substrates to create solar cells that can be made into different shapes. The tech was originally developed at Sandia National Laboratories as part of a larger project, according to Hell and Okandan. The company claims its tech has the advantages of reduced weight and lower power generation cost compared to other solar cells.