ATS snares $29.5 million for solar energy project

Automation Tooling Systems Inc (ATS) has received $29.5 million in assistance to complete the development of Spheral Solar, its proprietary solar energy technology. The Cambridge ON-based firm will receive $25.5 million from Technology Partnerships Canada and $4 million from the Technology Early Action Measures component of the Climate Change Action Fund, while the company will contribute $67 million. A total of 837 jobs are expected to be created during the R&D and so-called benefits phases. ATS purchased the technology from Texas Instruments Inc through its subsidiary, Matrix Solar Technologies which owns the intellectual property and equipment. Spheral Solar is comprised of thousands of tiny silicon spheres bonded in a flexible aluminum matrix and has several cost, materials and environmental advantages over conventional photovoltaic cells. ATS is a designer and producer of automated manufacturing and test systems....