sir thomas bell the elder ( 1486 – 1566 ) was a cap manufacturer , mayor of gloucester , and member of parliament .

he was one of the city 's largest employers and wealthiest citizens and a great benefactor of the city and its people .

he is described in contemporaneous documents as a " capper " .

he invested much of his wealth in real estate released on the dissolution of the monasteries , sometimes in partnership with richard duke ( c. 1515-1572 ) , of otterton , devon , clerk of the court of augmentations .

he was thrice mayor of gloucester ( for 1535 – 36 , 1543 – 44 and 1553 – 54 ) and served four times as member of parliament ( mp ) for the city ( 1545 – 47 , 1547 – 52 , 1553 and 1554 – 55 ) .

he was knighted on 27 february 1546/7 .

he appears to have held orthodox roman catholic religious views as in 1537 , while mayor , was accused by leading townsmen john huggins and john rastell of calling bishop latimer of worcester a heretic .

a portrait of bell the elder is in the possession of gloucester city council .

he is not to be confused with his younger brother ( possibly half-brother ) , also called thomas , also prominent , sir thomas bell the younger ( d. 1560/1 ) , mayor of bristol , who also served as mayor of gloucester in 1543 and 1554/5 .

thomas bell ( mayor of gloucester )

with the city of gloucester . no . 1 . the arms of sir thomas bell ,
gray , mathias , mayor , a . 609 ; thomas , mayor , ibid . william , mayor , ibid .
bell , thomas ( 1485 / 86 - 1566 ) , of gloucester . | history of parliament online
thomas machen , mercer who was mayor of gloucester three times and one time member of parliament for the city .
webbe , anth . mayor , a . 606 ; george , mayor , ibid . joseph , mayor , 609 .
george whitfield , born 1714 at the bell hotel , gloucester ; died 1770 .
( mayor of gloucester , 1060 ) and sergeant - major piulsey . the principal
( mayor of gloucester , 1660 ) and sergeant - major pudsey . the principal
bygge , wm . mayor , a . 605 ; john , mayor , ibid .
frend , george , mayor , a . 610 ; richard , mayor , ibid .
nicholson , james , mayor , 607 ; nicholas , mayor , ibid . 609 .
pembroke , richard , mayor , a . 609 ; wm . mayor , ibid .
thomas i ' ans ; edward bethome ; and martha chamberlaine wife of the deft thomas chamberlaine v . thomas chamberlaine
mary , born in 1722 , married john colborne and nathaniel married first ann bell ( who descended from sir thomas bell of gloucester and the clutterbucks ) and secondly ann phillimore .
sir thomas white , lord mayor of london in 1554 .
gave to twenty -
nethersole , james , mayor , a . 607 ; edward , mayor , ibid . john .
sare , tho . mayor , a . 605 , 606 ; stephen , mayor , ibid .
d3270 / 18 conveyance ( 1535 ) joan cooke of gloucester to thomas bell , thomas payne ( aldermen of gloucester ) , thomas bell the younger , john hawkyns , brewer , richard halyday , thomas pury , thomas messyng , richard perkyns , clerk , lewis lysent and john partridge of poddesmede . conveyance of lands ( as described in conveyance dated 22 nov . 1529 ) in badgeworth etc . 8 march 26 henry viii 1554 / 5 . with part seal of corporation of gloucester
knowler , tho . mayor , a . 608 ; charles , mayor , 609 ; george , mayor , ibid . john , recorder , 611 .
sellowe , wm . mayor , a . 605 ; wm . council to the mayor , 621 .
5 , 984 people named thomas bell found in florida , california and 48 other states . click a state below to find thomas more easily .
davis , john , prebendary , account of , 100 ; thomas , mayor , a . 609 .
may , mr . 149 ; george , mayor , a . 606 ; richard , mayor , 608 .
forster , mr . speaker of the irish house of commons , 81 ; thomas , mayor , a . 605 .
french , paul , prebendary , acof , 105 ; dr . peter , 492 ; john , mayor , a . 606 ; thomas , mayor , ibid .
alcock , john , mayor , 222 , a . 606 ; john , 627 ; thomas , 645 .
william lawrence of the city of gloucester , baker ; and joseph pegler of the city of gloucester , tanner v . jeremiah harris
clark , john , prebendary , account of , 85 : roger , mayor , a . 606 : wm . mayor , 607 .
cobham , lords , 224 , 535 ; thomas , dean of salisbury , 378 ; master thomas , 540 .
margaret holt , wife of thomas holt ; and susanna holt , an infant , by jervas templar v . charles holt ; thomas holt ; edward carter ; and thomas templar
22 . stevenson , calendar of records of the corporation of gloucester , 352 .
corbet ' s history of the siege of gloucester . on the inside of cover
gloucester , prince wm . frederick of , entertained by the mayor at canterbury , and made free of the city , a . 660 .
d3270 / 1 conveyance ( 1528 ) : john cooke of gloucester , mercer and alderman , to thomas messynger the elder , thomas bell the elder , john hawkyns , thomas payne , richard halyday , richard perkyns ( clerico ) , thomas bell the younger , william pyrry , thomas pirry and lewis leysant . conveyance of lands in ebley , stonehouse , oxlynche , ranwyke , chaxhill , rodley , westbury , badgeworth and gloucester 12 may 20 henry viii ( 1528 ) . in trust for the purposes of his will and foundation of a grammar school at gloucester . robert stynchcombe is also appointed as his attorney . signed by john cooke .
the triumph of london : lord mayor’s day pageants and the rise of the city .
36 . stevenson , calendar of the records of the corporation of gloucester , 343 .
tivy , patrick . marilyn bell . canmore alberta : altitude publishing , 2003 .
fined £ $ , unless he had already received the license of the mayor .
a history of the county of gloucester : volume 4 , the city of gloucester . originally published by victoria county history , london , 1988 .
hovenden , robert , prebendary , account of , 65 ; george , prebendary , account of , 98 ; thomas , mayor , a . 607 .
founded in 1239 , blackfriars priory later became a family home for sir thomas bell , former mayor of gloucester , and has since been used as an independent church and a private school , while boasting the earliest purpose built library in england and original 13th century scissor - braced roofs .
a case of tracts relating to the siege of gloucester and the civil war .
a perambulation of the forest of dean , co . gloucester , 10th edward i
dame mary hayman executrix of sir william hayman , knight , and thomas edward esq & mary his wife sole daughter and heir of said sir william hayman v . elizabeth morgan , widow late wife of thomas morgan the elder ; and thomas morgan jr son and heir of said thomas morgan sr
gloucester cathedral has a large collection of funerary monuments from the middle ages to the present . notable people buried at gloucester cathedral include :
saints ' and st . lawrence , and the bell tower remained to this day .
condolences and memories may be shared online @ www . bell - hennessy . com .
sir robert walter garden , bart . , 1857 . lord mayor of london . ditto
cliston , gervas , alderman of westgate , a . 617 ; mayor , 605 .
bonyngton , thomas de , 110 ; william , 112 ; wm . bailiff of the city , a . 604 ; wm . mayor , 605 .
thomas bell frs was an english zoologist , surgeon and writer , born in poole , dorset , uk . bell , like his mother susan , took a keen interest in natural history which his mother also encouraged in his younger cousin philip henry gosse . bell left poole in 1813 for his training as a dental surgeon in london .
in the early sixteenth century the house was in decline , it had once housed between thirty and forty friars reduced to a prior and six brethren living in poverty at the time of the dissolution . it was later bought by sir thomas bell , who was mayor of gloucester and also a wealthy gloucester capper and clothier . he purchased the property for £240 and remodelled the church into a private dwelling house with other buildings being converted into a cloth manufactory providing employment for over 300 townspeople ; making him one of the largest employers of the city . sir thomas bell bought many properties in gloucester at the time of the dissolution of the friaries .
henry , duke of gloucester ( youngest son of charles i . ) , 1660 ditto
perspective view of the city of gloucester , 1750 , . north - west view and
john wakeman , last abbot of tewkesbury and first bishop of gloucester ( 1541–1550 ) .
© 2018 bell - hennessy funeral home . all rights reserved . funeral home website by cfs
“bell , marilyn . ” canadian encyclopedia online . < urltoken > accessed 23 february 2009 .
brome , simon , mayor , a . 607 ; bartholomew de , ibid .
rutlande , wm mayor , a . 606 ; rutlande ' s , 222 .
simmons , alderman , a . 658 , 659 , 660 ; james , mayor
galley - foists , the lord mayor’s show , and early modern english drama .
bell , archdeacon , 2 ; matthew , 48 ; john , suffragan bishop of mayo , 437 .
view of frank pledge , held by mayor , as clerk of the markets , a . 623 .
978–281–6634 | info @ urltoken seven seas wharf at the gloucester house restaurant rogers street ( rte . 127 ) | gloucester , ma 01930
bowers , thomas , prebendary account of , 66 ; archdeacon , account of , 593 .
croston , thomas , monk of st . augustine ' s monastery , 214 .
halliwell , thomas , master of king ' s - bridge hospital , 132 .
pelican , thomas , master of king ' s - bridge hospital , 132 .
son thomas , erected in 1445 . he was sub - treasurer of england under
samuel hunaby , & mary his wife , relict of thomas whitebread , gent v . roger woodcock ; jeremiah bentham ; thomas whitebread ; and william whitebread
james rudge , rector of s . michael ' s , gloucester , and historian of the
autographs of historians of gloucester , viz . : sir robert atkyns , t . d .
and founder of the cheltenham grammar school . m . p . for gloucester ,
memorial crown - piece of william iii . , 1696 , found in gloucester .
a model of gloucester cross , taken down 1750 . the tolsey ( with a
picture was painted by mr . dowling , a native of gloucester , and presented
mary de lode , and st . mary de crypt , gloucester , and of
addington , henry , speaker of the house of commons , entertained by the mayor , 659 , 660 .
castle , peter . collecting and valuing old photographs . london : bell and hyman , 1979 .
lynde , john , bailiff of city , a . 604 ; mayor , 605 ; 618 .
master , wm . prebendary , account of , 93 ; james , mayor a . 607 .
“mayor eddy a . bourque . ” from hf file # 0386 , city of ottawa archives .
belknap , anne , 2 , 5 ; william , mayor , a . 605 .
kingsford , john , sen . mayor , a . 608 , 652 , 653 .
richards , rev . john , 147 ; stephen , mayor , a . 610 .
carter , clive , mayor , a . 607 ; william , mayor , a . 609 ; wm . m . d . the first encourager of the establishment of the county hospital , 672 .
hall , john , monk of st . augustine ' s monastery , 214 ; geo . archdeacon , account of , 591 ; geo mayor , a . 609 ; daniel , mayor , ibid .
pychenecumbe - abstracts of original documents in the registers of the abbey of st . peter ' s , gloucester
john wade , gent , son and heir apparent of thomas wade of gloucester , esq ; and john ker of highgate , middx , doctor of physick v . william pratt ; and charles hougham
mayoress of the city to be provided with a gown at the expence of the mayor , a . 635 .
robert raikes , born 1735 , died 1811 . editor of
gloucester journal ,
remarks on the manor , advowson and demesne land of english bicknor , co . gloucester
testa de nevill , returns for the county of gloucester , nos . 3 to 7
morris , r . , review of : historic gloucester , moss , p . ,
existed in gloucester , of which in many cases remains are still to be seen .
sir thomas bell the elder was an english cap manufacturer , mayor of gloucester and mp . he was a manufacturer of caps ( i . e . headwear ) in gloucester and one of the city ' s largest employers and wealthiest citizens and a great benefactor of the city and its people . he is described in contemporaneous documents as a
capper
. he invested much of his wealth in real estate released on the dissolution of the monasteries , sometimes in parternership with richard duke .
sermon preached before the mayor at his election , and continued annually , a . 647 .
“mayor sends ties to board . ” the ottawa citizen . 2 june 1953 : 5 .
benson , john , prebendary , account of , 59 ; martin , cl . registrar of gloucester , ibid . martin , ( afterwards bishop of gloucester ) 505 , 506 , 508 .
city ) . no . 2 . the arms of the city of gloucester . no . 3 . arms of
brown , mathew , his charities , 128 , 156 ; john , bailiff of city , a . 603 , 604 ; ralph , mayor , 605 , 606 ; leonard , mayor , 608 .
curties , thomas , prebendary , account of , 104 ; rector and vicar of wrotham , ibid .
etching of the same , castle of gloucester in indian ink , by s . lysons , and an
( 19 ) relics of old gloucester , drawn by the late mr . j . niblett , of
dame mary haman , widow , executrix of sir william hayman , knight ; thomas edwards esq & mary his wife sole daughter and heir of said sir william hayman v . elizabeth morgan , widow late wife of thomas morgan the younger , son and heir of said thomas morgan the elder
. reprint . nashville : thomas nelson publishers , 1990 . [ for a searchable version of
the current miss gloucester , tamsin grainger , has reached the grand final of miss england .
also an engraving of the stake to which he wag fastened . the original is in gloucester
henry law , dean of gloucester from 1862 to 1884 . rev . g . james .
gloucester cathedral , portion of interior . mr . t . w . g . cooke .
danverse greville spinster v . randall marsh & rose his wife ; and thomas marsh
2 . gloucester guildhall 1375 , ff . 124v - 7 ; hatfield 207 .
gloucester ( s . mary de crypt ) . — this church is excep -
john and joan cooke . living gloucester , 2011 . retrieved 23 june 2011 .
address upon
old gloucester
by the rev canon bazeley , the hon .
belk , wm . prebendary , account of , 665 ; thomas , prebendary , account of , 66 .
blomer , thomas , prebendary , account of , 103 ; ralph , prebendary , account of , ibid .
the jurisdiction of the archbishops of york in gloucestershire , with some notes on the history of the priory of st . oswald at gloucester
briggs , john , mayor , a . 606 ; account of a great entertainment given by him , 630 .
appendix mayor’s address . 3 january 1950 : 25 . from hf file # 0386 , city of ottawa archives .
bell ' s cathedrals : the cathedral church of st . paul - an account of the old and new buildings with a short historical sketch
john willis of ringwood , hants , gent v . john nicholls ; allen haine ; thomas biston
lady eleanor talbot’s other husband : sir thomas butler , heir of sudeley , and his family .
john moore , d . d . , born at gloucester about 1731 . son of a butcher
north - west prospect of gloucester ( buck ) . mr . c . h . dancev .
1735–52 martin benson , bishop of gloucester , carried out major repairs and alterations to the cathedral .
“no discussion on annexing of gloucester . ” the ottawa citizen . 22 march 1949 : 4 .
lewis , john , master of king ' sbridge hospital , account of , 134 ; robert , mayor , a . 606 .
mayor and aldermen of city appointed , 602 ; visitors of the hospital at hackington , 640 ; their livery gowns , 648 .
denne , john , mayor , a . 610 ; tho . and vincent , recorders , 611 .
“mayor’s card at christmas new city hall . ” the ottawa citizen . 15 december 1956 : 7 .
sale of three fourth parts of the ship thomas and peter , and profits form the remaining one fourth part .
thomas served his country honorably in the u . s , navy . prior to retiring , thomas worked at the philadelphia naval yard and the defense supply center in philadelphia .
. by thomas dekker . manchester : manchester up , 1979 . the revels plays .
. 19 ; { 15 } beowulf , see as period bell , r . d . , painswick house garden ,
milles , richard , 70 ; dr . dean of exeter , 499 ; geo . mayor , a . 608 .
sheldwych , john , bailiff of city , a . 603 ; nicholas , mayor , 605 ; mr . 621 .
“mayor eddy a . bourque” . unknown date and page . from hf file # 0386 , city of ottawa archives .
“mayor grenville wentworth goodwin . ” unknown date and page . from hf file # 0388 , city of ottawa archives .
seized by the barons , and the king hastened to gloucester . in 1327 he was
gloucester ( s . mary de lode ) . — a two - handled chalice ,
aldey , edward , master of kingsbridge hospital , and prebendary , account of , 103 ; henry , mayor , a . 606 .
hickham , thomas , sacrist of st . augustine ' s monastery , 207 . see also ickham .
given in memory of the rev . e . t . w . thomas , the late vicar ,
thomas morden , treasurer of st . paul ' s , london , who died in 1458 , and
richard bacon of patching , sussex , carpenter v . robert edmunds ; thomas bacon and katherine his wife
richard wheeler , gent , since deceased v . john hornblower ; thomas hornblower ; benjamin jolliffe ; elizabeth hornblower ; anne burton ; robert newey ; jacob wilson ; and thomas cowper
chicheley , thomas , master of kingsbridge hospital , 132 ; archdeacon , 132 , 151 ; account of , 584 .
a history of the county of gloucester : volume 2 . originally published by victoria county history , london , 1907 .
hunt , richard , prebendary , account of , 60 ; william , 241 ; john , mayor , a . 607 .
martha pawlett , widow v . thomas hoby , baronet ; mathew disney ; and daniel hunt
maces of city not to be borne within precincts of cathedral , 404 ; borne by the mayor before queen mary , a . 636 .
thomas wickrod one of the sons of peter wickrod the elder late of the parish of st paul shadwell , middx , brewer decd v . martha gardiner
5 . fosbroke , 165 ; fuller , worthies , i . 566 ; gloucester consist . ct . wills 1561 , 1566 ; gloucester guildhall 1300 ; 1375 , f . 28v .
their troops at gloucester . he also held his court here in 1241 ( counsel ) .
gloucester ( s . michael ) . — the
webb
plate . — a pair
garrod , a . p . and heighway , c . m . , gloucester cathedral ,
the castle , gloucester ; a drawing by s . lysons , not engraved . ditto .
predeceased by his loving parents thomas and shirley sweeney iii . beloved husband of linda s . sweeney ( nee greenwood ) for 36 years . devoted father of melissa ( christopher ) branco and thomas ( courtney ) sweeney v . loving grandfather of kara rae , thomas vi , and soon to be baby boy christopher jr .
there were seven bells at the time of the cathedral ' s foundation , and from the time of the building of the two towers the bells were divided roughly equally between them . towards the end of the thirteenth century roger de ropeford and his family were appointed by the chapter as hereditary bellfounders to the cathedral , but no bells are definitely known to have been cast by them . the fabric rolls record that in 1372 one bell was cast and another recast by thomas karoun , who may have been from gloucester . the new bell is thought to have been the predecessor of the present 8th and the recast bell the predecessor of the present 3rd .
john and joan cooke by an unknown artist . in the collection of gloucester city museum & art gallery .
sabine , avery , his charity to king ' s bridge hospital , 127 ; mayor , a . 607 .
thomas bell the elder , whose early career is obscure , was a prosperous clothier ; in the claustral buildings of the blackfriars , southgate street , granted to him on 21 july 1539 and then converted into a residence ( bell’s place ) for himself , he set up a manufactory which specialized in cap production . in 1544 and 1548 he acquired property from augmentations , on the second occasion together with richard duke . bell leased lands in and around gloucester from the crown , which benefited by loans from him . in 1544 he was assessed for the subsidy on lands worth £70 . 6
burton , philip , 53 ; thomas , master of kingsbridge hospital , 132 ; dr . canon of christchurch , 509 .
a latin - english dictionary of st . thomas aquinas , based on the summa theologica and selected passages of his other works
swanson , frank . “ottawa greets marilyn bell before big toronto reception . ” the ottawa citizen . 19 august 1955 : 1 .
“civic groups honor late mayor’s memory . ” unknown date and page . from hf file # 0388 , city of ottawa archives .
“mayor charlotte elizabeth hazeltyne whitton . ” unknown date and page . from hf file # 0005 envelope 3 of 3 , city of ottawa archives .
will of john sanderson , brother of the complt , lately one of the captains in the regiment of foot guards in the kingdom of ireland commanded by colonel thomas whittam .
d3270 / 4 tripartite deed ( 1539 / 40 ) 11 january 31 henry viii , 1539–40 , between dame joan cooke , the mayor and burgesses of gloucester , and the bailiffs and citizens of worcester , as to the endowments made for the benefit of the crypt grammar school , gloucester , and for the proper administration of the school lands . seal : common seal of the city of worcester .
thomas wathen ( b . 1651 ) , who follows in branch iv - the wathen family of picked elm farm
james worthington administrator of cicely his late wife decd v . thomas fletcher and ann his wife ; and john norbone
seymour , thomas , baron seymour of sudeley ( b . in or before 1509 , d . 1549 ) .
thomas franklyn ; thomas edwards ; john jenner ; william powell ; mary wilmott ; and others ( sic ) , creditors or representatives of creditors of william and henry fisher or one of them v . frances fisher ; arnold smith ; william fisher ; thomas chamberlain ; richard spong ; robert far ; richard sare ; and william powle , executors of olivers triggs
during 1536 he expressed concern at the bishop of worcester’s handling of seditious preachers . the bishop’s defenders asserted that bell had called him a heretic . when eventually bell was summoned to london in 1537 , nicholas arnold hoped that wriothesley’s arbitration would ‘defend true preachers from such ungodly people’ as bell , who was alleged to have boasted of trimming the bishop by means of bills preferred to the 3rd duke of norfolk and parliament . shortly afterwards he was entrusted with correspondence for cromwell . 7
potter ' s mark
victo . r f
found at gloucester ; and samian pottery found
lade , john , mayor , a . 607 , 608 , 609 ; robert , deputy - recorder , 611 .
anne foreman , spinster ; thomas foreman ; william foreman ; robert forman ; john read , & mary his wife , late mary foreman ; and thomas gardner , only son and administrator of sarah gardner , the said anne , thomas , william , and robert foreman , and mary read , and the said sarah garner being the next of kindred in equal degree to one thomas mills v . william mayhew ; and joseph bird , executors of thomas mills ; francis kilderbe ; james moor ; william revans ; robert capon ; and edward keer
< 5 ) to the dean of gloucester , mr . medland , mr . c . h . dancey ,
5 . j . c . l . stahlschmidt , surr . bells and lond . bell - founders ( 1884 ) , 94–5 .
cols , richard , prebendary , account of , 72 ; amande , 72 , 133 : joseph , mayor , a . 607 .
jackson , tho . prebendary , account of , 65 ; ralph , prebendary , account of , 103 ; john , mayor , a . 610 .
norwich , mayor and citizens of , 458 ; st . peter , of mancroft , church in , 494 ; bridewell at , its beautiful hint masonary
since the city council took control of the medieval monument in june 2012 , it has played host to numerous notable events , including gloucester history festival and the annual mayor making , as well as providing a stunning setting for weddings too .
the western end of the nave was shortened in the sixteenth century by sir thomas bell during the conversion of the church into a mansion that also necessitated the removal of the narrow side aisles and the instillation of new floors , windows and fireplaces . the fireplace that is built into the west wall probably came from the prior ' s lodgings . the chancel truncated at its eastern end by bell , would initially have comprised a choir and presbytery . above the vestry door in the south wall are the remains of the fine early english arcading that would have originally decorated much of the chancel . thomas bell died in 1566 the property then passed into the hands of the dennis family who held it until the late seventeenth century .
john leland the antiquary commented as follows :
bell a marchaunt of gloucestar now livinge , consideringe to be a common - wealth bridges and cawseys , and to the towne of gloucester , hath gyven x li . ( i . e . £10 ) lands the yere toward the mayntenans of these bridges
the transaction was a three stage process , firstly the conveyance described above , then a quitclaim by bell followed by a lease back by the corporation to bell , all in 1542 . the trust so established became known in the corporation ' s records as
sir thomas bell ' s uses lands
, since after the bridge had been repaired the corporation was free to employ the fund for any other use . the lands were sold by the corporation c . 1800
for redemption of the land tax
bourchier , john , master of eastbridge hospital , 132 ; archdeacon , ibid . account of , 585 ; sir thomas , 430 .
langdon , john , precentor of st . augustine ' s monastery , 212 ; thomas , bailiss of city , a . 604 .
thomas h . bell is an american football and lacrosse coach . he is currently the offensive line and tight ends coach at westfield state university . bell served as the head football coach at plymouth state university ( 1972–1975 ) , the university of new haven ( 1976–1982 ) , the united states coast guard academy ( 1986–1992 ) , and macalester college ( 1994–1997 ) , compiling a career college football record of 95–102–6 .
fuller , thomas , 1608 - 1661 . , fuller , john , b . 1640 or 41 .
caward brereton esq v . samuel jones ; thomas crew & christian his wife ; and john lloyd esq
john windham ; and george hadley , esqs ; thomas strode ; and hugh strode v . daniel deligne
gloucester , duke of , a . 599 ; duke of , ( brother to king charles ii . ) at canterbury , 648 .
the blackfriars or dominicans as known to some first came to gloucester in 1239 on a site that had once been part of a norman castle . instigated by sir stephen de hermshall , funded henry iii the building work started immediately through to 1270 when the home for some 40 friars was complete . the monks that lived at blackfriars had to take on traditional monastic vows of chastity , obedience and poverty , and would attend church nine times a day . the friars were an integral part of the church establishment and remained so for over two centuries until 1539 when as little of 6 remained . a local alderman called sir thomas bell who was mayor of gloucester bought the gloucester blackfriars for just £240 and converted the church into a mansion and the other buildings into a weaving factory for over 300 townspeople . the old church which was being converted into a mansion that saw the removal of the narrow side aisles and the instillation of new floors , windows and fireplaces . thomas bell died in 1566 the property then passed into the hands of the dennis family .
william philpott ; and elizabeth the wife of thomas boteler , gent , while sole by the name of elizabeth philpott , children of ralph philpott of word alias worth , kent , yeoman , infant , by william verrier of sandwich , kent , gent v . mary paramore ; and thomas denn
marriage agreement on marriage of william glaseour son of thomas glaseour ( now decd ) and margaret daughter of ralph morgell decd . manor of lea and other manors in cheshire .
hot free books • bell ' s cathedrals : the cathedral church of st . paul - an account of the old and new buildings with a short historical sketch • arthur dimock
hawkins , john , abbot of st . augustine ' s monastery , life of , 211 ; peter , 470 ; ralph , mayor , a . 607 .
benet , william , 112 ; edward , sacrist of st . augustine ' s monastery , 212 ; wm . mayor , a . 605 .
“goodwin death makes whitton acting mayor until council vote . ” unknown date and page . from hf file # 0388 , city of ottawa archives .
christopher thomas & brothers ltd : the last bristol soapmakers . an aspect of bristol ' s economic development in the nineteenth century
elizabeth framewell widow v . christopher stephens ; john stephens ; thomas harris ; william foster ; and john lee
henry locke , yeoman v . jane norris , widow ; anthony norris ; thomas batcheler ; and william ferrer
john , her brother , died intestate and her only other brother , thomas , died soon after birth .
. london : thomas nelson , 1999 ; reprint . london : thomson learning , 2001 . arden shakespeare .
power and communication : thomas wentworth and government at a distance during the personal rule , 1629 - 1635 .
when sir thomas bell died , the beautiful buildings became a printer ' s shop , a school made out of the church by thomas bell , a masons ' business . in one of the georgian houses on the site ( built 1811 ) , lived the widow of robert raikes , who founded the protestant ' sunday school ' movement . the lady chapel in the church of st mary de crypt nearby has been renamed the ' robert raikes chapel , with a picture of him inside . this was the town church of the augustinian canons of llanthony secunda priory near the docks . the accommodation part of st mary de crypt was his sunday school .
. 2 1 - 22 roman gloucester , fullbrook leggatt , l . e . w . o . ,
moss , p . a . and spry , n . p . , 3 northgate street , gloucester ,
during the american revolution it was the principal recruiting station in gloucester county and was used a military headquarters .
john harris , sr , esq ; and john harris , jr , esq , son and heir of said john harris sr v . thomas horwell , gent ; theophila horwell ; and mary horwell , infants , daughters of said thomas horwell ; and others
mortgage by the deft of the manors of great abbingdon als abbington and little abbingdon als abbington , cambridgeshire , to sir thomas fowle . includes extensive schedule of accounts
lanthorne , city one , bought for use of the corporation , a . 656 ; custom of sending a glass one to the mayor on his election , ibid .
another branch of the woollen industry , the knitting of woollen caps , appears to have been an important contributor to gloucester ' s economic recovery in the earlier 16th century . it had been established in the town by 1481 , and nine cappers were mentioned in the period 1502–7 . ( fn . 108 ) by the 1530s , when the main cappers were john falconer and thomas bell , it was probably the town ' s principal industry . ( fn . 109 ) bell was said to employ over 300 people in 1538 . ( fn . 110 )
connolley , greg and wilf bell . “probe boiler pipe blast that scalds 3 to death . ” the ottawa citizen . 13 december 1955 : 1 .
chiche , thomas , 110 , 111 , 246 , 247 ; alderman of burgate , a . 596 ; bailiff of the city , 603 .
1 . governor of virginia , 1610 - 18 , 3rd baron de la warr 2 . to virginia 1608 ; governor - general of the plymouth council ( new england ) , 1622 - 27 ; acting governor of virginia , 1627 - 29 ; brother of thomas west , # 1 3 . to virginia 1618 , acting governor 1635 - 37 ; brother of thomas west , # 1 4 . brother of thomas west , # 1
barham , thos . infirmarer of st . augustine ' s monastery , 212 ; richard harris , mayor , a . 610 ; alderman , 656 .
entertainment , royal , at canterbury , 429 ; at lambeth palace , ibid . at the mayor of canterbury ' s house , a . 624 .
it is the work of clayton & bell , one of victorian britain’s most prolific and proficient stained glass workshops , and it dates from 1873 when the firm was approaching its greatest renown . among clayton & bell’s most famous works are the west window in king ' s college , cambridge and the mosaics on the albert memorial in london .
gloucester on film - the tardis and david tennant ( right ) arrived in the city as gloucester cathedral grounds were used as the filming location for doctor who ' s 2008 christmas special - the next doctor .
4 ^ - in . , of foot , 38 in . : weight , 15 oz . ; inscription , * * thomas
there was a thriving bell foundry in medieval exeter by 1400 and many of the products of this foundry can still be seen in the west country today . the clock bell
peter
was recast ( in exeter ) at the order of bishop courtenay in 1484 , and it is almost certain that the founder was robert russell , who was mayor of exeter in 1485 . although this bell does not survive , many by russell do and are distinguished by having stamps of coins between their canons . that russell ' s
peter
was a recast is proven by an entry in the fabric rolls from 150 years earlier , which mention a bell of this name . also mentioned are bells names ' mary ' , ' trinity ' and ' grandisson ' . the tradition that
peter
was brought from llandaff cathedral in exchange for four small bells is known to be untrue , and is likely to have been caused by a scrap bell used in the recasting having been purchased or exchanged from there .
gloucester rugby is hiring a new groundskeeper in an amazing opportunity to work on one of the best sporting facilities in . . .
review of : gloucester and the civil war - a city under siege , atkin , m . and laughlin , w . ,
ondart foster ; sandra foster ; and thomas foster , sons of william foster , deceased , who was son and heir apparent of william foster , doctor of laws , the said ondart , sandra , and thomas being infants , by said doctor foster , their grandfather v . richard symmonds & barbara his wife , late wife of said william foster ; sir william honywood , baronet ; and thomas hillersden , esq
arms confirmed to his father thomas maria wingfield , m . p . , at the 1619 visitation of norfolk . president of the council of virginia , 1607 - 08
john faldo , gent ; and joane lilliott , widow v . thomas baynes , gent , & mary his wife
( internet shakespeare editions ) with karen bamford and andrew griffin . she is also editing richard brome and thomas heywood’s
celebrate the history and shape the future of one of gloucester’s hidden gems by becoming a friend of blackfriars priory – a group meeting for the first time this march .
the two bars for
vivat schola cryptiensis
are quoted from one of the old chime tunes of gloucester cathedral composed by john malchair , of oxford , 1750 .
henry marshall gentleman son heir and executor of william marshall gentleman who was son and heir and also executor of the complainant ' s grandfather william marshall gentleman v . thomas , lord fairfax ; thomas fairfax esq ; bryan fairfax esq ; anthony bothomly ; and edward tregenna
connolley , greg and wilf bell . “three nrc engineers scalded to death as steam pipe blows . ” the ottawa citizen . 13 december 1955 : 43 .
dodd , a . , lawrence a . , and moss , p . , 66 westgate street , gloucester ,
hammond , wm 99 ; wm . of st . alban ' s 114 ; mr . 236 , 237 ; tho . mayor , a . 610 .
“seven hour seizure , mayor stricken when shopping on mann avenue . ” unknown date and page . from hf file # 0388 , city of ottawa archives .
for details of thomas terrett taylor ' s involvement with george carley & co . , see page 6 of : some london advertisements and information trev .
bridget elson an infant of about the age of 9 years and elizabeth elson an infant about the age of 5 years , the two daughters of william elson esq by jane elson their grandmother and guardian who was one of the executors and trustees of the said william elson her son and also the said jane elson v . thomas carr esq ; thomas woodyer since deceased ; john woodyer clerk ; and thomas gratwick esq ; and william elson son and heir of said william elson
honywood , sir robert , 146 ; honywood ' s , 248 , 249 ; sir wm . mayor , a . 608 , 652 .
garwinton , john , 141 ; thomas de , 152 ; robert , sub celerer of st . augustine ' s monastery , 213 .
mayor and commonaltie , 129 , 136 , 239 , a . 613 ; first appointed , a . 602 ; trustees for different charities , 127 , 155 , 156 , a . 652 ; their composition with the prior of christ church , 623 ; mayor and citizens , guardians of orphans , a . 643 .
winchelsea , heneage , earl of , 106 ; earl of grants a warrant for the mayor , & c . to kill a buck in eastwell park , a . 652 .
elizabeth vernall an infant of the age of 8 years by jane vernall of the parish of stepney , middx , widow , her mother v . thomas lord coningesbey baron of clanbrazell , ireland ; and william casewall
kemp , tho . master of king ' sbridge hospital , 132 ; clement , 238 , 239 ; sir thomas , 539 ; of olantigh , 424 .
will of thomas white decd . messuages etc in or near the great minoryes in the parishes of st trinity minoryes and st botolph without aldgate , middx .
the newspapers published in the city in the mid 19th century reflected the division of political opinion in gloucester . the gloucester journal and gloucestershire chronicle , the main papers , were respectively liberal and conservative in affiliation . after david mowbray walker ' s death in 1871 the gloucester journal was bought by thomas chance , who in 1879 formed a partnership with samuel bland , owner of the citizen . ( fn . 82 ) the citizen , which was published daily from 1876 , was the most successful of many newspapers started in the later 19th century . ( fn . 83 ) others with some success were the liberal gloucester mercury , begun by charles jeynes in 1855 and published weekly until 1884 , and the conservative gloucester standard and gloucestershire news , published weekly between 1870 and 1902 . ( fn . 84 ) the partnership started by chance and bland dominated newspaper publication in gloucester until 1928 when northcliffe newspapers ltd . bought the business and amalgamated the gloucestershire chronicle with the gloucester journal . ( fn . 85 ) from 1981 the gloucester journal appeared as a weekly supplement to the citizen . ( fn . 86 ) in 1980 an independent radio station , severn sound , commenced broadcasting from gloucester to the city and county . ( fn . 87 )
tomb of his daughter catherine whiting washington , highgate , gloucester co , va ( d . 1743 ) . bolton says these are the arms of markham .
boys , sir john , of st . gregories , 15 , 16 , 149 ; account of , 145 , 147 : john , recorder , a . 611 , 645 : thomas , of eythorne , 15 , 146 : angela , 16 : wm . of fredville , 145 : thomas , of st . gregories , 146 .
7 . harl . ms . 6824 , fol . 31 . an engraving with particulars of this bell is in the antiq . repertory , i , 11 ; ii , 162 .
tei - encoded , diplomatic transcriptions of early modern lord mayor’s shows . when complete , these digital texts will constitute a complete anthology of mayoral pageantry in london between 1585 and 1639 .
the defaced inscription on thomas bell’s funeral monument recorded : thrice with free voice eke hath this town allowed this worthy man a mayor’s room to wield , and thrice him called in parliament to sit . although this was correct about the number of bell’s mayoralties , he had served in parliament for gloucester on four occasions , if not five . it may have been either he or his younger brother of the same name , from whom he is usually distinguishable , who sat in 1539 , when the chancery official who listed the names of those approached in connexion with the subsidy omitted to style the two members for gloucester , but the elder one’s seniority in municipal appointments ( it was only in 1534 that the younger was made sheriff , and only in 1540 that he became an alderman ) makes it likely that he sat on that occasion also . some confusion between the two brothers has also resulted from the elder’s choice of the younger’s daughter , with her husband thomas denys , as his heirs when his own son died without issue . 5
it was a case of ' once more into the breach ' for gloucester cathedral which has provided the backdrop for another star studded drama .
d3270 / 5 copy of grant of annuity ( 1540 ) lady joan cooke of gloucester , widow of john cooke , to the bailiffs and citizens of worcester . copy grant of annuity of 6s 8d out of lands for overseeing the provision of her trust for the grammar school is carried out .
robinson , john , prebendary , account of , 63 ; charles , pre sent recorder , 242 ; a . 611 ; john , mayor , a . 609 .
rooke , sir geo . admiral , account of , 250 ; wm . mayor , a . 608 ; finch , killed in a duel , a . 654 .
rose , wm . bailiff of city , 604 ; john , mayor , 607 ; alderman , his gift for making the river stour navigable , a . 640 .
st . thomas the martyr , priory & cathedral of christ - church so called , 337 , 540 ; pageant of him , provided by city , 626 .
read the ebook the church plate of gloucestershire : with extracts from the chantry . . . by john thomas evans online for free ( page 12 of 27 )
online library → john thomas evans → the church plate of gloucestershire : with extracts from the chantry . . . → online text ( page 12 of 27 )
bell , donald burn , of thornthwaite , cumbria . arms , crest and badge . garter and norroy and ulster kings of arms . 14 / 10 / 2014 . college reference : grants 179 / 67 .
thomas foley , esq & mary his wife , administratrix with the will annexed of thomas strode , late serjeant at law v . john baldwyn , gentleman ; isabell spratt , spinster ; valentine dawes , gentleman ; john carpenter ; giles gauderton ; and william johnson , gentleman
notes on the early english lady chapel , gloucester cathedral , built by ralph and olympias wilington , a . d . 1224
. 30 gloucester and the civil war - a city under siege , atkin , m . and laughlin , w . ,
if you’ve ever wanted to find out more about blackfriars priory in gloucester , one of the most complete dominican priories to survive the middle ages in the country , now’s your chance , as gloucester city council is setting up a new group to celebrate this hidden gem .
king , bishop , buried in christ church , oxford , 22 ; thomas , prebendary , account of , 70 ; william , prebendary , account of , 97 .
gloucester cathedral , formally the cathedral church of st peter and the holy and indivisible trinity , in gloucester , england , stands in the north of the city near the river severn . it originated in 678 or 679 with the foundation of an abbey dedicated to saint peter ( dissolved by king henry viii ) .
william elliott , & barbara his wife , daughter and heir of robert forster of kingfield [ nichol - forest , in kirk - andrews - upon - esk par . ] , cumberland v . thomasin hodgson , an infant by thomas hodgson , gent , her husband and guardian ; george bell , gent ; and robert elliott , & his wife
. ed . thomas cogswell , richard cust , and peter lake . cambridge : cambridge up , 2002 . 143 - 161 .
robert freeman ; and thomas freeman , executors of thomas freeman ; george barry ; john bridgeman the elder ; robert saunders ; hannah glazier ; _ _ _ negus , widow ; edward aborn ; barbara gwynne ; john martin ; sir basil dixwell , baronet ; charles bowen & elizabeth his wife ; james sawyer ; elizabeth hawton , widow ; francis joyce ; _ _ _ herbert ; samuel reynoldes ; _ _ _ dacres ; john francis ; anthony haynes ; _ _ _ dawkes ; john adams ; richard smalls ; _ _ _ flint ; thomas saunders ; leonard cuthbert ; sarah judd ; _ _ _ drew , widow ; _ _ _ butler , widow ; anne vere ; _ _ _ parrat , apothecary ; nathaniel adams ; thomas linford ; _ _ _ _ theedam ; daniel weyman ; mathew wing ; william watson ; _ _ _ richards ; thomas jackson ; christopher wymans ; thomas stratton ; thomas walker ; john canards ; _ _ _ cattle ; robert achurch ; john chettle ; william eales ; _ _ _ carter ; charles richards ; _ _ _ gronons ; andrew richardson ; john bridgeman ; and thomas woodward for themselves and other creditors of sir rice rudd , baronet ; and of mary pemberton ; and thomas pemberton of higham ferrers , northt , esq , all of them deceased , and also john clendon , esq ; and thomas pulley , the two surviving trustees for the alms house built and founded in higham ferrers by goddard pemberton , esq , the grandfather of said thomas pemberton ; and also the churchwardens and overseers of the poor of higham ferrers v . lewis , lord rockingham ; scory barker ; thomas hanbury ; and roger pemberton , esqs ; mary pemberton ; mary saunderson , widow ; anthony saunderson , doctor in divinity ; the honorable thomas wentworth ; and george watson ; mathew johnson ; and proby , esqs ; william spencer , doctor in divinity ; william walcott ; samuel hunt ; stephen brampston ; and john underwood , gent ; sir john langham , baronet ; richard clarke ; william holleway ; griffith davies , doctor in phisick ; alies davies ; edward davies ; mary davies ; mathew jones ; thomas phillips ; john phillips ; william bridgestock , esq & his wife ; owen bowen & his wife ; thomas loyd & mary his wife ; thomas loyd of grove & mary his wife ; thomas boucher , esq ; yelverton peyton ; charles dalton ; elizabeth gwynn ; francis dandridge ; edward horton & his wife ; jane vaughan ; _ _ _ vaughan ; mary whitby ; thomas james ; james sawyer ; william linwood ; george jefferyes ; thomas brudnell ; mary drew ; and _ _ _ drew ; and drew her children
reversion of lease granted by john sainsbury decd , the complt ' s late father , to william johnson of a piece of waste ground near bell alley , st giles without cripplegate , middx , for the building of four messuages suitable for twisters to work in .
between 1625 and 1630 thomas pennington recast the tenor , seventh and third bells , and in 1658 his brother john recast the second ( this bell surviving as the present fifth ) . however , eight years later the bells were in a sad state of disrepair with the sixth , eighth , tenor and
peter
all cracked .
. 25 - 28 see also thomas , a . , bateman , c . and walker , g . bateman , c . and leah , m . , ' prehistoric and roman remains on the line of the gloucester business park link road , hucclecote . excavations in 1998 ' ,
smith , dr . adam , 51 ; alexander , 153 ; john , 237 , 242 ; tho . mayor , a . 610 ; ann , 650 .
connolley , greg “mayor turns green island sod for new $ 3 , 000 , 000 city hall . ” the ottawa citizen . 17 september 1956 : 25 .
the oak porch , installed in 2012 , was a gift to this church by the late john cook , a former mayor of berkhamsted , and is inscribed with the cross keys emblem of st peter .
“needle an apt political symbol for stormy suffragette - mayor . ” globe and mail . 27 january 1975 . unknown page . from hf file # 0005 envelope 3 of 3 , city of ottawa archives .
john cooke ( d . 1528 ) was a wealthy brewer and mercer of gloucester , one of the city ' s earliest aldermen , serving as sheriff in 1494 and 1498 . he held the office of mayor four times , in 1501 , 1507 , 1512 and 1518 . he was a great benefactor of the city . his will started the process in motion for the establishment of a grammar school in gloucester , and the scheme was finally given effect by his wife joan who survived him by 17 years , dying in 1545 . it was joan therefore who created the tripartite deed of 1539 , deemed to be the founding charter . the school remains today the most ancient in gloucester .


konarka technologies , inc. was a solar energy company based in lowell , massachusetts , founded in 2001 as a spin-off from university of massachusetts lowell .

in late may 2012 , the company filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy protection and laid off its approximately 80-member staff .

the company ’s operations have ceased and a trustee is tasked with liquidating the company ’s assets for the benefit of creditors .

the company was developing two types of organic solar cells : polymer-fullerene solar cells and dye-sensitized solar cells ( dsscs ) .

konarka cells were lightweight , flexible photovoltaics that could be printed as film or coated onto surfaces .

the company had hoped its manufacturing process , which utilized organic chemistry , would result in higher efficiency at lower cost than traditional crystalline silicon fabricated solar cells .

konarka was also researching infrared light activated photovoltaics which would enable night-time power generation .

the company 's co-founders included the nobel laureate alan j. heeger .

the company was named after konark sun temple in india .

konarka technologies

konarka technologies , inc . inventions , patents and patent applications - justia patents search
konarka technologies develops nano - enabled polymer photovoltaic materials for commercial , industrial and consumer applications .
konarka technologies , inc . - konarka develops and commercializes photovoltaic products that convert sunlight and indoor light into electricity . [ how related to nano ? ] ( nanovip . com )
konarka technologies inc . has received $ 20 million in venture capital financing from lead investor 3i , the company said on tuesday .
solar firm konarka to liquidate konarka technologies inc . filed for chapter 7 . the lowell , mass . , company , with debts exceeding $ 10 million , laid off its roughly 80 remaining workers .
konarka technologies disclosed friday that it had filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy protection and would fire its 80 - member staff and liquidate its assets .
may have other listings under different names / spellings . we ' re not affiliated with konarka technologies inc , we ' re just tracking patents .
integrate capabilities from new technologies into your planning for the next - generation electric grid .
belectric , a germany - based solar developer , financier , and construction firm with more than one gigawatt deployed has acquired the assets of bankrupt organic solar cell firm konarka ' s german operations , konarka technologies gmbh .
in a move designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of konarka ' s polymer - based organic photovoltaic ( opv ) technologies , the company . . .
perovskite and other emerging photovoltaic technologies grab headlines . but will they ever come to market ?
identify the technologies , policies , strategies and vendors that are shaping the global solar industry .
dye - sensitized solar cells : dye - sensitized solar cell , titanium dioxide , konarka technologies , aisin seiki co . , michael grätzel ( 2010 , paperback )
dye - sensitized solar cells : dye - sensitized solar cell , titanium dioxide , konarka technologies , aisin seiki co . , michael grätzel ( 2010 , paperback ) | ebay
uncover energy storage technologies and business models that are changing the dynamic of today ' s power system .
after raising at least $ 185 million in private capital for its solar power technology , konarka technologies inc . is selling off its assets as part of a chapter 7 bankruptcy protection filing .
a $ 1 . 6 million contract with konarka technologies inc . aims to lighten the load for troops who must lug around batteries to power everything from night vision goggles to gps units .
konarka announces first - ever demonstration of inkjet printed solar cells - konarka technologies , inc . , an innovator in development and commercialization of power plastic® , a material that converts light to energy , announced the company successfully conducted the first - ever demonstration of manufacturing solar cells by highly efficient inkjet printing . ( konarka , mar . 4 , 2008 )
daniel mcgahn , konarka ' s chief marketing officer , said a partnership with the u . s . military is the only deal konarka has disclosed to date .
venture capitalist excitement for these new technologies reflects growth in the solar energy market as whole , say industry experts .
konarka technologies is now pushing ahead with the commercialization of its opv power plastic material , initially for lower power consumer electronic applications during 2010 using several partners – including cymbet corporation , noon bags and skyshades .
reflecting on these emerging photovoltaic technologies , “i’m more optimistic now than ever , ” says the university of notre dame’s prashant v . kamat , who has been active in the area since the 1970s . he stresses that even if the emerging technologies don’t become photovoltaic blockbusters that replace silicon cells , “they will likely lead to offshoot technologies and niche applications . ”
founded in 2001 , konarka has raised $ 60 million in previous rounds . in 2004 , konarka acquired siemens ag’s organic photovoltaic research activities , as well as its renowned scientific team .
konarka technologies , the heavily financed company at the forefront of organic photovoltaics ( opv ) development that was co - founded by a nobel laureate , has filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy in its home state of massachusetts .
the grid edge comprises technologies , solutions and business models advancing the transition toward a decentralized , distributed and transactive electric grid .
dfj is a vc firm that focuses on seed , venture and growth stage investments in enterprise , consumer , and disruptive technologies .
in addition to 3i , several existing investors , including chevron technology ventures , gave konarka money .
konarka and solaris nanosciences create joint research program - solaris ' nanoscale metalic structures could boost the solar energy conversion efficiency of konarka ' s portable power plastics . ( pesn june 12 , 2005 )
lowell - - konarka technologies , the umass lowell spinoff company headquartered in the boott mills , has raked in another $ 20 million in venture capital , bringing the company ' s five - year total to about $ 60 million .
“konarka took that investment and built what it claimed was a 1 gw manufacturing line , although the line would certainly never come close to that capacity . with ten times higher cost , and ten times lower efficiency and lifetime compared to alternative solar technologies , the math never added up for konarka’s ‘power plastic’ , ” the analyst added .
the president ' s reelection campaign wasted no time noting romney ' s support for lowell - based konarka technologies , which announced friday it had filed for bankruptcy protection with plans to lay off more than 80 workers and liquidate its assets .
konarka technologies , inc . has filed for patents to protect the following inventions . this listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the united states patent and trademark office ( uspto ) .
both konarka and nanosolar have said they plan to use the money for new research and development facilities .
konarka , nanosolar and nanosys say that nanotechnology could make the price of electricity less expensive per watt .
konarka raised $ 150 million in a decade - long quest for low - cost organic solar cells .
northeastern ece turned mba candidate . i make proof of concepts for new technologies . looking to manage a small team for my next role .
konarka technologies inc . , an innovator in developing power plastic™ that converts light to energy , announced that it has raised $ 20 million in venture capital financing . the financing was led by 3i , a leading venture capital and private equity firm .
energy secretary samuel bodman announced the development projects in lowell , mass . , the home of konarka technologies , a company developing low - cost , flexible solar material designed to coat a wide range of objects , from army tents to soda bottles .
but analysts i spoke with at the time predicted it would be difficult for konarka to achieve its goals .
konarka technologies becomes first company in the americas to receive epfl license for dye - sensitized solar cells - konarka technologies , inc . ( kti ) , an innovator in the development of flexible , polymer and nanoparticle - based photovoltaic technology , announced that it has been granted licensee rights to dye - sensitized solar cell technology from the swiss federal institute of technology ( epfl ) . as a result , konarka will be able to leverage its own intellectual property in conjunction with the epfl license , to expedite the commercialization of its photovoltaic ( pv ) technology . ( ' ' bnet ' aug . 13 , 2002 )
she could have been describing konarka . with a nobel laureate cofounder and promising business plan , konarka raised more than $ 170 million in private capital investments and $ 20 million in government grants , according to its website .
konarka ' s photovoltaic fibers and plastics could also allow clothing , or structures such as tents , roofs and windows , to generate power . using nanotechnology , konarka has made solar cells that are more flexible and portable .
howard berke , the konarka ceo , said in a statement on the chapter 7 filing : “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 us . ”
‘it was hard for konarka to find that unique place where its product would win out over the alternatives . ’
belectric advised that the deal to acquire konarka technologies has been completed , with an agreement reached between the two companies . konarka technologies applied for insolvency earlier this year and began negotiations with several investors . alexander kubusch , preliminary insolvency administrator from curator , commented , “…our talks have now reached a successful conclusion . of the many interested parties , we ultimately opted for belectric holding , because this company not only offered an ideal solution to the issue of business operations but also went a long way toward upholding the interests of creditors . ”
partnership pursues full spectrum polymer solar - konarka , specializing in their polymer - based thin film solar approach , has agreed to work collaboratively with evident technologies , a company that specializes in
quantum dot
development and applications . the research aims to increase the sensitivity of konarka ' s plastic cells to a wider range of the light spectrum . ( renewable energy access march 29 , 2005 )
konarka builds products that convert light to energy . konarka is the leading developer of power plastic , polymer photovoltaic products that provide a source of renewable power in a variety of form factors for commercial , industrial , government and consumer applications .
konarka ceo howard berke said in a statement that the latest round of funding will
provide long - term financial support for ongoing process and product development
and allow konarka to forge new partnerships to integrate its technology into commercially available products .
konarka has a dozen patents pending and exclusive worldwide rights to nanomaterials
cold sintering
technology from the university of massachusetts .
konarka announces first - ever demonstration of inkjet printed solar cells - “demonstrating the use of inkjet printing technology as a fabrication tool for highly efficient solar cells and sensors with small area requirements is a major milestone , ? commented rick hess , president and ceo at konarka . “this essential breakthrough in the field of printed solar cells positions konarka as an emerging leader in printed photovoltaics . ?
stevens put the first $ 50 , 000 into creating a company that would commercialize the umass research , and helped recruit a nobel prize winner in chemistry to advise the new venture , konarka technologies . ( the company was named after a temple in india built to honor the sun god surya . )
rights to the technology are held by konarka , though the solar company says it has no plans itself to commercial the battery .
one of the main reasons for solar energy’s strong growth is the falling prices of silicon photovoltaics . but the emerging photovoltaic technologies promise to be even less expensive , proponents say .
konarka ' s chief scientist awarded 2006 eni italgas science and environment prize for plastic solar cells - ( jan . 8 , 2007 )
konarka technologies , inc . , developer of power plastic® , a material that converts light to energy , announced that the company has opened what it describes as the largest roll - to - roll flexible thin film solar manufacturing facility in the world , preparing for the commercialization and mass production of its patent - protected thin film solar material , power plastic . located in new bedford , massachusetts , the 250 , 000 square foot building was previously the location for polaroid corp . ’s printing technologies .
it has been estimated that 3rd generation solar technologies will achieve higher efficiencies and lower costs than 1st or 2nd generation technologies ( green , m . , third generation photovoltaics , advanced solar energy conversion ) . today , the 3rd generation approaches being investigated include dye - sensitized titania solar cells , organic photovoltaics , tandem cells , and materials that generate multiple electron - hole pairs . to maximize performance , konarka scientists have been involved in research efforts in all of these areas , including novel combinations of these approaches .
a konarka technician at the company’s new large - scale production plant inspects a roll of material to be used to make organic solar cells .
other uses of nanotechnology foreseen by konarka , nanosolar and nanosys include form - fitting plastic batteries for electronic devices like cell phones and laptops .
konarka has over 200 global patents and patents pending and exclusive worldwide rights to nanomaterials
cold sintering
technology from the university of massachusetts .
↵ * “systems and technologies for the future exploration and development of space , ” 9 to 11 june , sponsored by the international science and technology centre and the international academy of astronautics .
konarka has a broad portfolio of patents , technology licenses and an accomplished technical team , including two nobel laureates and the world leaders in semiconducting polymers . in 2004 , konarka built its initial manufacturing line , expanded its global presence , cultivated its customer base and enhanced the value of its intellectual property . konarka has business operations , r & d and manufacturing located in the united states , germany , austria , and switzerland .
perovskite solar cells have attracted more attention in the past few years than all other types of emerging photovoltaic technologies because they are proceeding on an unprecedented trajectory . unlike the other emerging technologies , which debuted at very low efficiencies and crept up slowly over several years to the 10 % range , perovskite solar - cell efficiencies soared in just a couple of years to more than 22 % .
unlike other photovoltaic technologies that incorporate glass , konarka ' s technology is polymer - based , making it lightweight and portable . the company ' s pv module technology converts both sunlight and indoor light into direct current ( dc ) electrical energy and can be incorporated into a wide range of applications , creating an economical , versatile power source .
the obama campaign was quick to seize on the news of konarka’s bankruptcy , arguing that it represents “a new example of mitt romney’s hypocrisy . ”
but the failure of konarka would appear to leave romney vulnerable to criticism that he , too , supported government “picking winners and losers” in private industry .
while the army tested konarka materials for use atop tents , and the company pitched a transparent version of power plastic for use on buildings’ windows , only two products ever saw the light of day . one was a $ 180 messenger bag , made by a german retailer , that used konarka material on the front flap to recharge digital cameras and mobile phones inside . and an australian company called sky shades put konarka’s material on top of a $ 10 , 000 patio umbrella , the solarbrella , which could supply juice to laptops and other portable electronics . konarka’s factory in new bedford was largely idle .
konarka aims to build products that convert light to energy and is a developer of polymer photovoltaic products that provide a source of renewable power in a variety of form factors for commercial , industrial , government and consumer applications . according to konarka , their photovoltaic products are manufactured at low cost and low energy consumption . the company ' s konarka power plastic technology aims to be lightweight , flexible , scalable and adaptable for use in a variety of commercial , indu
konarka , nanosys and nanosolar say their solar technology will reduce the time it will take consumers to recover production and installation costs to a matter of months .
“it’s the first time that a device combining energy creation and storage shows [ such ] tremendous properties , ” says gilles dennler , a coauthor of the paper and a researcher at solar startup konarka technologies , based in lowell , ma . prior to joining konarka , dennler was a professor at the linz institute for organic solar cells at johannes kepler university , in austria . “the potential for this type of product is large , given [ that ] there is a growing demand for portable self - rechargeable power supplies . ”
konarka and textronics partner to develop power - generating wearable electronics - konarka , with their power plastic that converts light to energy , and textronics , with their electronic textiles capability , have joined to create prototype garments and fashion accessories with portable , wearable power - generation capabilities . ( pesn sept . 29 , 2005 )
konarka was among the startups that in 2003 were allotted some $ 24 million in loans from the massachusetts renewable energy trust fund , according to the boston globe .
the last outside money that konarka raised came in 2010 , when konica minolta holdings of japan invested $ 20 million . when i visited konarka later that year , the company said the efficiency of its solar cells was still at 3 to 4 percent , while traditional silicon cells were able to hit 15 to 20 percent .
in conjunction with the funding , maschek and michael ware , managing director at advance capital markets representing good energies , have joined konarka ' s board of directors .
this listing is an abstract for educational and research purposes is only meant as a recent sample of applications filed , not a comprehensive history . urltoken is not affiliated or associated with konarka technologies inc in any way and there may be associated servicemarks . this data is also published to the public by the uspto and available for free on their website . note that there may be alternative spellings for
and while 38 studios was led by a novice entrepreneur , retired red sox star curt schilling , konarka’s chief executive , howard berke , was a serial entrepreneur who’d previously been involved with videoconferencing and medical imaging companies . 38 studios was banking on a hollywood - style blockbuster . konarka was applying brainpower to bring a scientific breakthrough to market .
despite the lack of commercial product availability , konarka , nanosolar and nanosys have collectively raised more than $ 120 million since 2001 , the year all three companies were founded .
another issue was how long konarka’s power plastic would last , since plastic tends to degrade in sunlight . “if there was a case study written about konarka , ” says roach , “it might say that this left the academic lab too early . a lot of the venture capital money was spent doing research , and not developing the product . ”
founded in 2001 , konarka had sought to commercialize
building - integrated photovoltaics
— in which solar power - generating material is included as part of walls or rooftops .
“while in the middle of yet another funding round , konarka finally ran out of money , showing that $ 200 million just doesn’t get one as far as it used to . now creditors are left to sell off the pieces to recoup a fraction of their sunken investment as konarka blames the collapse on an inability to raise more funding . ”
the army hasn ' t said where and when it will test the technology , and konarka wouldn ' t disclose how many units $ 1 . 6 million will buy .
as with other emerging photovoltaic technologies , organic photovoltaic modules are thin , lightweight , and flexible , making them well suited to being placed on the outsides of buildings and on irregularly shaped products , such as fabrics for backpacks and tents .
these applications have smaller power requirements than buildings , and military research contracts at konarka , nanosys and nanosolar may pave the way for commercial availability of solar batteries for communications devices .
during this year’s presidential contest , mitt romney will no doubt be asked about the $ 1 . 5 million grant the state gave konarka in 2003 , when he was governor .
concurrent with the funding , marko maschek , partner with 3i , and michael ware , managing director at advanced capital markets representing good energies , have joined konarka’s board of directors .
konarka technologies , inc . develops and advances nano - enabled polymer photovoltaic materials for commercial , industrial , government , and consumer applications . it provides standard products to serve portable power needs ; and custom solutions , such as roll up chargers , personal accessories , and fold up chargers . the company ' s products are used in outdoor , portable power , indoor and remote sensing , and mission critical applications . it has strategic partnerships with air products , 24 innovations , kurz , skyshades , chevron , merck , toppan forms , dupont , siemens , and the u . s . air force . konarka technologies , inc . was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in lowell , massachusetts with business development offices in asia . it has a research and development facility in austria . the company has operations in the united states , europe , and asia .
konarka joins a growing list of u . s . cleantech firms to go under after raising large amounts of capital — among them the massachusetts firms evergreen solar and advanced electron beams .
“konarka won’t be the last to run out of investors required to be as long on patience as they are blessed with money , ” melnick warned . “buyers and investors beware . ”
konarka technologies will now operate as belectric opv and have its whole team , led by former director of european operations and current ceo ralph pätzold at the company’s nürnberg site . the company will continue research , development and production , as well as international distribution of its printed pv cells . over the coming year , belectric opv will look to increase the service life of the organic solar cells , performing different tests over the first phase .
under the bush administration , konarka received a $ 1 . 6 million army contract in 2005 and a $ 3 . 6 million award from the department of energy in 2007 . under the obama administration , konarka was one of 183 clean - energy companies that got a total of $ 2 . 3 billion in tax credits as part of the 2009 stimulus . — callum borchers
powerplastic can absorb low light level efficiently . the main component of konarka’s photovoltaic cells is nanoscale titanium dioxide particles coating , a light - sensitive dye that generates electricity when light shines on .
unlike conventional solar cells , which are packaged in modules made of glass and aluminum and are rigid and heavy , konarka’s solar cells are lightweight and flexible . this makes them attractive for portable applications . what’s more , they can be designed in a range of colors , which can make them easier to incorporate attractively into certain applications . one of the first products to use konarka’s cells will be briefcases that can recharge laptops . another company is testing konarka’s solar cells for use in umbrellas for outdoor tables at restaurants . they could also be used in tents and awnings .
based on its contributions to the energy market and the nanotechnology field , konarka has been named a red herring top 100 company and was most recently awarded the popular mechanics breakthrough award for 2005 .
konarka is considered a worldwide leader in a new generation of photovoltaics and has an intellectual property portfolio with more than 200 global patents and patent applications covering chemistry , architecture , processes and devices utilizing the material . with a world - class technical team including two nobel laureates , a broad investor group and partnerships with global leaders in this space , konarka is a leading clean technology company .
emerging photovoltaic technologies based on dye - sensitized solar cells , organic compounds , perovskite materials , and quantum dots garner intense coverage in the science press . these types of solar cells sit in the spotlight because they promise to be less expensive and well suited to many more applications than conventional silicon solar cells , which currently claim about 90 % of the solar - cell market . read on to find out which of these emerging technologies are well on their way to market and what technical challenges are holding up the others .
konarka builds power plastic that converts light to energy – anywhere . the company develops and manufactures light - activated power plastic that is inexpensive , lightweight , flexible and versatile . this material makes it possible for devices , systems and structures to have their own low cost embedded sources of renewable power . by integrating energy generation functionality into everyday devices , konarka allows manufacturers to offer truly wireless applications .
the company has produced its cells in a relatively small pilot plant with the capacity of creating about one megawatt of solar cells a year . the large gigawatt capacity of the plant was made possible by the fact that konarka does not require specialized equipment to make its solar cells . indeed , the factory and equipment were formerly owned by polaroid and used to make film for medical imaging . with minor modifications , the same equipment can now be used to make solar cells . richard hess , konarka’s president and ceo , says that the company’s ability to use existing equipment allows it to scale up production at one - tenth the cost compared with conventional technologies .
in the pages that follow , c & en aims to answer those questions , giving a handful of examples , rather than an exhaustive list , of the dozens of companies working to commercialize these technologies and the technical challenges they face in bringing products to market .
berke said he believed konarka had achieved a technology that
will allow bipv to begin to finally flourish ,
by meeting the various demands of architects , engineering firms , clients and regulatory authorities .
efficiency claims come to nought earlier this year , konarka said that its next - generation cells had demonstrated a conversion efficiency of 9 % , with the result certified by newport corporation’s photovoltaics testing laboratory .
konarka’s powerplastic® takes light in and delivers power out . when integrated into products , this direct current ( dc ) electrical energy can be used immediately , stored for later use , or converted to other forms of energy . because konarka’s solar material utilizes a wider range of the light spectrum than conventional solar cells , all visible light sources — not just sunlight — can be used to generate power . integrating powerplastic® into products can enhance battery life without increasing or otherwise impeding form factor . our material’s flexibility , conformability , performance , light weight , and price enable konarka to expand into several key application areas .
although the efficiencies of most other emerging photovoltaic technologies sit well below silicon , one type of cell may soon give silicon a run for its money . the current perovskite photovoltaic record holder , according to nrel , clocks in at just more than 22 % . but as described below , some technical challenges must be overcome before perovskite cells will be commercialized on a large scale . as for the other emerging photovoltaic technologies , many companies are betting that the devices’ low price will provide customers with more than enough bang for their buck to offset low efficiencies .
energy is one of the greatest problems facing the world this century . ( konarka ) is uniquely positioned to deliver innovative solar energy ,
said marko maschek , a partner at 3i , the venture - capital firm that led the latest round of funding for konarka .
we are delighted to support the company to fulfill its vision of providing low - cost , universally available sources of renewable power .
while 38 studios employed artists and game designers to craft a digital fantasy realm , konarka built a team of phd’s in chemistry and materials science to develop a solar cell with a wide array of practical uses .
the lowell , mass . - based konarka designs and manufactures photovoltaic nanotechnology used for solar power , including its trademarked power plastic polymer photovoltaic products . the company won the popular mechanics magazine breakthrough award for 2005 .
konarka is considered a worldwide leader in a new generation of photovoltaics and has an intellectual property portfolio with more than 200 global patents and patent applications covering chemistry , architecture , processes and devices utilizing the material .
with this u . s . based manufacturing location , konarka states that it further expands its presence in massachusetts and accelerates its aggressive plans to develop and commercialize its polymer - based organic photovoltaic ( opv ) technologies worldwide . in addition to acquiring the fully automated roll - to - roll manufacturing line , the company has also hired the leading technology and process engineering teams from polaroid , with plans to hire over 100 additional employees as production increases toward capacity over the next two to three years .
because the bankruptcy is taking place under “chapter 7” proceedings , the company’s operations have ceased . the hazardous chemicals that konarka required to produced its opv films were due to be removed from the company’s premises on june 7 , while a trustee has been appointed with the task of liquidating the company’s assets – which include a roll - to - roll opv manufacturing site that konarka claimed to offer annual production capacity of 1 gw .
constructed and further expanded in the 1990’s for polaroid’s advanced technology development and large - scale manufacturing , konarka’s new bedford facility has been retrofitted to immediately begin initial production of power plastic . using multiple in - line processing stations with precision multi - layer manufacturing processes that are adaptable to a variety of printing and coating technologies , the company states that the facility will enable it to further develop and advance nano - enabled polymer photovoltaic materials that are lightweight , flexible and more versatile than traditional solar materials .
many academic research groups have shown this technology holds promise . but relatively few companies are betting that they have the combination of unique materials chemistry and manufacturing know - how needed to provide a competitive edge in this area . one exception is solterra renewable technologies , in san marcos , texas .
since 2001 , konarka has taken revolutionary lab discoveries from its founding scientists to pilot production for initial customers and now to full - scale manufacturing with the near future capacity of one gigawatt per year , which could contribute to the power and electricity needs of our nation and the avoidance of co2 emissions ,
commented rick hess , president and ceo at konarka .
as one of the original recipients of the solar american initiative ( sai ) awards in 2007 , konarka is furthering the u . s . department of energy’s ( doe ) vision to reach its goal of making solar electricity from photovoltaics cost - competitive with conventional forms of electricity .
unlike another new england company that is being sold for parts , providence video game start - up 38 studios , konarka was the kind of company that fit perfectly into this region’s research - and - design sweet spot .
konarka’s photovoltaic technology started with the work of the late dr . sukant tripathy , an internationally known polymer materials scientist , provost at umass lowell and founder of the plastic innovation center and dr . alan heeger , konarka’s chief scientist , who was awarded the nobel prize in chemistry in 2000 . the discoveries from both founding scientists led to konarka’s underlying technology leadership , including a manufacturing process at relatively low temperatures , which enables the use of low - cost plastic substrate films . the company has secured over $ 100 million from leading venture capital and private equity funds , as well as $ 18 million in government agency research grants from the u . s . and europe .
several companies sell chemicals and materials for perovskite solar - cell r & d , but it seems that , so far , none has perovskite modules for sale . and very few companies have demonstrated modules publicly . saule technologies claims to have a working prototype perovskite module that can power small electronic devices .
romney’s camp responded by accusing the obama campaign of trying to divert voters’ attention away from the still - struggling economy . the romney camp also noted that konarka ceo howard berke has not made contributions to any of romney’s campaigns .
nanosys and nanosolar in palo alto - - along with konarka in lowell , mass . - - say their research will result in thin rolls of highly efficient light - collecting plastics spread across rooftops or built into building materials .
over the next 11 years , konarka raised $ 170 million from private investors including chevron corp . ; secured millions in grants , tax credits , and loans from republican and democratic administrations in massachusetts and washington ; bought an old polaroid plant in new bedford to make its “power plastic” ; hired and then laid off 100 employees ; and filed for bankruptcy protection in early june . konarka’s creditors will meet tuesday to discuss the disposition of the company’s assets .
but on may 23 , berke called a company meeting and told employees that konarka hadn’t been able to raise more money , and would cease operations . ( coincidentally , schilling laid off 38 studios’ employees the following day . )
the shutdown has also become part of the presidential campaign battle , with an obama administration spokeswoman noting that konarka received a loan from the state of massachusetts in 2003 , when gop presidential front - runner mitt romney was governor .
konarka aims to build products that convert light to energy and is a developer of polymer photovoltaic products that provide a source of renewable power in a variety of form factors for commercial , industrial , government and consumer applications . ac
konarka , with their power plastic that converts light to energy , and textronics , with their electronic textiles capability , have joined to create prototype garments and fashion accessories with portable , wearable power - generation capabilities . ( pesn )
the paris agreement has very little actual hard requirements . it ' s basically a fancy declaration of intent . the agreement basically calls on every nation to set and publish realistic goals on emission etcetera , while asking developed countries to take the lead in developing technologies . it ' s not quite giving money .
all three companies rely upon government contracts in addition to private funding . the defense advanced research projects agency has been the most generous . konarka has a $ 6 million grant , and nanosolar has received $ 10 . 3 million .
the demise of the firm represents a significant failure for its investors , which included the energy companies chevron and total alongside several venture capitalists . together , they have invested close to $ 170 million in konarka over the past decade .
konarka is an advanced research and development company , dedicated to the commercialization of power solutions based on a proprietary , solid - state , flexible , low - cost photovoltaics platform that can convert sunlight and even indoor light into electricity .
in a continuation of their development of advanced nanomaterials characterization technologies , cordouan has developed the vasco kin™ time - resolved instrument . this next - generation equipment is designed to monitor in real time nanoparticles synthesis , agglomeration or the stability of suspensions , using accurate kinetic analyses combined within an in situ and contactless remote optical head .
in january 2003 , shortly after taking office in massachusetts , romney held press conference - at konarka , where he announced a plan to loan $ 24 million from the state’s renewable energy trust fund to startups with the potential to create jobs .
konarka harnesses the sun god in pursuit of a scientist ' s dream - spun out of research tripathy conducted at the university of massachusetts lowell , konarka makes plastics that use solar power to run electrical devices - - for example , a chemical sensor that uses its plastic casing to harness power from sunlight . tripathy ' s colleagues and former students formed the company at the end of 2000 , shortly after his death . ( ' ' small times , sept . 3 , 2002 )
konarka ceo berke co - founded the company with alan heeger in 2001 , just a year after the latter was awarded a share of the 2000 nobel prize in chemistry for the discovery of conductive polymers , which form the basis of opv technology .
konarka has developed a series of standard products to serve portable power needs , with sizes including 1 / 2w , 4w , 8w , and 30w . each panel will come with integrated connectors to allow easy use for portable , indoor and outdoor applications .
earlier this year the military engaged a solar technology company , sustainable technologies international , to develop a panel that was portable , durable and discreet enough to be used on the front line . the result of the $ 2 million project was a panel weighing just 400 grams and flexible enough to be moulded to a soldier ' s backpack .
in quantum dot solar cells , nanocrystals of semiconducting metal chalcogenides—including cds , cdse , pbs , and pbse—and other materials function as the light - absorbing material in the device . as with other emerging photovoltaic technologies , quantum dot cells can be prepared via low - cost solution - phase chemistry methods and are amenable to high - speed printing techniques .
“driven by the promise of cheap , printed solar modules that can be made colorful and transparent , technically unsavvy investors rushed to invest in [ konarka ] to the tune of $ 170 million , with an additional $ 30 million coming from grant funding . ”
powerplastic solar panel is created using roll to roll manufacturing process . roll to roll process is the process in which transparent electrode , printed active material , primary electrode and substrate are printed onto transparent packaging to make a solar panel . this manufacturing process is inexpensive , environmental friendly , and simple . currently , konarka is invested by us military , the national science foundation , darpa , and the department of energy , the department of commerece , etc . konarka’s solar panel is a great prospect of future alternative energy source .
these devices use compounds with the perovskite crystal structure and stoichiometry to absorb light . ( ch 3 nh 3 ) pbi 3 is the most studied example . scientists remain unsure why positive and negative charges generated by photoexcitation in these types of cells reach their respective electrodes so efficiently . yet the remarkable rate of progress caused photovoltaics researchers in academia and industry who were working on other technologies to switch to perovskites or at least add the topic to their priority list . and several new companies , such as oxford photovoltaics , a start - up launched by university of oxford physicist henry j . snaith , a leading figure in perovskite photovoltaics , and warsaw - based saule technologies have also entered the perovskite photovoltaics race .
konarka urltoken is recognized throughout the world as a leader in opv ( organic photovoltaic ) technology a 3rd generation solar technology that is rapidly emerging to compete with silicon based 1st and 2nd generation solar technologies . the company holds over 350 patents and filings covering every aspect of our proprietary chemistry and processes . our current research efforts are exploring exciting new opv chemistries as well as advances to our existing technology that will produce greater power output at a lower cost . at the heart of konarkas technology is a photo - reactive polymer material invented by konarka co - founder and nobel prize winner , dr . alan heeger . this proprietary material can be printed or coated inexpensively onto flexible substrates using roll - to - roll manufacturing , similar to the way newspaper is printed on large rolls of paper . the resulting power plastic can then be manufactured into a wide range of end - use products .
inkjet printing is a commonly used technique for controlled deposition of solutions of functional materials in specific locations on a substrate and can provide easy and fast deposition of polymer films over a large area . the demonstration confirms that organic solar cells can be processed with printing technologies with little or no loss compared to “clean room ? semiconductor technologies such as spin coating . the most popular printing tool for organic electronics , inkjet printing could become a smart tool to manufacturer solar cells with multiple colors and patterns for lower power requirement products , like indoor or sensor applications . inkjet printing is considered very promising because the polymer devices can be fabricated very easily because of the compatibility with various substrates and it does not require additional patterning .
at first , konarka will focus on niche applications such as umbrellas and tents , while working to increase the efficiency of the solar cells to between 7 and 10 percent , at which point the company could compete in cost with conventional sources of electricity , hess says .
there ' s opportunities in traditional silicon photovoltaics , and that ' s really interesting , and there are companies like konarka . there ' s room in the market for all these companies . it ' s still early days for these startups ,
he said .
“technically unsavvy investors” analysts at lux research have long suggested that the claimed benefits of opv – largely the promise of cheap solar power produced by a lightweight , flexible film – have been overplayed . subsequent to konarka’s bankruptcy filing , lux’s jonathan melnick delivered this withering assessment :
romney’s camp also noted that konarka received $ 5 million in state loans under massachusetts gov . deval patrick ( d ) as well as $ 170 million in private capital , and that later during his tenure as governor romney sought to divert money away from the trust fund .
dennler says that the maturity of the battery and the imminent commercial release of konarka - style organic solar cells mean that the kind of solar - battery device designed in the project could be available as early as next year , although achieving higher performance would be an ongoing pursuit .
the vast majority of those solar panels—about 90 % —are based on silicon . but because silicon photovoltaics are a mature technology , they are rarely the subject of photovoltaics stories that appear so frequently in the science press . instead , the spotlight has been shining for several years on a number of emerging photovoltaic technologies that are stimulating intense r & d effort in academia and industry .
despite romney’s touting of the loans in an event at konarka’s headquarters , campaign aides argued tuesday that the loan decision was made in december 2002 , before romney took office , and that the move was made by the director of a “quasi - public” agency , the massachusetts technology collaborative .
konarka received popular mechanics magazine ' s breakthrough award last year for its work on products that convert light to energy . the company ' s flagship product is power plastic , which could allow products such as laptops and cell phones to be recharged with solar energy without being plugging in .
with respect to lifetime , there is much discussion going on as to whether the technologies need to have the same lifetime as silicon - based pv ( 20 + years ) for economical rooftop use , or whether shorter lifetimes of around five years , especially for very low - cost modules , could be deemed acceptable ( this is , in fact , the direction that konarka and skyshades are taking ) . however , there is some evidence to suggest that for mass production for top grid - connected and building - integrated solar cells , optimal lifetime duration should be at least 20 years , since investors are less likely to support a technology with low efficiency and lifetime .
organic solar cells ( oscs ) , sometimes referred to as third - generation solar after crystalline silicon and thin - film solar technology , can be divided into two categories : polymer - based ( large molecules ) and oligomer - based ( small molecules ) . konarka prints large molecule polymers .
silicon is very capital - intensive . you don ' t need a clean room for plastic power where capital costs are one - tenth of silicon ,
said raj atluru , managing director at the venture capitalist firm of draper fisher jurvetson in menlo park , a major investor in konarka .
- this will be the first curtain wall pilot project to integrate konarka power plastic into a wall structure . the wall solar panels will generating 1 . 5 kilowatts of power to the facility , and are expected to be fully operational by year’s end ( business wire nov . 10 , 2009 )
at this stage , third - generation pv is not at a price point to be able to compete directly with silicon - based cells or the more exotic thin - film technologies , but it will nevertheless play a significant energy role in applications and markets that conventional solar materials will never be able to penetrate . these include low - power consumer electronics , outdoor recreational applications , and bipv applications .
meanwhile , researchers at the natick soldier center are pursuing a variety of nonsensing e - textile efforts . they are working to stitch communications antennas into vests worn by soldiers in hopes of eliminating the 3 - meter wire antennas that can make a soldier carrying a radio an obvious target . in another project , researchers at wronz euralab in the united kingdom have contracted to develop a soft fabric keypad on a jacket sleeve that can replace heavy , bulky communications keyboard controls for field units . and researchers at konarka technologies in lowell , massachusetts , are working with natick to develop flexible solar cells that can be incorporated into tents and other fabrics to help power the burgeoning number of electronic gadgets soldiers now carry .
the company plans to gradually ramp up production at its new factory , reaching full capacity in two to three years . because the solar cells can be made transparent , konarka is also developing a version of its solar cells that could be laminated to windows to generate electricity and serve as a window tinting .
and his successor , deval patrick , will most likely lose $ 3 . 3 million in taxpayer money that his administration lent konarka to set up its new bedford plant . both governors clearly envisioned that a solar material that could be plastered on just about anything would create plenty of jobs in the state .
according to the company’s filing with the us bankruptcy court in massachusetts , konarka has liabilities of between $ 10 million and $ 50 million , and at least 200 creditors , but its assets are listed at less than $ 0 . 5 million , with virtually all of the invested cash now burned through .
the company would not disclose information on the price , terms of the deal , or ip involved . this deal involves a headcount of 16 people according to a company spokesperson . the new belectric opv group will be led by konarka ' s former director of european operations and current ceo dr . ralph pätzold .
in a significant milestone in the deployment of flexible , printed photovoltaics , konarka , a solar - cell startup based in lowell , ma , has opened a commercial - scale factory , with the capacity to produce enough organic solar cells every year to generate one gigawatt of electricity , the equivalent of a large nuclear reactor .
konarka acquires siemens ' organic photovoltaics - new generation of photovoltaics are inexpensive , easy - to - manufacture and versatile . these new plastic power cells will make it possible for any electronic device or structure to carry its own on - board source of renewable energy . ( energy info source , sept . 7 , 2004 )
existing investors , including draper fisher jurvetson , new enterprise associates , good energies , vanguard ventures , partech international and chevron technology ventures , also participated in the round . konarka plans to use this round of funding to accelerate further growth , continue to execute on its global partnering strategy and to support ongoing research and development efforts .
konarka has counted 11 different organizations among its investors , including vcs ( draper fisher jurveston and good energies ) , large corporations ( total and konica minolta ) and the quasi - public massachusetts technology collaborative . along with developing building - integrated pv , the company had been shipping products including a solar bag and solar umbrella since 2009 .
melnick’s final analysis is that konarka was actually far better at raising money than it was at solar module development . the analyst believes that the company never had a credible path towards a viable technology , while lux’s prediction of an opv market worth a meager $ 159 million in 2020 paints a worrying picture for those still chasing this market .
third - generation thin - film solar devices are beginning to emerge in the marketplace after approximately 20 years of research and development , due to the insight of leading material developers such as konarka and plextronics in the organic photovoltaics ( opv ) domain , and dyesol , epfl , g24i , mitsubishi and peccell on the dye - sensitized cells ( dsc ) front . both dsc and opv technologies lag far behind on the efficiency curve when compared to conventional solar ( i . e . , > 20 percent efficiency ) , so they will likely succeed in markets where their low cost , substrate flexibility , and ability to perform in dim or variable lighting conditions provide them with a significant competitive advantage . dsc will target larger area bipv applications while opv will find its application in lower power consumer applications .