These OPV modules enable applications such as self-powered sensors, relying on energy harvesting instead of traditional batteries.
Valence, France, June 20, 2024 – Dracula Technologies, a pioneer in energy harvesting through ambient light and leader in transitioning this technology to an industrial scale, today announced that it has completed the qualification process of its new Green Micropower Factory for its mass production of LAYER® Organic Photovoltaic (OPV) devices. This achievement marks a pivotal step in ramping up the company’s production capacity to achieve volumes exceeding 150 million cm² per year per shift to meet the growing demand for its LAYER OPV modules. These modules enable applications that demand ultra-low power consumption such as self-powered sensors, relying on energy harvesting instead of traditional batteries. This major milestone is also in line with the company’s ambition to be able to later distribute its technology through licenses or partnerships to accelerate international business development.
The audit was performed by Semtech, a high-performance semiconductor, IoT systems, and cloud connectivity service provider, and a strategic partner and investor in Dracula Technologies. “We are excited about the potential of this facility to advance energy-efficient IoT applications,” said Olivier Seller, Technical Fellow, Wireless IP at Semtech. “This qualification affirms not only the robustness of Dracula Technologies’ manufacturing processes but also their commitment to sustainability and innovation. Through production of OPV modules at scale, we can jointly accelerate deployment of self-powered devices. Reduced reliance on traditional batteries paves the way for a more sustainable future.”
“Semtech has among the highest quality, safety, and environmental standards in its industry. Its confirmation is of great significance for Dracula Technologies’ new manufacturing site and will enable us to meaningfully ramp up production to meet our customers’ needs over the coming years,” said Brice Cruchon, CEO of Dracula Technologies. “This achievement marks a crucial advancement in scaling up production capacity to address the increasing need for our OPV modules. I am proud of the teamwork and dedication of our entire Dracula Technologies team and our partners, making this accomplishment possible. We are now well positioned to push our technology to new levels of performance required by emerging applications and to engage the marketplace with confidence and enthusiasm.”
A state-of-the-art, fully automated facility
The Green Micropower Factory — a state-of-the-art, fully automated facility optimized for best-practice manufacturing techniques — is the world’s largest factory (2500 m²) dedicated exclusively to the production of OPV modules. The OPV modules are manufactured with Dracula Technologies’ patented sustainable OPV low-light energy-harvesting solution crafted with organic inkjet printing precision. It significantly upscales LAYER®’s production and supports Dracula Technologies clients’ deployment of battery-free devices.
To propel this ambitious venture, Dracula Technologies has begun recruiting over 60 additional skilled professionals, creating employment opportunities, and fostering economic growth. Looking ahead, Dracula Technologies will have a total of 250 employees by 2030.
Dracula Technologies named laureate of the “First Factory” project call
The new factory aligns with European regulations to phase out non-rechargeable batteries in IoT devices. The Green Micropower Factory enables large-scale production of sustainable modules, marking the beginning of the end for conventional batteries.
Dracula Technologies aims to bolster France and Europe’s sovereignty by reducing reliance on battery imports and exclusively collaborating with European suppliers. In recognition of its commitment, Dracula Technologies was recently named laureate of the “First Factory” project call, an initiative aligned with France’s reindustrialization strategy (France 2030), receiving €5 million in funding from the French State.
LAYER® OPV technology fully compatible with STMicroelectronics’ MCUs
In a groundbreaking move towards enhancing energy efficiency and autonomy in microcontroller units (MCUs), Dracula Technologies also announced in April 2024 that its LAYER® OPV technology is fully compatible with STMicroelectronics’ latest ultra-low power microcontrollers. LAYER® empowers manufacturers and end users to create a battery-free future by using ambient indoor light to generate sustainable micro-power devices. The new advanced ultra-low-power STM32U0 microcontrollers for industrial, medical, smart-metering, and consumer applications are a new generation of energy-conscious and cost-effective MCUs that reduces energy consumption by up to 50% compared to previous MCU generations. LAYER® empowers manufacturers and end users to create a battery-free future by using ambient indoor light to generate sustainable micro-power devices.
About Dracula Technologies: Dracula Technologies, headquartered in Valence, France, pioneers sustainable energy solutions with its LAYER® technology, revolutionizing power sources for low-power electronics. Its organic photovoltaic (OPV) modules, manufactured using patented digital printing, harvest ambient light, eliminating reliance on traditional batteries. LAYER®Vault complements the company’s existing OPV harvesting product line, transforming it into a 2-in-1 product, combining low-light energy harvesting and storage on a single, flexible film ensuring uninterrupted device functionality, empowering Smart Buildings, Smart Homes, Smart Asset Tracking, and other related applications. With a commitment to clean, renewable energy, Dracula Technologies leads the charge towards a greener future by providing long-lasting, and cost-effective energy solutions. Supporting its mission is its new “Green Micropower Factory”—a state-of-the-art, fully automated facility, the largest of its kind in the world with a capacity of up to 150 million cm² of printed OPV devices per year.
Note: Dracula Technologies will be exhibiting at Sensors Converge taking place from June 24-26, 2024, in Santa Clara, California at Booth #851. Attendees will have the opportunity to see live demonstrations including a new Multi-Band Lora® Module combined with energy harvesting capabilities developed with Semetch, Murata, and e-peas.
Media Contact for Dracula Technologies:
Camille Dufour
International PR Consulting
camille.prconsulting@gmail.com
Mobile: +33 (0) 6 79 49 51 43
