GE’s research efforts will focus on the development of thin film solar photovoltaic technology. The company will marshall its scientific resources 
across a number of geographically distributed labs and partners. The technology will emphasize cadmium telluride materials to achieve the optimal cost versus performance. …
… “the vision for thin film solar panels is that they will be lightweight, inexpensive and can one day be wrapped around objects, conform to a roof, or even hung like sails. GE is stepping up the pace of its thin film work in conjunction with PrimeStar Solar Inc., which is an Arvada, Colorado-based startup firm in which GE is a majority investor.
The GE/PrimeStar product is being developed at PrimeStar’s headquarters in Arvada, Colo. A team of PrimeStar technologists with more than 100 years of combined thin film deposition expertise is working closely with GE researchers, who are focused on several key areas in order to achieve best-in-class technology.
GE’s research team in Niskayuna, N.Y., is working on all facets of CdTe module development, including material growth, device development and robust process development. Their technical expertise cuts across diverse fields such as surface chemistry, laser processing and plasma physics. ” …
Via GE: Cracking the thin film solar code
GE’s research has global reach: “In China, where most of the world’s CdTe raw materials are found, researchers at GE’s China Technology Center in Shanghai are focused on CdTe materials and the impact they have on device performance. Improving material quality and developing advanced materials characterization techniques are key topics being addressed by the Shanghai team. ”
GE Global Research Thin Film Solar Efforts: “Our modeling efforts for cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin film photovoltaics (PV) are comprehensive. It includes electronic structure theory, microstructure evolution and continuum theories for transport. ”