Shane McMahon and his business partner Graeme Housser want to make lightweight, flexible solar panels more affordable.

“We’re kind of envisioning a world where solar is deployed everywhere and we’re harnessing the power, the free power of the sun to power all of our electronics,” said McMahon, the co-founder of Lux Semiconductors.

Graeme is a former mechanical engineer from Canada. Shane is a tech entrepreneur from Clifton Park. Through their company, the SUNY Poly Ph.D students plan to create a product unlike anything on the market.

"The patent searches that we’ve done so far has uncovered nothing like it,” said Housser.

The trouble with most solar panels is that, due to their size and weight, many buildings can’t support them. They’ve developed a technology to produce lightweight solar cells.

"We’re using a different material," said McMahon. "It’s actually a much higher performing solar material. It is called gallium arsenide. And we’re significantly reducing the cost of that material so it can be applied to a wide customer base."

Shane and Graeme hope that making this material allow them to break into the massive untapped market of commercial rooftops.

"These can essentially be glued down with high tech adhesives,” said Housser, holding a solar panel.

"The market potential is enormous,” said Dr. Pradeep Haldar, their professor and advisor.

He says 40 percent of commercial buildings, including malls and big box stores, have weight-constrained roofs.

"If you can develop a light-weight product and if it can be done cheap enough, I think the market can be pretty amazing,” said Haldar.

“The vision for our company is to really be a solar cell supplier and enable the widespread adoption of solar across not only the nation, but the globe,” said McMahon.

They’re still working on a prototype solar cell.

After graduating, Shane and Graeme plan to pursue grants. They hope to have their products commercially available within two years.