NanoFlex Power Corporation announced that it is part of a consortium that was awarded a $6.5 million contract from the Army Research Laboratory's Army Research Office to develop high power, flexible, and lightweight solar modules for portable power applications with more than double the power of current flexible solar modules within the same footprint at a competitive procurement cost on a dollars per Watt basis. The consortium consists of NanoFlex, SolAero Technologies (SolAero), the University of Michigan (UM), and the University of Wisconsin (UW). As part of the program, NanoFlex and SolAero will collaborate to incorporate the patented non-destructive epitaxial lift off (ND-ELO) process and related technologies into SolAero's fabrication process to reduce the production cost of ultra-high efficiency compound semiconductor solar cells. Invented by UM and exclusively licensed by NanoFlex, ND-ELO technology has the potential to substantially reduce production costs by enabling reuse of the expensive wafer substrate. NanoFlex will then design and integrate these ultra-high efficiency solar cells into high power, flexible, and lightweight solar module prototypes for portable Soldier power applications. Finally, UM and UW will evaluate new compound semiconductor growth processes to enable further cost reduction. The four-year contract was awarded by the U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM), Army Research Laboratory's Army Research Office to SolAero, with NanoFlex, UM, and UW participating as subcontractors. The project is under the U.S. Army Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program, which supports transition of manufacturing technologies and affordable technical capabilities to address the highest priority needs of the Warfighter through demonstration of effective, efficient and adaptable processes.