Ascent Solar Partners with Darley Defense for Defense Market Expansion

THORNTON, Colo., Oct. 20, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc., a leading U.S. innovator in the design and manufacturing of featherweight, flexible thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solutions, today announced a new partnership with Darley Defense, a leading global provider of defense, fire and emergency services equipment. This strategic alliance will combine Ascent’s CIGS solar products with Darley Defense’s established procurement channels and robust reach across the defense and government sectors. The partnership aims to expand access to Ascent’s thin-film PV products, enabling the Company to penetrate and support the Company’s ongoing mission to simplify how military and government customers evaluate, procure, and deploy its advanced solar solutions to meet a broad range of power generation needs.

The strategic partnership will leverage Ascent’s thin-film PV products, which are uniquely suited to thrive within expeditionary operations in punishing environments with limited access to power sources. Thin-film PV’s lightweight, flexible design allows for extended field operations by alleviating dependence on batteries that regularly need time to recharge. Ascent’s thin-film products have been deployed on space missions, multiple airborne vehicles, agrivoltaic installations, in industrial/commercial construction, and an extensive range of consumer goods. The company is backed by 40 years of research and development, 15 years of manufacturing experience, numerous awards, and a comprehensive IP and patent portfolio.

The announcement comes as military operations increasingly rely on advanced electronics deployed in dangerous environments, where the durability of Ascent’s thin-film products will play a crucial role in providing the power generation needed to carry out mission objectives. Together, with Darley Defense’s established relationships within these markets, the company plans to accelerate the adoption of its thin-film solar technology for applications in need of reduced logistical burdens and enhanced operational efficiency.

The partnership will open opportunities for Ascent’s technology to be incorporated across a wide range of defense and government applications, including dismounted military operations, tactical communications equipment, remote sensors, unmanned aerial sensors (UAS), mobile command-and-control infrastructure, and other mission-critical systems that require reliable expeditionary power.