The technology could be used to turn glass windows into power-generating solar panels.

Vancouver, BC, Canada – TheNewswire -  February 8, 2024 – First Tellurium Corp. (CSE:FTEL) (OTC:FSTTF), reports that scientists have transformed transparent, tellurite glass into a photovoltaic surface that generates electricity. The technology could be used to turn glass windows into power-generating solar panels.

A February 2 article in TechRadar reported that the revolutionary discovery was made by physicists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) in collaboration with scientists from Tokyo Tech. Led by the Galatea Lab in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, researchers exposed tellurite glass to femtosecond laser light, a well-established technology used in eye surgeries. This process led to the unexpected discovery of nanoscale tellurium and tellurium oxide crystals, both semiconducting materials, forming where the glass was exposed to the laser.

Yves Bellouard, who heads the Galatea Lab, stated, "We wondered if it would be possible to write durable patterns on the tellurite glass surface that could reliably induce electricity when exposed to light, and the answer is yes.” After etching a simple line pattern onto the glass and exposing it to UV light and the visible spectrum, the researchers found it could generate a current consistently for months.

Tyrone Docherty, President and CEO of First Tellurium, stated, “As we’ve noted many times, science keeps finding exciting new uses for tellurium. In this case, the potential for generating clean power is enormous.”

Transparent solar power windows, first developed by researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) in 2014, are already in limited use in the US and Europe. The MSU team claims that widespread use of highly transparent solar applications, together with rooftop units, could nearly meet U.S. electricity demand and drastically reduce the use of fossil fuels.

The new tellurite glass surface, however, could provide a significant advantage over current transparent solar technology.  Bellouard noted that the process requires no additional materials, only tellurite glass and a femtosecond laser, which may offer significant savings in materials and manufacturing.

As solar glass engineer Richard Lunt explains: “You could turn nearly every surface of a building or landscape into a solar array and generate power right where you use it without even knowing that it’s there.”

“We will be following this development with great interest,” said Docherty.

About First Tellurium Corp.

First Tellurium’s unique business model is to generate revenue and value through mineral discovery, project development, project generation and cooperative access to untapped mineral regions in Indigenous territory with sustainable exploration.

Our Klondike tellurium-gold property in Colorado and polymetallic Deer Horn Project in British Columbia anchor a diversified search for metals, working in alliance with Indigenous peoples, NGOs, governments and leading metals buyers. This is the future of mineral exploration—generating revenue by exploring responsibly and leveraging diverse partnerships.

First Tellurium proudly adheres to, and supports, the principles and rights set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and in particular the fundamental proposition of free, prior and informed consent. First Tellurium is listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange under the symbol “FTEL” and on the OTC under the symbol “FSTTF”. Further information about FTEL and its projects can be found on www.firsttellurium.com.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulations services accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-looking information

All statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements.  These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company’s control.  Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.  Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated event.