Infinia lands $50 million in new financing

Solar Stirling engine maker Infinia has closed on $50 million in new Series B financing.

The round was led by GLG Partners, with participation from Wexford Capital LLC, as well as prior investors Vulcan Capital, Khosla Ventures, EQUUS Total Return, Idealab and Power Play Energy.

The company says it intends to use proceeds to fund the commercial launch of its Infinia Solar System, a solar power generation product.

The Infinia system couples the company's piston-based Stirling engine with a dish-style solar concentrator to produce 3kW of AC power.

Infinia says it is the first solar power generation product suitable for "automotive-scale manufacturing" and deployment ranging from single units for end-users "to thousands of units deployed in utility-scale solar power plants."

The financing puts the company track to begin manufacturing and selling its product later this year, it said.

"This product will change the game in the solar power generation market." said J.D. Sitton, President and Chief Executive Officer of Infinia.

Since 1985, Infinia has been delivering free-piston Stirling engines and power systems to commercial companies and government agencies.

Some criticize Stirling engine technologies for their large number of moving parts. Infinia claims its engines are "super-high reliability," and "zero-maintenance."

In connection with the transaction, GLG’s John Small is to join Infinia’s Board of Directors.