than 95 percent of the energy produced by solar panels

Nebraska is about to gain its first solar panel maker through a partnership between a startup company and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

University officials say they have joined forces with Rare Earth Solar, a new Nebraska company, in an exclusive licensing agreement to develop solar technology made with rare-earth elements.

Assistant UNL chemistry professor Chin Li "Barry" Cheung and company leaders have developed patent-pending technology for solar cells. Company co-founder Joseph Brewer says the technology will replace traditional semiconductor materials that are currently used.

Officials say the rare-earth elements are actually more available and less expensive than competing commercial materials.

The partnership was fostered by NUtech Ventures, a Lincoln nonprofit created to connect university researchers with the private sector.