Ascent Solar Awarded Latest US Patent, Securing Efficiency Gains in Space and Near Space Environments

THORNTON, CO and WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - Dec 15, 2015) - Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTI), a developer and manufacturer of state-of-the-art, flexible thin-film photovoltaic modules integrated into the company's EnerPlex™ series of consumer products, announced today the Company was awarded a US Patent pertaining to the company's solar manufacturing process.

"The patent illustrates the latest of improvements in our device construction, joining the patent family already issued for processes, designs, and products. This patent addresses next-generation back contacts which have the promise for reduced cost and improved overall performance. Recent results confirm that devices with this new construction can exceed 13% efficiency in the challenging space environment where the absence of earth's atmosphere results in higher generated electrical current," stated Dr. Joseph Armstrong, founder and CTO of Ascent Solar Technologies.

This patent announcement follows in the footsteps of the company receiving their second R&D 100 award and an overwhelmingly positive response during the Defense Energy Innovation Summit and Showcase regarding the company's latest MilPak™ fully integrated portable power product.

Dr. Armstrong continued, "This recent patent covers technology that has been in development at Ascent in an effort to reduce material and processing cost, as well as enable product entry into challenging markets such as high-altitude aircraft and space applications, which offer a wide opportunity set due to the lightweight nature of Ascent proprietary technology."

About Ascent Solar Technologies and EnerPlex:

Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. is a developer of award winning thin-film photovoltaic modules with substrate materials that are more flexible, versatile and rugged than traditional solar panels. Ascent Solar modules can be directly integrated into consumer products and off-grid applications, as well as aerospace and building integrated applications. EnerPlex is the Company's brand of consumer products and is a division of Ascent Solar. Ascent Solar and EnerPlex are headquartered in Thornton, Colorado. For more information, go to www.goenerplex.com and www.ascentsolar.com.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical or current fact constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other unknown factors that could cause the Company's actual operating results to be materially different from any historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition to statements that explicitly describe these risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider statements that contain terms such as "believes," "belief," "expects," "expect," "intends," "intend," "anticipate," "anticipates," "plans," "plan," to be uncertain and forward-looking. The forward-looking statements contained herein are also subject generally to other risks and uncertainties that are described from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.