Pyron Solar Inc., a San Diego developer of solar and optic technologies, has received a $1 million investment with an addition $1 million option by New Energies Invest Ltd. based in Switzerland, the company said Sept. 8.

It is the second investment by NEI which in December staked $2 million in the company. The money is financing a full-scale pilot demonstration of Pyron Solar technology with a Southern California utility, said Doug Carriger, the chief executive officer of Pyron Solar.

Founded in March 2004, Pyron Solar has patented a design for large, utility-scale solar electricity generators using optics on photovoltaic systems.

“It’s the world’s most efficient solar cells using optics by concentrating the sun’s energy on a much smaller photovoltaic cell, which is highly efficient and less expensive,” Carriger said.

Carriger said the company recently committed to a long-term lease in San Diego because of the business climate.

“California is one of the most important renewable energy markets in the world, and particularly Southern California due to its great sun,” he said. “We believe the main two customers will be SDG&E and Southern California Edison, and we want to be near the Southern California customers.”

Pyron is weeks away from announcing details of the demonstration project with a utility, Carriger said.

New Energies Invest Ltd. is a private equity firm focusing on companies in the renewable energy industry, mainly solar, wind and biomass technology.

— Ned Randolph