Dow to build plants for polyolefin encapsulant films in Thailand, Germany
Dow Chemical will build two new manufacturing plants in 2012 for its ENLIGHT polyolefin encapsulant films, with one in Map Ta Phut, Thailand, and another in Schkopau, Germany.
Together, these sites will more than triple capacity for making specialty films used in photovoltaic modules, and will significantly expand Dow’s ability to supply encapsulant films worldwide, the company said.
Dow introduced the technology for ENLIGHT films in August 2010. These innovative polyolefin films have demonstrated that they can help improve the reliability and performance of finished photovoltaic modules, possibly leading to a longer service life.
These encapsulant films also allow fast processing speeds, which may help module manufacturers lower their conversion costs, the company said.
“Converting solar energy into an efficient source of electricity is an area of expertise Dow will continue to develop,” says Brij Sinha, global market manager for photovoltaics in Dow’s performance plastics segment.
“Demand for photovoltaic modules has been growing at about 30%/year, and is expected to continue at this rate for the next several years,” he added.
Last month, the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), Bloomberg New Energy, and the Frankfurt School for Climate and Sustainable Energy Finance published a joint report that noted that investments in renewable energies, from wind to solar power, continued remarkable growth – up nearly a third to $211 billion globally in 2010.
Some of the fastest growth was due to small-scale solar panels on rooftops in Europe. Investments in Germany alone rose 132%, to $34 billion annually.
The UNEP report indicates further growth for photovoltaic modules as overall module pricing reaches levels that make it “far more competitive” with other sources of electricity, especially in sunny countries in both developed and developing economies around the world.
Dow offers a number of commercial grades of ENLIGHT films, and also helps develop customer-specific formulations, it said.
These films offer greater module stability and improved electrical performance over more traditional encapsulants, such as ethylene vinyl acetate-based products. Dow said the films are suitable for both crystalline silicon (C-Si) and thin-film modules.
Paul Curtin, associate technology director for specialty films, says the new plant designs will be based on technology used at the initial manufacturing site in Findlay, Ohio, which began production in December 2010.
“The Schkopau facility will become part of one of Dow’s most important sites in Europe,” said Ralf Brinkmann, president of Dow in Germany. “Schkopau also happens to be nestled in the heart of Germany’s ‘solar valley.’”
Brinkmann explained that this area is already home to more than a dozen companies that make photovoltaic modules and their components. He estimates that approximately 30-40 new positions will be needed at the site once the plant is up and running.
“The Map Ta Phut operation will be built with the latest energy efficiency techniques and supports our strategy to further enhance and expand our presence in Thailand,” said Jirasak Singmaneechai, Thailand country manager, who also indicated that 30-35 positions will be added.
He also noted that the Thailand site is Dow’s largest manufacturing facility in the Asia-Pacific region, with excellent access to a seaport.
Comments