Feb 3 2010
A new photovoltaic application facility, Meyrin Photovoltaic Application Laboratory, was opened by DuPont at its European Technical Center to cater to the growing needs of the photovoltaic market. This new lab will facilitate the development of next-generation photovoltaic products.
Ellen Kullman, Chair and CEO of DuPont and Ian Hudson, President of DuPont Europe, Middle East and Africa, were joined by leaders from the government and more than 50 representatives from the photovoltaic industry for the opening ceremony of the facility.
Ellen Kullman said that in the energy market, the fastest growing sector will be for the storage and generation of renewable energy and added that the company can offer technologies and products utilizing its advanced technologies for harnessing energy from the sun.
The Meyrin Photovoltaic Application Lab is designed for the development of next-generation solar module design and to speed up the delivery of high-performance and cost-effective solutions to the photovoltaic industry. The lab will also act as an open centre to enable research collaboration and technological exchanges between DuPont and institutes, academia, industry players and customers.
An example of the open innovation is the development of building-integrated photovoltaic panel system to replace tile or slate roofs. This new innovation was developed in collaboration with DuPont Performance Polymers, DuPont Building Innovations and industry players. Apart from offering good aesthetics to the building, the building-integrated photovoltaic panel system is highly efficient with superior water tightness. The system is also easy to install. The product was developed for the French market in the first phase. It will be available for commercial applications in 2010 first quarter. The system will be available for other markets in Southern Europe during the second phase.