Global Solar Energy Selected by The Dow Chemical Company as Key Team Member in Developing Energized Building Products
Global Solar Joins Dow in Solar America Initiative to Help Deliver
Hi-tech, Thin-film BIPV Products for Building Construction, Including
Flexible Solar Shingles
TUCSON, Ariz.--(Business Wire)--
Global Solar Energy, a solar industry leader that manufactures
highly-efficient thin-film solar cells for glass modules or flexible
material products, today announced Dow Building Solutions, a business
unit of The Dow Chemical Company, has invited Global Solar to
participate in its U.S. Department of Energy Solar America Initiative
(SAI) project to help create innovative building integrated
photovoltaic (BIPV) products. As a part of its SAI program, Dow is
creating a flexible solar roof shingle, and has made Global Solar a
key team member in its development.
"We are collaborating with Global Solar Energy because throughout
our search for a solar material provider, it was the only company able
to supply a qualifying flexible Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide
(CIGS) material that meets our needs and the requirements of the SAI,"
said Bob Cleereman, senior director of Solar & Structural Technology
with Dow Building Solutions. "CIGS has proven to be the most
efficient, cost-effective thin-film technology for BIPV applications,
and by teaming up with Global Solar we are working with an industry
leader. Global Solar is the only company in full-scale production of
CIGS cells on flexible substrates, and has achieved a record-setting
average 10 percent solar cell efficiency, meeting SAI's requirements."
The SAI is comprised of companies, laboratories, universities and
non-profit organizations. As part of the initiative, Dow is
participating in the Technology Pathway Partnership, which was
designed to accelerate the commercialization of U.S.-produced solar
photovoltaic (PV) systems. Global Solar Energy replaced Dow's original
PV material provider in this program.
"Based on its years of experience Global Solar will be an
intrinsically valuable team member in advancing our BIPV product
development and meeting the demand for new solar energy applications,"
said Patricia Nugent, program manager for Dow Building Solutions. "A
flexible PV roof shingle is one of our most exciting projects, and
Global Solar's technology and expertise will be a truly valuable
contribution to our development of that product. Together, Dow and
Global Solar are advancing the market for BIPV applications in the
design of energized commercial and residential building materials."
"By collaborating with Dow, Global Solar is at the forefront of
the emerging BIPV market, which is a bright future for the worldwide
solar energy industry," said Mike Gering, CEO of Global Solar Energy.
"Our CIGS solar cells and solar strings offer the most efficient,
cost-effective option for BIPV applications, which offer greater
flexibility to architects and builders to meet emerging energy
efficiency standards and lower the cost of solar installations. With
Dow, we are opening a new realm of product innovation for development
of BIPV and the future of the energy construction market."
The mission of the SAI is to create solar electricity cost
competitiveness with grid electricity by 2015. The use of flexible
CIGS thin-film technologies in building-integrated applications is a
key component to that effort, helping lower the cost of solar
electricity so that it is cost-competitive across all U.S. market
sectors. Decentralized energy supplies such as PV diversifies the
nation's electricity portfolio, enhances grid reliability, and reduces
the impact of a failure of the U.S. centralized electricity
infrastructure.
About The Dow Chemical Company
With annual sales of $54 billion and 46,000 employees worldwide,
Dow is a diversified chemical company that combines the power of
science and technology with the "Human Element " to constantly improve
what is essential to human progress. The Company delivers a broad
range of products and services to customers in around 160 countries,
connecting chemistry and innovation with the principles of
sustainability to help provide everything from fresh water, food and
pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products.
References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and
its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted.
About CIGS Thin-Film Technology
Global Solar has developed a proprietary process for manufacturing
thin-film CIGS photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules. Global Solar is
the only company reliably producing CIGS that can be encapsulated in
traditional glass modules or in a flexible substrate. CIGS creates
more electricity from the same amount of sunlight than do other
thin-film PV technologies and therefore has a higher "conversion
efficiency" leading to lower cost. CIGS conversion efficiency is also
extremely stable over time, meaning its performance continues unabated
for many years.
About Global Solar Energy
Global Solar Energy is a solar industry leader that manufactures
highly-efficient thin-film solar cells for glass module or flexible
material products. Global Solar is the only Copper Indium Gallium
diSelenide (CIGS) manufacturer in full-scale production on a flexible
substrate and has achieved 10 percent average solar cell efficiency.
Its thin-film CIGS strings are not dependent on silicon and instead
use highly-available raw materials that are easily integrated into a
wide range of applications for use in commercial, residential,
utility-scale and government products. For more information, please
visit www.globalsolar.com.
Schwartz Communications
Erin Del Llano, 415-512-0770
globalsolar@schwartz-pr.com
Copyright Business Wire 2008
