DuPont to invest $120mn to increase capacity for Tedlar PV module materials

WILMINGTON, USA: As a leading supplier of materials to the solar photovoltaic industry, DuPont is providing further details of a multi-phase production expansion for its high-performance DuPont Tedlar polyvinyl fluoride (PVF)product line.

This phase of the expansion represents more than $120 million in investment which increases, by over 50 percent, the capacity of monomer and resin used in producing Tedlar films. Tedlar films serve as the critical backsheet component, providing long-term durability for photovoltaic modules in all-weather conditions.

Site selections for this phase of the Tedlar(R) capacity expansion are complete, and construction has begun for new monomer and resin facilities at the DuPont Louisville, Ky., and Fayetteville, N.C., sites, respectively. The facilities are scheduled to start up in mid-2010.

"This investment supports the significant increase in the global market demand for clean, renewable energy," said David B. Miller, group vice president -- DuPont Electronic & Communication Technologies.

"Our capacity expansions are critical steps in growing the Tedlar business and maintaining our market leadership in backsheets for solar panels that deliver the long-term, reliable power supply that our customers have come to expect from their investment in renewable power generation."

The investment reflects the company's commitment, announced last week, to focus on meeting four emerging global trends, one of which is decreasing dependence on fossil fuels.

DuPont anticipates that the photovoltaic market will grow rapidly over the next several years, and this growth will drive the demand for Tedlar and other new materials that increase the lifetime and efficiency of solar cells and modules. DuPont expects that overall sales of its family of products into the photovoltaic industry will exceed $1 billion by 2012.

DuPont already has implemented capacity expansions in 2009 for Tedlar PV2100 series film and is completing the engineering and design for a planned expansion of Tedlar PV2000 series film production, which together will more than double Tedlar film capacity for the photovoltaic industry.

DuPont Tedlar PVF films have been an essential component of photovoltaic backsheets for more than 25 years. Tedlar is widely recognized as the industry standard due to its excellent strength, weather resistance, ultraviolet resistance and moisture barrier properties.

As a result, Tedlar enables solar modules to achieve long-life performance providing a long-term sustainable energy source for the marketplace. Tedlar films also are used in key applications for aerospace, construction and graphics arts because of their durability and weatherability. Tedlar is manufactured at DuPont sites in Fayetteville, N.C.; Louisville, Ky.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Parlin, N.J.; Fort Madison, Iowa and Towanda, Pa.

DuPont Tedlar PVF films are part of the broad and growing portfolio of products from DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions, which applies DuPont science and technology to support the dramatic growth of the photovoltaic industry globally.

DuPont launches new materials for PV modules

WILMINGTON, USA: DuPont announced the commercialization of two new families of PV encapsulant sheets that are expected to improve durability and efficiency of photovoltaic modules.

The DuPont PV5300 Series and DuPont PV5200 Series deliver long-term protection for the most sensitive part of photovoltaic modules – the solar cells. They contribute to longer life and reduced cost-per-watt, helping system manufacturers deliver more reliable and cost-effective solar power. On a global basis, DuPont expects to nearly triple annual sales from its portfolio of photovoltaic materials to more than $1 billion by 2012.

DuPont offers the latest in flexible and rigid sheet and encapsulant materials for photovoltaics. (High Resolution) “With these new introductions, DuPont science is helping enable the faster spread of solar power,” said William F. Weber, vice president and general manager -- DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers. “These new encapsulant materials contribute to keeping cost-per-watt low and reducing the total cost of ownership for solar power. We expect growth for encapsulant materials like these of more than 25 percent per year in the next five years, due to the anticipated strong growth in solar module installations globally.”

DuPont PV5300 Series sheets are five times tougher and 100 times stiffer than materials typically used as encapsulants. Their structural properties make possible new module designs such as building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) tiles that can be installed on building roofs. Companies like SYSTEM Photonics S.p.A of Italy are adopting DuPont PV5300 for architecturally appealing built-in rooftop photovoltaic power generation.

The company also launched DuPont PV5200 Series sheets designed to meet the needs of thin-film solar power generation, a fast-growing segment of the industry. They are based on polyvinyl butyral polymer technology and offer high performance in physical processing. They enable faster, more efficient module production and longer service life.