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Harnessing solar energy

Source:Ringier Release Date:2011-11-16 810
Plastics & Rubber
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TROSIFOL SOLAR UV+ is highly compatible with other module components.

Solar power is expected to see growth in the Middle East's energy mix over the next decade, according to a leading expert. During the GCC-France Economic Forum, Dr. Khalid Klefeekh Al Hajri, Qatar Solar Technologies' (QSTec) CEO, said that the Middle East is on its way towards a solar boom with such countries as Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia already embracing the technology and finding ways on how it can be applied to desalination, solar cooling and oil and gas refining.  

QSTec is one of the leading companies driving solar energy use in the region with a $1-billion solar-grade polysilicon manufacturing facility in Qatar. The 8,000 MTPY (metric tonnes per year) plant is being constructed in Ras Laffan Industrial City and has a scheduled completion date of late 2013. Another project is that of Desertec Industrial Initiative which has chosen Morocco as the first location for a  €400 billion project to build a vast network of solar and windfarms across the MENA region. 

Demand heating up
With this trend, production of solar panel encapsulation films and other products related to solar power development is expected to swell. Earlier, Townsend Solutions reported that global EVA consumption is forecast to grow at an equivalent of 5.7% through 2014 to almost 4,400KT, significantly higher than global GDP growth rates. Solar panel encapsulant film and solar battery sheet sealant markets are fuelling this high growth.  Solar encapsulant film applications is expected to grow 25% annually whilst solar battery sheet sealant markets will exhibit about 20% growth in applications using HEVA (>25% VA content resins) and MEVA (17 – 25% VA content resins).

Of the new EVA capacity additions currently planned over the next 5 year period, about 39% of this volume will be located in the MENA region, 33.5% in other Asia/Pacific countries, 16.9% in China and 12.4% in South Korea. 

Companies are quick to take advantage of the opportunity. At this year's 26th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, TROSIFOL, a division of Kuraray Europe GmbH, presented its complete range of PVB encapsulation films for photovoltaic modules with the spotlight on its new TROSIFOL SOLAR UV+. This is a pioneering development of a new plastic polyvinyl butyral (PVB) film with a modified formulation. This highly transparent film with outstanding UV transmittance achieves even more efficient energy yield in PV modules. In addition, thermoplastic (and hence non-curing) PVB displays excellent and long-lasting adhesion. The film shows exceptional resistance to heat, UV radiation and other environmental influences.  TROSIFOL SOLAR UV+ is highly compatible with other module components, can be stored for up to four years and displays reproducible behaviour in all conventional lamination processes.

TROSIFOL has been active in the growth market of Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV). BIPV means the generation of solar electricity with modules integrated in buildings, e.g. in facades, roofs, solar protection or other integral elements of a building structure. Encapsulation materials of transparent plastic make an important contribution here to the durability of photovoltaic modules and long-term power generation. In the last few years, PVB has become established as the alternative to the widely used EVA.

Another company in the Netherlands has made significant headway into this field. Whilst building beta prototypes of its innovative new COSMOS? photovoltaic modules for independent-laboratory testing, TULiPPS Solar B.V. owner and inventor, Mr. Paul Stassen decided to try something revolutionary:  build a 500 watt-peak (Wp)/120-cell unit that is 60% larger thAdidas

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