Imagine a roof shingle that can capture solar energy. That’s what Dow Building Solutions is imagining and they’ve joined with Tucson’s Global Solar Energy to to help it develop the idea into reality.
It’s part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar America Initiative project to create solar electricity cost competitiveness with grid electricity by 2015.
 The new machinery at Global Solar Energy’s new facility has allowed for increased productivity 10 times more than the old facility. |
Global Solar’s flexible Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide (CIGS) thin-film technologies in building-integrated applications is a key to that effort.
Dow Building Solutions is a business unit of the Dow Chemical Company.
"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 CIGS material that meets our needs and the requirements of the initiative," said Bob Cleereman, senior director of Solar and Structural Technology with Dow Building Solutions. "CIGS has proven to be the most efficient, cost-effective thin-film technology for building integrated photovoltaic 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 the initiative’s requirements."
The Solar America Initiative 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 systems.
"Our CIGS solar cells and solar strings offer the most efficient, cost-effective option for building integrated photovoltaic applications, which offer greater flexibility to architects and builders to meet emerging energy efficiency standards and lower the cost of solar installations," said Mike Gering, CEO of Global Solar Energy. "With Dow, we are opening a new realm of product innovation for development of building integrated photovoltaic products and the future of the energy construction market."
In March, Global Solar moved into a 100,000 square-foot, 40-megawatt capacity factory, at 8500 S. Rita Road. The company’s previous factory, 5575 S. Houghton Road, was a 33,000 square-foot, 4.2-megawatt capacity factory.
Contact reporter Joe Pangburn at jpangburn@azbiz.com or (520) 295-4259.
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