News Article
Dow Brings Solar Technology To Michigan Operations
A highly anticipated piece of equipment arrived at the gates of The Dow Chemical Company’s Michigan operations manufacturing Site in Midland today signalling a significant milestone in the company’s investment in solar technology.
The equipment, a 1,350 ton tandem clamp injection moulding machine, is part of a $50 million investment by Dow that will enable solar energy generation materials to be incorporated directly into the design of commercial and residential building materials.
“This is an exciting day for Dow and the greater Mid-Michigan community,” says David Dupre, vice president of Michigan Operations. “It isn't often that we have the opportunity to show the community how our investment dollars are being spent. I also want to thank the State of Michigan and City of Midland for granting tax incentives that helped make this investment possible.”
Construction is under way on a state of the art market development plant and R&D facility at the site that will create 22 new jobs for highly skilled individuals. Up to 80 construction personnel have been on site daily since the project began last December.
Solar technology today is based on mounting silicon based solar cells packaged within heavy glass panels on the roof. The panels are expensive and difficult to install and, while they produce electricity, the cost is many times higher than conventionally generated electricity sold by utility companies.
“Dow's innovative technology is based on a much more cost-effective photovoltaic material, called CIGS, and these cells are ‘packaged' within the roofing product creating a ‘solar shingle,'” says Bob Cleereman, Dow's senior technical director of building integrated photovoltaic technology. “This approach enables lower fabrication and installation costs, because both the conventional and solar roofing shingles are installed at the same time. The result for the home or building owner is that solar-generated electricity costs no more than power generated by burning green house gas-creating fossil fuels.”
Driven by climate change concerns, rising energy costs, ever-increasing incentives and electricity needs where the grid does not exist, the solar energy market is growing at 30 percent to 40 percent per year. Dow's Building Integrated Photovoltaic system is expected to claim its share of the market while reducing U.S. dependence on imported energy resources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Dow is developing solar energy collection technology called Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPVs), which serve both as the outer protective surface of the building and generate power. These new products and technologies enable solar energy generation materials to be incorporated directly into the design of commercial and residential building materials, such as roofing systems, exterior sidings and fascias, and more. In 2007, this initiative, led by Dow was selected as one of 13 industry-led programs to receive to receive funding from the Solar America Initiative Technology Pathway Partnerships program through the U.S. Department of Energy.
The average cost of electricity purchased from a utility is about 8 cents per kWh. At present, solar energy costs three times more. As part of the Solar America Initiative, Dow and its team members plan to bring solar generated electricity costs below 10 cents per kWh by 2015.
“This is an exciting day for Dow and the greater Mid-Michigan community,” says David Dupre, vice president of Michigan Operations. “It isn't often that we have the opportunity to show the community how our investment dollars are being spent. I also want to thank the State of Michigan and City of Midland for granting tax incentives that helped make this investment possible.”
Construction is under way on a state of the art market development plant and R&D facility at the site that will create 22 new jobs for highly skilled individuals. Up to 80 construction personnel have been on site daily since the project began last December.
Solar technology today is based on mounting silicon based solar cells packaged within heavy glass panels on the roof. The panels are expensive and difficult to install and, while they produce electricity, the cost is many times higher than conventionally generated electricity sold by utility companies.
“Dow's innovative technology is based on a much more cost-effective photovoltaic material, called CIGS, and these cells are ‘packaged' within the roofing product creating a ‘solar shingle,'” says Bob Cleereman, Dow's senior technical director of building integrated photovoltaic technology. “This approach enables lower fabrication and installation costs, because both the conventional and solar roofing shingles are installed at the same time. The result for the home or building owner is that solar-generated electricity costs no more than power generated by burning green house gas-creating fossil fuels.”
Driven by climate change concerns, rising energy costs, ever-increasing incentives and electricity needs where the grid does not exist, the solar energy market is growing at 30 percent to 40 percent per year. Dow's Building Integrated Photovoltaic system is expected to claim its share of the market while reducing U.S. dependence on imported energy resources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Dow is developing solar energy collection technology called Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPVs), which serve both as the outer protective surface of the building and generate power. These new products and technologies enable solar energy generation materials to be incorporated directly into the design of commercial and residential building materials, such as roofing systems, exterior sidings and fascias, and more. In 2007, this initiative, led by Dow was selected as one of 13 industry-led programs to receive to receive funding from the Solar America Initiative Technology Pathway Partnerships program through the U.S. Department of Energy.
The average cost of electricity purchased from a utility is about 8 cents per kWh. At present, solar energy costs three times more. As part of the Solar America Initiative, Dow and its team members plan to bring solar generated electricity costs below 10 cents per kWh by 2015.
