DuPont discusses Israel's solar needs
DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions (DuPont) has hosted an exclusive conference in Tel Aviv, Israel, which brought together leading representatives from the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry and the financial sector to discuss the critical importance of materials as they impact the longevity and reliability of PV systems to help meet the region's fast growing demand for renewable energy.
DuPont Tedlar polyvinyl fluoride film based backsheets have been proven to protect solar panels for more than 30 years, even in harsh environments such as in Israel.
Israel is the second largest solar market in the whole of the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region and is expected to reach four gigawatts (GWs) of cumulative solar installations by the end of 2017. The country is expected to continue to enjoy sustainable growth rates, thanks to tenders, quotas and a new net-metering scheme. Large ground-mounted installations resulting from tender schemes form the bulk of the growth.
"We are proud to be leaders in environmental technology and innovation, bringing clean, renewable energy from the sun to more and more people in Israel and beyond," said Yanir Allouche, Projects and Operation vice president - Arava Power Company, Israel's leading solar developer. "At the same time, as we continue to expand solar power, we will also be closely monitoring the quality of the materials and manufacturing processes, to ensure our PV plants can provide electricity reliably for their expected lifetime, in the demanding climatic conditions found in our country."
At the conference, Dr. Stephan Padlewski, Europe, Middle East & Africa marketing manager - DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions, discussed risk mitigation strategies that system owners and financiers can adopt to help improve their return on investment and lower the cost of solar electricity.
"DuPont has an extensive field testing program that examines panels in various stages of use and in different climatic conditions to identify causes of premature aging," said Padlewski. "What we are finding indicates that materials choices are key to how well and how reliably panels perform over time."
The backsheet material, for example, should protect the panel from the elements and provide electrical insulation for the 25 year expected lifetime of the panel, but not all backsheet materials have been proven to withstand the harsh climatic conditions found in Israel. Only DuPont™ Tedlar® polyvinyl fluoride film based backsheets have been proven to protect solar panels for more than 30 years, even in harsh environments such as in Israel.
Israel has one of the highest insolation levels in the Middle East and the country has 50 percent of arid zones, which means that the high levels of ultra violet (UV) exposure and temperature differences between day and night can cause considerable damage to solar panels, compromising their power output, reliability and durability, if the key materials they are made with are not able to withstand these environmental stresses.
In order for the national solar energy industry to continue to grow sustainably, it is important for solar investors to understand what impact materials selection has and which materials will help ensure reliable panel performance.
DuPont provides recommendations on industry-standard bill of materials, and provides panel manufacturers with materials technology that will best match power output and expected lifetime goals of solar installations.
