DuPont Launches Photovoltaic Solutions Business in India

DuPont yesterday announced the introduction of its DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions (DPVS) business in India. DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions is a leading global supplier to the photovoltaic industry, offering a broad and growing portfolio of innovative solutions for both crystalline silicon and thin film modules designed to help deliver clean, sustainable energy to enhance people’s lives. The DPVS product portfolio includes films, resins, encapsulant sheets, flexible substrates, and conductive pastes for both crystalline silicon and thin film modules to the photovoltaic industry in India.

Through investments in materials, technology development and manufacturing, DuPont is accelerating its ability to improve the lifetime and efficiency of photovoltaic cells and modules, and to deliver enough production capability to help keep pace with the fast rising global demand.

“The most important factor for continued rapid market growth is to invest in solutions that meet the needs of this market,” said Marc Doyle, global business director -- DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions. “India has been identified as having a high potential for market growth in solar energy and this segment will drive the company’s strategic growth in the country.”

To support the solar energy market in India, the company plans to establish a photovoltaic lab by 2010 at the DuPont Knowledge Center in Hyderabad. This lab will provide technical and research facility support to DuPont customers in the solar energy industry. DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions will also install a photovoltaic array at the DuPont Knowledge Center to generate a portion of the center’s energy requirements from renewable solar energy.

“Driven by India’s geographical location, government incentives to promote renewable energy and increasing energy requirements in the country, India will emerge as a large manufacturing base for photovoltaic cell and module production and DuPont is delighted to be able to provide material solutions to the domestic manufacturers,” said Balvinder S. Kalsi, president & CEO -- DuPont India.

DuPont anticipates that the photovoltaic market will grow by more than 50 percent in each of the next few years, driving demand for existing and new materials that are more cost effective. DuPont expects that its sales of several product lines into the photovoltaic industry could exceed $1 billion within the next five years.