Dow Chemical Company recently introduced a solar photovoltaic (PV) roofing shingle that is integrated with flexible thin-film copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) PV solar cell in a single package.
The ‘Dow POWERHOUSE Solar Shingle’ is a flexible solar PV cell can be integrated easily with standard asphalt shingle materials, and Dow claims the shingles reduce solar PV installation costs because they can be installed at the same time as traditional roofing shingles without special skills.
"This groundbreaking technology will make affordable renewable energy a reality now and for future generations,” says Jane Palmieri of Dow Solar Solutions. “Dow is proud to be recognised by TIME magazine - a strong testimonial to the power of our chemistry and science to deliver sustainable solutions.”
The Dow POWERHOUSE Solar Shingle PV systems are expected to be available in limited quantities by the middle of next year and are projected to be more widely available in 2011.
Other concepts named by TIME magazine among its ‘50 Best Inventions of 2009' list include a rocket and a US$10 million lightbulb.
Dow and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) recently signed a multi-year research collaboration that is strategic to their interests in solar energy. The arrangement is aimed at developing the next generation of ultra low cost, high efficiency solar PV materials and will accelerate the speed to market for these next generation materials.
“The collaboration with Caltech is projected to keep affordability and accessibility at the forefront of Dow's solar photovoltaic product lines and is another example of how Dow's leadership and innovation will further unlock the power of the sun for the masses,” says David Parrillo of Dow Solar Solutions. "Dow's innovation pipeline is robust and will allow us to continue to develop new building related photovoltaic materials and solutions."
Dow is a chemical company that works in 160 countries, with annual sales of US$57 billion and a workforce of 46,000. It has 150 manufacturing sites in 35 countries and produces 3300 products.