DuPont™ Tedlar® Polyvinyl Fluoride Film Aimed at Helping Reduce Dependence on Fossil Fuels
CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio, May 22, 2012 – DuPont celebrated the completion of a $295 million capacity expansion that has more than doubled production capacity for DuPont™ Tedlar® polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) film. The expansion underscores the company’s commitment to help reduce global dependence on fossil fuels through providing enabling materials and technologies designed to increase the adoption of solar energy. Tedlar® films serve as the essential component of photovoltaic backsheets, providing long-term durability and reliable performance for solar modules exposed to the harshest conditions.
“DuPont has recently signed supply contracts with several leading solar panel manufacturers, and with more customers qualifying and certifying Tedlar® every day, we anticipate even greater future demand,” said David B. Miller, president, DuPont Electronics & Communications. “The completion of this expansion project demonstrates our commitment to support the growing solar energy industry with critical materials that deliver proven performance and greater power output over time for solar modules. We continue to innovate with Tedlar® and other key materials to improve the efficiency and lifetime of solar modules as a means of bringing down overall system costs, to spur further adoption of solar energy and help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.”
“Our company has built a reputation for delivering products of superior quality and reliability, largely in part to our selection of raw materials that have been proven to live up to our 25-year product warranty,” said Dengyuan Song, chief technology officer, Yingli Green Energy. “DuPont™ Tedlar® is synonymous with safety and durability, so as a leading photovoltaic module supplier, we are excited by the prospect of our expanded, long-term partnership.”
Yingli recently signed a $100 million strategic agreement with DuPont to purchase photovoltaic materials, including protective backsheet for solar modules made with DuPont™ Tedlar® polyvinyl fluoride film. Several other leading solar companies have announced collaborations with DuPont for photovoltaic materials aimed at accelerating the adoption of solar energy. These include Trina Solar, China Sunergy/China Electric Equipment Group (CEEG), and Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd., the world’s largest producer of solar panels.
“Reliability is critical to quality for Suntech, so we depend on materials like backsheet based on Tedlar® films to differentiate and protect our brand as they help ensure our modules last 25-plus years in the field,” said Neal Holmlund, vice president of Operations and Supply Chain, Suntech America. “Durable, long life solar modules not only are good for our customers, they contribute to the continued success of the solar energy industry.”
DuPont™ Tedlar® PVF films have been an essential component of photovoltaic backsheets for more than 25 years. Tedlar® is widely recognized as the industry standard due to its excellent balance of properties including weatherability, robust adhesion, hydrolysis, ultraviolet and chemical resistance. As a result, Tedlar® enables solar modules to achieve long-life performance providing a long-term sustainable energy source for the marketplace. This results in improved economic returns for investments in solar energy projects and therefore a lower cost of solar electricity to consumers. Tedlar® films also are used in key applications for aerospace and other industrial applications because they are essential for long-term surface protection.
The expansion of Tedlar® film production at the Circleville facility resulted in the creation of over 70 new DuPont jobs and about 30 additional contract positions.
DuPont™ Tedlar® polyvinyl fluoride films are part of the broad and growing portfolio of products represented by DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions, which connects science and technology from across the company on a global scale to help support the dramatic growth of the photovoltaic industry. To learn more about DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions, visit http://photovoltaics.dupont.com.
DuPont is applying the power of its science to help reduce the world’s dependence on fossil fuels. DuPont has a range of market-leading products that serve the renewable energy industry, including enabling materials for photovoltaics, biofuels, renewably sourced materials and technologies engineered to improve energy efficiency.
DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit www.dupont.com.
