By Greentech
Lead Team: BioSolar, a developer of a technology to produce bio-based materials
from renewable plant sources that reduce the cost of photovoltaic (PV) solar
modules, is in talks with Chinese solar panel manufacturers.
The company’s
management team recently visited several major cities in China to meet with
prospective customers, including some of the world’s largest solar panel
manufacturers. Overseas demand from BioBacksheet continues to grow.
BioSolar said
one of the company’s customers is preparing a batch of solar panels with
integrated BioBacksheet for full panel recertification by Underwriter’s
Laboratories (UL). Full panel UL certification is the final step required
before BioSolar can accept production run purchase orders from solar panel
manufacturers, according to a report in MarketWatch.com.
BioBacksheet is
the world’s first UL certified solar panel backsheet made from renewable
materials, and it has two distinct benefits that are unmatched by existing
backsheets. First, BioBacksheet’s high thermal conductivity draws heat away
from the solar cells faster, which can increase the power output of the entire
solar panel.
Second,
BioBacksheet’s USDA BioPreferred Certification allows solar panels to be
marketed as more sustainable and socially responsible. Also, BioBacksheet’s
competitive pricing, stemming from its innovative single layer construction,
makes the switch from conventional backsheets very cost effective.
“We are
highly focused on the sequential development of key customers by diligently
helping them through their testing, integration and full panel UL certification
process. We have a large solar panel customer that is getting ready to submit
their panels for full certification, and we are now adding more customers to
the pipeline,” said David Lee, BioSolar’s CEO.
The company now
produces BioBacksheet through multiple large-scale contract manufacturing
partners. Each of these partners is capable of production sample runs for panel
certification as well as larger commercial runs.