BioSolar to use biomass in solar panel components
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BY Bryan Sims
Web exclusive posted Dec. 10, 2008 at 2:56 p.m. CST
Santa Clarita, Calif.-based BioSolar Inc. is ushering in the inherent benefits of biomass by leading a pioneering effort to reduce the costs of solar cells by replacing petroleum-based solar panel components with durable biomass-based plastic materials.
According to BioSolar, one of its first product offerings, a BioBacksheet, is in the pre-production phase. The product forms the bottom layer of most crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells-a layer traditionally comprised of petroleum-based plastics. BioSolar will use primarily recycled cotton in combination with natural polymers derived from castor bean oil in its BioBacksheet product, according to Chief Executive Officer David Lee.
"The bottom line is that the product made from these new sources using a specific producing technique can withstand the same or maybe much worse environmental challenges that these backsheets have to go through," he said, noting that BioSolar is the first company in the industry to find such a viable alternative. "Our main intent was to make it clean so that we don't increase the demand of petroleum and at the same time reduce waste and possible pollution afterwards."
Approximately 75 percent of the typical photovoltaic solar cells currently on the market consist of the actual sunlight-to-electricity converter; the remaining 25 percent contain packaging manufactured mostly from non-renewable materials, including petroleum-based plastics.
According to Lee, BioSolar's BioBacksheets are also expected to cost approximately 25 percent less than petroleum-based traditional backsheets. Despite the explosive growth in solar panel sales, the savings is also expected to reduce the final cost per watt of solar electricity by allowing cell manufacturers to lower the cost of their finished product.
"Target pricing and the cost reduction was based on the old pricing of petroleum," Lee said. "Even if the petroleum price goes down further I think our cost will be substantially less than what it would be for the cost of petroleum-based components."
Beyond BioBacksheets, Lee said in the future the company intends to develop similar biomass-based products for solar cell components that will replace other petroleum-based components such as a BioSolar Thin Film Substrate, BioSolar Superstrate and BioSolar Plastics to be used for injection molding in various solar panel housing and packaging components.
Santa Clarita, Calif.-based BioSolar Inc. is ushering in the inherent benefits of biomass by leading a pioneering effort to reduce the costs of solar cells by replacing petroleum-based solar panel components with durable biomass-based plastic materials.
According to BioSolar, one of its first product offerings, a BioBacksheet, is in the pre-production phase. The product forms the bottom layer of most crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells-a layer traditionally comprised of petroleum-based plastics. BioSolar will use primarily recycled cotton in combination with natural polymers derived from castor bean oil in its BioBacksheet product, according to Chief Executive Officer David Lee.
"The bottom line is that the product made from these new sources using a specific producing technique can withstand the same or maybe much worse environmental challenges that these backsheets have to go through," he said, noting that BioSolar is the first company in the industry to find such a viable alternative. "Our main intent was to make it clean so that we don't increase the demand of petroleum and at the same time reduce waste and possible pollution afterwards."
Approximately 75 percent of the typical photovoltaic solar cells currently on the market consist of the actual sunlight-to-electricity converter; the remaining 25 percent contain packaging manufactured mostly from non-renewable materials, including petroleum-based plastics.
According to Lee, BioSolar's BioBacksheets are also expected to cost approximately 25 percent less than petroleum-based traditional backsheets. Despite the explosive growth in solar panel sales, the savings is also expected to reduce the final cost per watt of solar electricity by allowing cell manufacturers to lower the cost of their finished product.
"Target pricing and the cost reduction was based on the old pricing of petroleum," Lee said. "Even if the petroleum price goes down further I think our cost will be substantially less than what it would be for the cost of petroleum-based components."
Beyond BioBacksheets, Lee said in the future the company intends to develop similar biomass-based products for solar cell components that will replace other petroleum-based components such as a BioSolar Thin Film Substrate, BioSolar Superstrate and BioSolar Plastics to be used for injection molding in various solar panel housing and packaging components.
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