Dow Unveils CIGS-Based Solar Shingles
Dow Chemical Co. unveiled its line of Powerhouse Solar Shingles, integrating thin-film CIGS solar cells with standard asphalt single materials for rooftop applications.
Aaron Hand, Executive Editor -- PV Society, 10/5/2009
After almost a year of building anticipation, Dow Chemical Co. (Midland, Mich.) unveiled its line of Dow Powerhouse Solar Shingles, integrating PV panels with standard asphalt shingle materials for rooftop applications.
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Dow's Powerhouse Solar Shingles are designed to be integrated with standard asphalt single materials for rooftop applications. |
The technology from Dow Solar Solutions (DSS) integrates low-cost, thin-film CIGS cells into a proprietary roofing shingle design. The shingles reduce installation costs because the conventional roofing shingles and solar generating shingles are installed simultaneously, and require no specialized skills or knowledge of solar array installations.
"This is just one example of how Dow's $1.5B annual R&D investment is allowing us to deliver practical solutions for some of the world's most critical challenges," said Andrew N. Liveris, Dow's chairman and CEO.
According to Jane Palmieri, managing director of DSS, Dow's technology addresses two of the biggest challenges associated with solar power — cost and acceptance. "This is about providing roof protection and electricity generation all from one product, with lower costs, improved aesthetics, easier installation and long-lasting performance," she said.
Dow Chemical announced late last year its foray into solar shingles made with CIGS technology, and showed them off Monday at an event at its Michigan Operations in Midland. The roofing technology comes with the help of $20M in funding DSS received in 2007 from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The solar shingle systems are expected to be available in limited quantities by mid-2010 and are projected to be more widely available in 2011.
