Plant-based solar specialist moves towards production

Anyone who paid attention in biology classes knows that plants turn sunlight into energy through the process of photosynthesis. Well, now a US company hopes to give plants another, rather more mechanical, role in turning solar power into usable energy, by using them as a key component in the manufacture of solar panels.

California-based BioSolar has developed new bio-based polymers made from renewable plant sources which, it claims, will provide a cheaper and more effective alternative to the conventional petroleum-based plastics used as the protective covering for a wide range of solar panel technologies.

The company announced yesterday that it has successfully completed testing of samples of its BioBacksheet technology and is now moving towards full-scale commercial production of the plant-based sheets, which it predicts will enable solar panel manufacturers to produce solar cells at a lower cost per watt.

"The test covers material properties, mechanical properties, electrical properties and appearances before and after the long-term durability tests, which include a 1,000-hour damp heat oven test, simulating more than 20 years of real world extreme conditions," said chief executive Dr David Lee.

BioSolar argues that the bio-based polymers are not only significantly cheaper than conventional plastic components, but would also help bolster solar panel manufacturers green credentials by "removing petroleum from solar cells".

In addition, it said that the BioBacksheets could be easily integrated into conventional manufacturing systems, such as injection moulding and thin-film roll-to-roll, to create superstrate layers, substrate layers, and backsheets, as well as module and panel components.

Lee said that bio-based polymer components also had aesthetic advantages over conventional plastic sheets. "Aside from cost and environment-friendly advantages, BioBacksheets can now be manufactured in various colours," he explained. "This feature will further differentiate [the product] from existing petroleum-based backsheets since this is not even an option for them. Photovoltaic module manufacturers often favour colour adaptation to maintain aesthetic consistency for their current solar panel."