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Dow Corning has chosen JinCheon, South Korea, as the site of its second Solar Solutions Application Center, which will join its first PV application center, which opened in Freeland, MI, in May 2008.

At the center, engineers and scientists will work with customers to develop, evaluate, and pilot materials solutions used to manufacture photovoltaic panels. The facility will include material development and characterization labs, an industrial-scale pilot line for photovoltaic module assembly, and environmental aging and testing capabilities.

The lab portion of the Korean application center is scheduled to open in late 2009, with the pilot production equipment coming online by early 2010, according to Dow Corning.

The company did not disclose the amount that it intended to invest in the new application center nor the projected capacity of the module pilot line that it plans to build there.

"With almost 60% of solar module producers based in Asia, this center will play an important role in the global solar industry growth as well as manufacturing growth in Asia," said Eric Peeters, global executive director of the company's solar business unit.

"For us to be able to build stronger relationships, incubate new material solutions, and bring them to market fast, we have to be close to our Asian customers," said Martin YS Lee, Asia business development manager. "This center represents our intention to be an active, eager partner with researchers, producers and governments in Asia as we help develop affordable and efficient solar energy."