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The opening of Dow Corning's $3 million, 27,000 square foot Solar Solutions Application Center in Freeland, Michigan, USA, is designed to develop, evaluate and produce pilot quantities of materials designed specifically for the silicon PV industry across various PV technologies.

Dow Corning hopes to collaborate with the broadest range of potential customers from all sectors of the PV industry as it claims to be one of the few companies able to provide silicon-based solutions throughout the entire photovoltaic value chain.

"Dow Corning's goal is to help the solar industry move towards being economically competitive with conventional energy sources, and become a sustainable energy option globally," said Eric Peeters, Global Executive Director, Dow Corning Solar Business. "This first application center represents our intention to be an active, eager partner with researchers, producers and governments as we help develop affordable and efficient solar energy for the global energy market."

"We're bringing the same kind of in-depth understanding of chemistry and technology that we've been applying to many other industries to the solar industry value chain," said Gaetan Borgers, Global Industry Director, Dow Corning Solar Business. "We're addressing key issues such as availability of raw materials and cost, durability and performance of solar modules. Today's energy needs require multiple solutions, and the diverse capabilities and extraordinary potential of solar energy will play a significant role in solving these challenges."

Dow Corning said it was investing to expand its portfolio of total solution packages for solar cell manufacturing, module assembly and installation applications.