BioSolar to set pilot runs of bioplastics-based solar module component

14-Nov-08

American company BioSolar, Inc., developer of a breakthrough technology to produce bio-based materials from renewable plant sources that reduce the cost of photovoltaic solar cells, announced that it expects to begin commercial production of its BioBacksheet™ over the next few months, and is gearing up for pre-production runs. As per a senior executive with the company, the pre-production runs will help assess the real time issues before setting complete scale production underway. As per earlier reports, prior attempts to manufacture solar backsheet employing bioplastics failed due to the material's "low melting temperature and fragile molecular structure." The company's new patented material has "overcome these constraints" with "durability characteristics similar to conventional petroleum-based plastics." The pilot runs will be narrower than the normal commercial manufacturing runs. After successful completion of the pilot runs, the commercial manufacturing of backsheets will be set underway.