DuPont materials power Hawaiian research centre

Hawaii has long been known as a tourist mecca, as well as the setting for a lot of Elvis movies. Now, thanks to photovoltaic materials from DuPont, it’s also home to one of the largest solar energy facilities in the Pacific islands.

Built alongside DuPont’s Pioneer Hi-Bred Waimea Research Centre in Kauai, Hawaii, the energy facility is comprised of 1,500 panels made from several DuPont photovoltaic materials — including DuPont’s Elvax EVA resins, designed to enable the transmission of sunlight to solar cells; and Teflon fluoropolymer film for front sheets and flexible panels, designed to offer mechanical strength and durability against cracking and abrasion, flexibility, and nearly 100 per cent transparency.

According to DuPont, the one-acre array, which opened in December 2008, is capable of generating about 85 per cent of the energy needs of the research facility: almost 706,205 kilowatt hours (kWh) annually, or enough power for 64 average-size homes.

“By using renewable energy, the facility will avoid the equivalent carbon dioxide emissions of approximately 100 cars annually, saving Pioneer about US$200,000 per year in avoided purchased electricity costs,” said Marc Doyle, global business director — DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions. “This installation is a great example of our commitment to be both a key materials and technology supplier to the photovoltaic industry, and also a leader of solar power use.”