Aug 2 2010
DuPont is collaborating with the Hongkong Electric Co., Ltd. (HK Electric), a major power utility company in Hong Kong, to support the building and operation of the largest thin film photovoltaic rooftop project in Hong Kong.
With an installation capacity of 550 kilowatt-peak (kWp), the rooftop installation comprises 5,500 thin film photovoltaic modules and can generate 620,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) annually. The energy output will help offset about 520 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), 2.9 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and 1.4 tons of nitrogen dioxide (NOx) emissions every year.
DuPont Apollo collaborates with HK Electric to build the city's largest solar power system at Lamma Power Station.
“We are pleased to collaborate with HK Electric to introduce this cutting-edge, thin film photovoltaic technology for large-scale installation,” said David Chu, the leader of DuPont Apollo, a DuPont wholly owned subsidiary. “DuPont Apollo and HK Electric share a commitment to sustainable development and protecting the environment through renewable energy. This effort will accelerate applications of photovoltaics in Hong Kong for long-term benefits of the city and its residents.”
In addition to supplying thin film photovoltaic modules, DuPont Apollo also supported HK Electric in system design and management of the balance-of-system, which encompasses all components of a photovoltaic system other than the panels, and helps optimize the cost/performance ratio.
DuPont Apollo thin film photovoltaic modules are well suited for large-scale rooftop and solar farm applications. Thin film photovoltaic modules are one of the fastest growing segments in the photovoltaic industry. As a result of continuous advances in thin film technology, production costs for these modules are expected to continue to decline, making thin film photovoltaic modules more attractive in a variety of applications. These modules can generate more wattage output under diffuse lighting conditions, and consume only about 1/200 the silicon of traditional crystalline silicon solar cells, resulting in shorter energy payback times. Since starting operation in 2008, DuPont Apollo has set up reference projects worldwide, reaching Asia Pacific, Europe and North America.
Other recent projects commissioned by DuPont Apollo include a photovoltaic installation on the rooftop of the Software Building in Shenzhen and the USA Pavilion at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China. The company has recently partnered with Everbright Environmental Protection Engineering (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd, on a large-scale rooftop installation in Guangming New District, Shenzhen, China.