Technology company, 3M has received $4.4 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as part of a SunShot Initiative that strives to decrease the total expenditures of photovoltaic solar power systems by nearly 75%, making them economical without subsidies.
3M will use the fund over a period of three years to develop and commercialize 3M existing Ultra Barrier Solar Film. The fund will be used to test the performance and operating life of 3M’s Ultra Barrier Solar films at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) of DOE and to develop next-generation 3M Ultra Barrier Solar Film with improved performance and decreased cost of ownership.
NREL has recently verified that 3M's existing Ultra Barrier Film 9L has a moisture vapor transmission rate range of between 2*10-5 and 8*10-5 g/m2/day through its calcium moisture vapor transmission rate test.
3M’s solar film is an ideal substitute for glass in the production of flexible thin film solar cells. The company’s solar film exhibits better weatherability, moisture resistance performance and light transmission. Lightweight, huge area flexible photovoltaic modules made from 3M’ solar film can attain lower balance of systems expenditures, as they require minimum deployment time, eliminate metal racking and decrease related logistics costs. The solar film enables producers to decrease fixed expenditures related with module production and assembly in a nonstop roll-to-roll method and thus facilitate the production of huge area photovoltaic modules.