Global photovoltaic materials supplier DSM and prominent North American solar panel manufacturer Silfab Solar recently joined forces to bring high power modules using back-contact technology to the US market. On July 17, DSM and Silfab held an event in Bellingham, WA to mark the expansion of the facility there and celebrate the companies’ mutual commitment to the clean energy economy. PES talked to Nathan Arbitman, Strategy & Innovation Director of DSM Advanced Solar, to hear more about this new technology and the partnership.
PES: Welcome back to PES Solar, please can you introduce DSM and Silfab and describe the collaboration?
Nathan Arbitman: DSM is one of the world’s leading materials suppliers to the solar industry. We create advanced materials for solar panels that make them more efficient and help reduce the cost of PV electricity. Silfab Solar is the leading solar panel manufacturer in North America. They’re well known for their high-quality products and high level of service. Silfab has a very strong brand in the North American market, especially in the US.
DSM and Silfab formed a partnership focused on bringing back-contact technology to the market. Back-contact technology utilizes a type of solar cell in which the contacts are located on the back of the cell, thereby removing the grid lines from the front to provide a more uniform appearance. This makes the solar panels more aesthetically pleasing, which can be especially advantageous for residential roof top systems.
But just as important, these panels also provide more power. Since the contacts are on the back of the panels, the cells capture more sunlight and convert more photons into electrons. This results in about 3% more electricity, something that is key on space-constrained rooftops.
