Dow has obtained the US and European Union (EU) device patents for the use of encapsulant films in photovoltaic (PV) modules.

PV panel

Including US Patents No. 8,581,094 and 8,592,679, and EU Patent No. 2067175, the patents cover electronic devices featuring polyolefin (PO) encapsulant films with certain commercially important physical, mechanical and compositional properties.

The patents cover countries, including Germany and Great Britain.

The company secured similar patents in China, No. CN 101517750 B and Philippines, No. PH 12009500505B1, and is having additional patents pending in several countries.

Dow Photovoltaic global business leader Sang-Ho Kang said, "This patent illustrates the robust intellectual property Dow has developed as we work to provide our customers with solutions to improve power generation of PV modules and systems."

The ENLIGHTTM PO Encapsulant Films allows PV modules to maintain zero energy loss due to potential induced degradation (PID), leading toincreased energy yield, improved reliability, as well as better short- and long-term performance of PV modules.

In addition, the films have the ability to reduce lamination cycle times during module production and reduce module degradation from corrosion and yellowing.

Image: Dow has been granted U.S. and EU device patents for encapsultant films used in photovoltaic panels. Photo: Courtesy of The Dow Chemical Company.