Dow Corning begins construction at solar monosilanes facility and unveils solar array and education center

09-17-2009: At an event the company is calling “Solar Day,” Dow Corning will announce the start of construction in Thomas Twp., Mich. of a manufacturing plant that will manufacture monosilane gas–a key material used to manufacture thin-film solar cells. Dow Corning will also unveil a solar panel installation and Solar Discovery Center at its corporate headquarters in Midland, Mich.

“Autumn may be approaching, but the sun is shining brightly at Dow Corning. And it is waiting for us,” said Stephanie A. Burns, Dow Corning’s chairman, president and CEO. “There is still much work to do to make solar energy a sustainable energy option for everyone, everywhere. These investments represent our continued commitment to both innovating and using alternative energy technologies.”

Located adjacent to Hemlock Semiconductor Group’s, Michigan polysilicon manufacturing site, the Dow Corning Monosilanes facility will manufacture high purity monosilane, a key specialty gas used to manufacture thin-film solar cells and liquid crystal displays. The facility represents an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars and will initially employ approximately 30 people. The Dow Corning Monosilanes facility is expected to be completed in 2011.

The solar installation at Dow Corning headquarters features 136 solar panels and will produce approximately 30 kilowatt-hours of power — the amount of electricity consumed by approximately seven to 10 homes in a year.

In addition to providing clean, alternative energy to the electrical grid, the solar installation serves as a testing ground for Dow Corning’s silicone encapsulation solution. Half of the solar panels in the installation are encapsulated with Dow Corning’s advanced silicone encapsulation solution to compare and test in real-life conditions, with the other half encapsulated using standard technology.

Dow Corning constructed a Solar Discovery Center adjacent to the installation featuring interactive displays to educate visitors about solar technology. The Solar Discovery Center offers the company an opportunity to educate students and community leaders about how solar technology works as well as about the company’s critical role in solar technology.