Reaching for cost advantages in one industry can often lead to advantages in another. In many instances, when these advantages are found, an entirely new paradigm is formed for new products and potential industry bases. Finding these new product and industry bases is the way to be in on the proverbial “ground floor” of extreme profits.
BioSolar Inc., a solar-cell module component material manufacturer, is currently introducing plant-based bio “plastic” materials to solar module manufacturers for assessment. The company’s products are said to meet all durability requirements and offer significantly lower costs then current petroleum-based components.
The company’s product line is not limited to solar applications, although it has chosen the solar module application as its market of choice. Bio-based “plastic” materials are a large breakthrough for many applications that use plastic parts, as they apparently offer cost benefits while maintaining required tolerances. As petroleum prices continue to flirt with record levels, this particular breakthrough will ultimately reap large rewards for BioSolar. But, until the company can make progress through establishing a beachhead within a particular market to demonstrate its breakthrough, other markets will wait.
In a certain sense, the company’s introduction of its product into the module aspect of solar manufacturing is a good first step. The application requires close attention to cost issues while providing tolerances as they relate to heat and molecular degradation. The product currently meets specifications for the solar cell backing, substrate, and super substrate, where all the heat and bio-issues take place.
Additionally, it should be mentioned that the company is not just offering this breakthrough in these thin-film applications. It is also working with the resin and other associated components of the process for introduction elsewhere. The company has found a way to participate in the green marketplace with a truly green product.
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