(BioSolar) Backing solar cells with cotton, castor beans

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10014816-54.html

Backing solar cells with cotton, castor beans

Posted by Elsa Wenzel 4 comments

BioSolar has developed a plant-based plastic for making durable, less expensive, and more sustainable solar equipment, the 2-year-old company said Tuesday.

The company's BioBacksheet is a protective coating for crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells. Its material consists of layers of cotton fiber and a nylon resin from castor beans provided by Arkema, a Philadelphia chemicals company. Genetically modified crops aren't involved, according to BioSolar.

Unlike many plant-based plastics, which are ideal for throwaway forks and food packaging, BioSolar's material is supposed to withstand extreme temperatures and moisture, keeping solar photovoltaic equipment safe when exposed to the elements. The company, based north of Los Angeles in Santa Clarita, aims to develop thin-film solar applications down the road.

Stan Levy, chief technology officer of BioSolar, was set to release details about the use of cotton and castor beans in BioBacksheet on Tuesday morning at the SPIE Symposium on Solar Applications and Energy in San Diego.

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[EC]

1. Good, I was wondering if an alternative for plastic would be

deveoped soon. If oil is getting short I saw a future where we would have to decide rather to use the oil for plastic or to burn. And plastics are needed to convert to alternates...like solor cells and light weight auto bodies.