Dow Corning (Midland, Mich.; www.dowcorning.com) announced today it has started research activities in the newly completed Solar Energy Exploration and Development (SEED) research center, in Seneffe, Belgium, which focuses on the development and discovery of new silicon materials and technologies that are intended to help advance renewable energy and energy efficiency.
The SEED includes a Solar Application Center and a Silicon Technology Center. The center’s solar cell laboratory is Dow Corning’s first of its kind, and completes the company’s network of solar research centers based in the United States and Korea. The Silicon Technology Center houses research activities that aim to develop next-generation silicon-based technologies and applications, many of which to be used to improve energy efficiency in construction, automotive, electronics and LED lighting. For example, Dow Corning is actively exploring opportunities in the dynamic window market, aiming to increase the energy efficiency of office buildings, as well as lithium ion-battery technology that could help increase the autonomy of electric vehicles and silicon-based materials that would enhance the efficiency of LEDs.