Dow Corning supports European Commission’s priority on alternative energy research
Dow Corninghas welcomed a call by the European Commission for a €50 billion increase in funding for clean energy research over the next decade. The Commission is aiming to accelerate its Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) with a greater focus on the development and deployment of cost-effective low carbon technologies. Research and development and a partnership between business, the public sector and researchers are essential in order to develop the technologies to secure EU energy supply and ensure the competitiveness of the European Community member nations.
Dow Corning supports legislative and governmental initiatives that can help clean energy become a more affordable option for the future. “Solar energy is a clean, efficient and readily available technology that, with the right support, can help transform the world’s energy, environmental and economic future,” said Eric Peeters, Vice President, Dow Corning Solar Solutions. “We commend the Commission for highlighting the critical role that innovation will play in accelerating efforts to make solar energy a solar energy a viable alternative to traditional energy sources.’
Dow Corning’s silicon-based materials are used in solar cell manufacturing, solar module assembly and installation. In the past five years, Dow Corning together with its joint ventures at the Hemlock Semiconductor Group have announced investments of more than $5 billion to research and develop as well as to expand production of materials critical to the solar industry.
Dow Corning supports the Commission’s view that co-operation with industry will be essential for the future. The proposed Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) seeks to combine EU and national resources with Public-Private Partnerships in a series of European Industrial Initiatives in areas including solar and wind. “The opportunity and need for solar energy is so great, a spectrum of solar technologies will need to flourish and industry standards developed through increased public-private partnerships created,” said Peeters.
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