Shanghai, China – Covestro has implemented a distributed photovoltaic power generation facility at its Shanghai integrated production site. The company’s own PU composites have been used in the facility.
A total of 30,000m2 of PV modules were installed on rooftops, car parks and unused areas at the Shanghai site. The company expects it will generate 6 million kWh/year for on-site consumption, on top of the 0.5kWh/year produced by existing PVs at the site. Carbon emission savings of about 5000 tons are projected.
In partnership with Chinese company Zhejiang Deyilong, PU composite frames for the PV modules were partially made of Baydur PU resin. These, the company said, have good anti-corrosion performance, particularly important for locations prone to high humidity and salt spray.
As non-metallic insulating materials, PU composite frames improve the panels’ power generation efficiency by mitigating potential-induced degradation. They also have a carbon footprint that is 85% lower than the more typical aluminium frames as the production process is less energy intensive.
“Integrating this new PV power generation facility represents another stride towards emission reduction and achieving full circularity for our site,” said Yun Chen, the site’s general manager. “While the solar power it generates contributes only a fraction to our site’s power consumption, the message is clear: we are committed to aligning all our activities with circular principles and want to contribute to the circular economy with the materials we produce.”
