Press release
North America
April 20, 2012

ACRYLITE® Solar Pre-Fab Package Offers First Optical Train For CPV Modules

New Off-the-Shelf Acrylic Lens Panels Improve Value, Bypass Tooling Process

Evonik Cyro LLC is launching the first optical train package, ACRYLITE® Solar Pre-Fab lens panels, for Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) modules saving customers tooling costs and manufacturing time.

ACRYLITE® Solar Pre-Fab acrylic lens panels are combined with a Secondary Optical Element (SOE) to create a complete optical train package for assembly directly into Concentrated Photovoltaics (CPV) modules. This allows customers to bypass purchasing the tooling device needed to create the product and avoid the required time-consuming installation process.

“This is a great example of how we continuously enhance our products to deliver the best value and performance to our customers,” said Peter Marks, new business development manager of Evonik’s Performance Polymers – Acrylic Polymers business line. “The package’s complete offering allows us to deliver world-class performance to our customers while bypassing the tooling process to save both time and money. We are also offering the product in quantities as little as 10 panels to be used in prototypes.”

The optical lens package utilizes Light Prescriptions Innovators’ (LPI) patented Fresnel-Köhler optical design. The ACRYLITE® Solar Pre-Fab lens panels serve as the Primary Optical Element (POE), which collects light over its entire area. This POE is coupled with a Secondary Optical Element (SOE), either Evonik’s SAVOSIL®, or LPI’s glass SOE, which focuses light over a smaller area homogenizing the light in order to maximize its usefulness to a solar cell.

ACRYLITE® Solar Pre-Fab lens panels provide excellent light transmission, high-mechanical strength, and outstanding resistance to weathering and UV light. These new lens panels are part of the ACRYLITE® Solar product portfolio, which consists of specialty acrylic molding compounds and sheet products for solar applications.

The ACRYLITE® Solar Pre-Fab lens panels are produced through Evonik’s proprietary processes for manufacturing acrylic CPV lens panels. These lens panels also take advantage of the precision tooling and prescription replication capability of 10x Technology LLC, a developer of micro-structured polymer products.

ACRYLITE® Solar Pre-Fab is offered in three sets of quantities - 10 panels, 50 panels, and 300 panels - and was launched at the CPV-8 conference in Toledo, Spain, on April 16th.

Evonik Industries is a worldwide manufacturer of PMMA products sold under the ACRYLITE® trademark in the Americas and under the PLEXIGLAS® trademark in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

For additional information about Evonik in North America, please visit our website: www.evonik.com/north-america.

About Evonik

Evonik, the creative industrial group from Germany, is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. Its activities focus on the key megatrends health, nutrition, resource efficiency and globalization. Profitable growth and a sustained increase in the value of the company form the heart of Evonik’s corporate strategy. Evonik benefits specifically from its innovative prowess and integrated technology platforms.

Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world. In fiscal 2011 more than 33,000 employees generated sales of around €14.5 billion and an operating profit (EBITDA) of about €2.8 billion.

About Light Prescriptions Innovators

Light Prescriptions Innovators (LPI) is a world leader in the field of nonimaging optics. A One-Stop design, prototype fabrication and manufacture firm making a positive difference in saving energy. LPI specializes in state-of-the-art optical solutions in both Solid State Lighting and Concentrated Photovoltiacs.

 

About 10X Technology

10X Technology develops and manufactures micro and nano-structured polymer substrates. Applications range from concentrator lens that improve the efficiency of solar systems to microneedle arrays for transdermal drug delivery. The company’s strength is replicating highly precise designs into a wide variety of polymer films and sheeting. The company’s processing technologies permit both rapid prototypin

Disclaimer

In so far as forecasts or expectations are expressed in this press release or where our statements concern the future, these forecasts, expectations or statements may involve known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may vary, depending on changes in the operating environment. Neither Evonik Industries AG nor its group companies assume an obligation to update the forecasts, expectations or statements contained in this release.