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14 PRoJeCt HoUse sYsteMs InteGRAtIon
ReneWABLe eneRGIes
A systematic approach
to new energy
The expansion plans for renewable energies are extremely
ambitious in countries like Germany, Spain, and the United
States, but also in North Africa and the Arab world. Con centrating
solar power (CSP) will play an important role in these
plans. In addition to site factors, the profitability and achievement
of “grid parity” of CSP power plants depend heavily
on the cost of the power plants. Collector fields, where the
sun energy is converted to heat, are one cost driver. The
savings potential is viewed as enormous: For example, if the
parabolic or even flat collectors are no longer produced
based on glass solar mirrors but on mirrored plastic, weight
and transport costs drop, and the substructure in the solar
field is considerably easier and more cost-effective to build.
Together with the Performance Polymers Business Unit
and external partners, the team developed technical solu -
tions for the reflector and the surface finish. The first mirror
materials based on PLEXIGLAS® from Evonik are currently
undergoing approval testing. The key to their market viability
is not only durability but also the optimal reflection of the
direct sunlight and a surface finish that, for example, protects
against abrasion through sand and dust.
Collectors for solar thermal energy. If they were
made of reflective plastic instead of glass, the
substructure would be easier and more costeffective
to build. the first mirror materials
based on PLeXIGLAS® from evonik are currently
undergoing approval testing
elements39 Issue 2|2012
Prototype of roof
glazing with integrated
photovoltaic cells
New solutions for
lighter vehicles
counts, the researchers worked with the Performance
Polymers Business Unit to develop a new
impact-resistant molding compound. In 2011, several
metric tons of the new compound were produced for
the purpose of conducting injection-molding and extrusion
tests under real conditions. At the same time,
project house researchers developed various processing
technologies and tested their suitability. One of
their projects was to modify an injection-molding
technology in such a way that PLEXIGLAS® can be
combined with another plastic to form a multi-layer
design in a single step.
These developments fit seamlessly into the strategy
of the automobile industry of using primarily
lightweight, fuel-saving materials in the future to
meet guidelines on emissions and climate protection.
PLEXIGLAS® glazing saves up to 50 percent of the
weight of conventional glazing. The excellent acoustic
properties of the plastic system increases comfort,
and the shatterproof material ensures heightened
safety for passengers.
Transparent car roofs were another focus of
automotive glazing. Because they are used in signi-