To protect their internal workings of solar panels made up of layers of sealed photovoltaic cells that turn sunlight into electricity, ExxonMobil has evolved a system whereby the solar panels are baked in special resin with a solution it developed in the 1990s.
The classic image of solar panels shows rows of deep-blue rectangles glinting in the sunshine, passively absorbing new energy.
Solar panels sometimes must withstand hail, snow, high winds and, of course, high temperatures from the sun, all of which can wear down their effectiveness and in an effort to provide solution to the question the company has come up with this formula.
That baked resin formulation ultimately helps panels live through a typical 25-year working life expectancy.
The dual life of these panels is a tough exterior facing the elements to protect the sophisticated and delicate heartbeat that is producing much-needed energy.
In another development, the company in its 2019 Outlook for Energy has stated that with abundant supplies and a growing infrastructure, energy access is improving.
It added that welcoming that supply is a growing middle class, which will drive energy demand through 2040. A fact that developing, or non-OECD, countries will account for 70 percent of the global energy demand in 2040.
Stressing that whether it’s flipping on lights, fueling at a gas station or turning on the air conditioner, energy is taken for granted in much of the world, ExxonMobil informed that especially in developing countries, that convenience can still be elusive.
“Energy poverty, which affects more than a billion people around the world, hampers economic progress, local growth and personal enterprise.”
“Nowhere is this more prevalent than in Asia. Energy demand in that part of the world will increase 33percent between 2017 and 2040, compared to an 11percent decrease in Europe and almost no increase in North America.”
“As billions of people enter the middle class, that will mean more people are moving to urban centers and purchasing products that improve quality of life, such as refrigerators or air conditioners, requiring more energy.”
“That same story unfolds along Asia’s roads as well, with more people entering the middle class every year through 2040 and, in turn, requiring transportation of goods and services which will increase demand for transportation fuels throughout the region.”
“On the road, in the house and in between, the demand for energy in the developing world is real and will require new, cleaner energy solutions to help support this growth over the next two decades,” the company said.