BioSolar, Inc. (OTCBB: BSRC), developer of a breakthrough technology to produce bio-based materials from renewable plant sources that reduce the cost of photovoltaic (PV) solar modules, today reported that the company added a number of sizable Asian solar companies to its growing list of manufacturers that have received samples and are actively evaluating BioBacksheet for use in their solar panels.
The company previously reported that it entered into a sales rep agreement with ShinHa, Inc, a Korean firm representing large Asian PV panel manufacturers targeting the North American solar market. As a result of this announcement, the company has received growing interest from Asian manufacturers and has delivered samples for their testing and evaluation.
“Our BioBacksheet, which costs less than incumbent petroleum-based backsheets, has become very appealing to Asian PV panel manufacturers that export to the North American market. We are also seeing increased interest from foreign PV panel manufacturers pursuing sales to the U.S. government because of our USDA BioPreferred Certification,” said Dr. David Lee, BioSolar’s CEO. The USDA BioPreferred Program operating under Presidential Executive Order 13514 mandates preferential consideration by all government agencies of products that are certified by the USDA to be substantially “green” (not petroleum based).
“According to the latest UL correspondence, the provisional RTI of BioBacksheet, which is tentatively scheduled to be issued later this month, is expected to be well above the minimum required by PV panel manufacturers,” said Dr. Stanley Levy, BioSolar’s CTO. Once a provisional RTI rating is assigned by UL, the company expects PV manufacturers will be able to submit their modules for accelerated re-certification without going through a lengthy new panel certification process. Once solar panels are re-certified with BioBacksheet, they will be available for sale in the general marketplace.