Dow Corning Corporation opened a solar solutions application and business center in Newark, CA that will serve as its West Coast hub for customer sales, product evaluation and the development of commercialization strategy.

The center, located within Dow Corning’s 32,130 square-foot manufacturing facility, features state-of-the-art laboratories and testing facilities.

“Dow Corning is excited to establish a presence on the West Coast, home to many of our solar customers and some of the largest solar energy providers in North America,” said Gaetan Borgers, global industry director, Dow Corning Solar Business. “We see the North American market as poised for growth in the very near future and we want to provide local support to our customers in this market.”

The Newark center is equipped with materials development and characterization laboratories, which will allow customers to evaluate environmental aging and performance capabilities on-site. In addition to serving West Coast customers, the center will also serve customers around the world by supplementing the capabilities of Dow Corning’s solar solutions application center in Freeland, MI and the center in JinCheon, Korea, which is scheduled to open early next year.

“Dow Corning is committed to promoting global solar innovation and helping develop solar power as a viable and sustainable energy option,” said Borgers. “Silicone technology has tremendous potential to address key challenges preventing the widespread use of solar power such as the high cost of solar modules.”