Having conducted research on science-based products, DuPont plans to set up a photovoltaic (PV) lab at the DuPont Knowledge Centre (DKC) in Hyderabad. The lab is expected to take shape in the year 2010 focusing mainly on next generation technologies in the PV segment.
Says Homi Bhedwar, director, DuPont Knowledge Center: The lab is expected to launch flexible thin PV films which are next generation technologies in silicon cells with improved materials. ?DKC?s value proposition is to develop sustainable solutions for India and global markets by using ?integrated science? to create commercial value,? he said.
?Through DKC, we will have under one roof the key sciences such as organic, inorganic, and polymer chemistry, biology, and materials science coupled with engineering to create unique and commercializable solutions,? he added.
Located on about 15 acres, DuPont officially opened the DKC in Hyderabad, with an investment of Rs 130 crore, the R&D site houses a biotechnology lab, materials research lab, applications development lab, global engineering design center and greenhouses.
DKC brings together basic research, applications development, engineering design, bioinformatics, patent services, and many regional support services. Built on a ?One DuPont? concept, research at the site will focus on ?integrated science? which is a combination of biology, chemistry, materials science and engineering to develop the company?s application pipeline in India and other emerging markets.
With focus on basic research, product application development across all five of its business growth platforms, and other knowledge services for global and local markets, DKC houses the company?s first plant biotech research center outside the US, the first integrated plant and industrial biotechnology center and the first engineering center outside the US. Research is already underway for Pioneer seeds, DuPont Crop Protection and DuPont Applied BioSciences, including discovery research for the DuPont-BP biobutanol advanced biofuels program.
According to Balvinder S Kalsi, President and CEO, DuPont India,?The DKC is a critical component of growth strategy and will enable the company to increase ?speed to market? with products that come out of its R&D and innovations pipeline, not only for India but also for other growth regions.??
The DKC is the sixth major DuPont R&D facility outside the US. DuPont has more than 50 R&D facilities throughout the world with 20 in the US and more than 30 in 11 other nations. The company invests an average of $1.3 billion annually on global R&D in a diverse range of technologies for many markets including agriculture, automotive, construction, electronics, chemicals and industrial materials.