EI DuPont de Nemours & Co. announced today that they would be expanding their “green” initiative in solar operations, during a time when demand for solar products and the industry for alternative energy has taken a large slum. DuPont’s formal statement anticipated that the market for photovoltaic solar electric cells would grow by more than ten per cent in the next 3-5 years.

DuPont says it expects its photovoltaic solutions department to increase sales to over $1 billion by 2013.

“Through investments in materials, technology development and manufacturing, DuPont is accelerating its ability to deliver innovations that will improve the lifetime and efficiency of photovoltaic modules. Photovoltaic technology is in its infancy and the opportunities in this market are extensive. DuPont is uniquely positioned to bring new, advanced technologies for future growth in traditional crystalline silicon and emerging thin film photovoltaic segments. We also are investing in greater production capability to help keep pace with the fast rising global demand,” said DuPont Electronic and Communications President, David B. Miller, group vice president.

The company estimates the current market size today at about $30 billion annually, but says that the industry estimates suggest that the market will grow to more than $70 billion by 2013.

Some other energy companies are reporting less optimistic growth prospects in the same markets.

DuPont has been developing photovoltaic materials for more than 25 years. They report that they were one of the first companies to announce they were “concerned about the environment,” more than 19 years ago.

Today, DuPont also announced an agreement with the Indonesia Center for Rice Research which grants the Pioneer Hi-Bred sector of DuPont the right to test and commercialize different strains of rice.

“We are pleased to collaborate with the world-class public rice breeding program at the ICRR to help meet the increasing demand for rice. This partnership will help leverage our expertise as the leader in advanced plant genetics breeding and development to improve nutrition, standards of living and overall agricultural productivity,” said Bill Niebur, vice president of DuPont’s Crop Genetics Research and Development department.

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