LANXESS is a big supporter of harnessing solar power for energy use. LANXESS and Centrosolar Group AG, a manufacturer of solar modules, have developed a new production method for photovoltaic (solar cell) modules, based on Levamelt, a specialty rubber developed by LANXESS.

Solar cells are typically made of wafers surrounded by breakable glass. For many years, scientists have searched for a rubber compound that could replace the glass and be less prone to breakage. Unlike many other rubbers, Levamelt permits light to shine through. Ultraviolet radiation, important for generating power, can therefore penetrate into the cell. A further benefit is that Levamelt, a polymer, is particularly weather-resistant and does not degrade over time.

Since mid-2007, the two companies have been testing the new modules based on Levamelt and comparing them with conventional solar modules in a test facility that LANXESS has installed on the roof of its headquarters in Leverkusen, Germany.