New markets
The target for major strategic projects
Break into existing markets with promising development opportunities. Break into future markets, in which potential for development has been detected.
These are the objectives Saint-Gobain is also seeking to reach by groundbreaking technological innovation - setting the course of its major strategic projects.
The major strategic projects include:
Photovoltaic modules
Saint-Gobain produces photovoltaic modules via its company Avancis. Its first factory is located in Torgau (Germany).
These units are manufactured using technology based on applying thin films of type CIS to a glass substrate. This technology enables high electrical yield to be achieved, as well as highly competitive production costs. Furthermore, Saint-Gobain is developing glass and glass based substrates for other photovoltaic technologies.
High-performance insulation
The need to improve buildings’ energy efficiency is resulting in increasingly exacting thermal insulation standards. Saint-Gobain offers high-performance solutions and is currently developing the insulating materials of the future. By providing higher thermal resistance, these new materials are able to reduce wall thickness and thereby benefit living space.
Lighting
The Crystals Activity is developing unique technologies for sapphire and GaN substrates for LEDs. Researchers are currently working on developing new substrates for the LED and OLED (organic electroluminescent diode) markets. These new forms of "electronic lighting" - offering superior energy efficiency and longer life to make them more environmentally friendly - can be incorporated into other elements and are all set to revolutionise domestic lighting in the future.
Particulate filters for diesel engines
The DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) technology developed by Saint-Gobain enables 99.9% of the particles emitted by car exhausts to be captured. This filter's high-performance is partly due to its honeycomb structure made from silicon carbide. Research aimed at developing a new generation of filters is already underway.
Fuel cells
Solid oxide fuel cells are systems made up of different layers of functional ceramics capable of directly, and very efficiently, converting chemical energy into electrical energy and heat. They will be able to produce usable electricity and heat, with installations capable of producing up to 1 kW (for domestic use) or several megawatts (power station), depending on how many basic units are combined together.
