DuPont China Holding and Zhenfa New Energy Technology have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to collaborate on improving the performance, reliability and return on investment of solar power installations.

Under the agreement, both companies will cooperate in optimizing the selection of durable solar materials and technologies used in solar panels. All of the solar panels installed by Zhenfa are intended to be manufactured with DuPont Tedlar polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) film-based backsheets, the only material proven to reliably protect solar panels for over 30 years, even under extreme environmental conditions.

Both companies will work together to optimize solar energy power production and performance as well as conduct field research on panel reliability and failure modes in order to better understand materials' critical impact on solar energy systems.

"Solar energy is a clean and sustainable form of energy that we expect will become a greater part of the future energy mix," said Zhenfa Zha, general manager, Zhenfa New Energy.

"We are excited to collaborate with DuPont to employ quality solar materials and technology support to help maintain long-term power generation, operations management and cost optimization at our solar installations. This will ultimately benefit our customers with cheaper, cleaner electricity."

"We are delighted to expand our relationship with Zhenfa New Energy into a more strategic relationship that leverages advanced materials critical to the reliable, long-term performance of solar panels for their solar installations," said Chuck Xu, global business director, DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions.

"DuPont continues to advance material science to improve the performance, reliability and return on investment in solar to help make it more competitive with other forms of electricity."