DuPont already has a research and development center in Shanghai. The company decided to add to their presence in China by opening a technical center for the solar energy market. DuPont expects growth for China's crystalline silicone photovoltaic solar power manufacturing industry, even with the current recession. The company regards China as a key market for their products.

According to DuPont, about one third of the total produced crystalline PV cells and modules in the world comes from China.

Even thouth the recession has had a negative effect on Chinese PV production, DuPont hopes the new technical center for solar energy will help bring customers closer, and integrate research, development and technical support in the future, with the goal to produce new materials that will make solar technology cheaper and be more efficient.

The new center will have three labs, concentrating on cell and module manufacturing, PV metallization and PV module and reliability testing. It is a part of the company's larger research facility in Shanghai's Zhangjiang High-tech Park (worth about USD 25 million).