Solar thermal heating systems are nothing new, but a specialized heat transfer fluid by the Dow Chemical Company is already helping generate power globally. The product is part of a continued effort by the company working to maintain its 2015 sustainability goals.

Dow has continued its effort with DOWTHERM, and stands “committed to harnessing the vast potential of the sun to continue setting the standard for sustainability," said Neil Hawkins, Dow's vice-president of sustainability.

Dow has previously contributed to solar manufacturing through other performance fluids designed for the purification of silicon and cooling for chip manufacturing. Dow also supplies the large Nevada Solar One project with DOWTHERM A.

The report, “Global CSP Outlook 2009,” released last month by several groups, including Greenpeace and the European Solar Thermal Electricity Association, stated that investment in concentrated solar power this year will surpass $2.5 billion. The report also projected that by 2015 the sector would be responsible for the creation of over 90,000 jobs and could be worth over $26 billion.

Though new concentrated solar power plants require a high initial investment in construction, operating costs are much lower in comparison to older technologies.