Resilience Under Pressure

Q: Where do tapes and foams create value in renewables, and how does that connect to resilience?

Richard: Renewable energy production continues to scale, and efficiency gains come not only from increasing capacity, but also from improving how reliably systems can be manufactured and operated. In wind energy, tapes can help streamline composite manufacturing, protect tools and equipment, and support improved surface structures. In solar, adhesive tapes can support bonding requirements and protect sensitive components in outdoor environments. Foam and tape technologies can also provide sealing and watertight properties for wind, solar, and hydro applications where exposure resistance is crucial for long-term performance.

Q: What is one reliability issue you see most often in outdoor renewable installations, and what material property typically prevents it?

Richard: The most common reliability issue in outdoor renewables is moisture ingress, and the material property that most reliably prevents it is low water vapour transmission, supported by long-term compression set resistance.

Moisture ingress into outdoor renewable systems (solar modules and junction boxes, wind nacelles, battery enclosures, power electronics) is common due to continual rain, humidity, condensation, and freeze–thaw cycles, long service lives (20–30+ years) and/or interfaces between dissimilar materials (metal-glass, metal-polymer, composite-composite).

Over time, even small gaps or degraded seals allow moisture to enter, which could lead to:

• Corrosion of conductors and fasteners
• Insulation breakdown and ground faults
• Accelerated aging of electronics
• Power loss and unplanned outages

Moisture ingress is an underlying cause behind many different observed failures, not just a single visible symptom. It can be prevented by using low Water Vapour Transmission Rate (WVTR), often paired with compression set resistance in foams. Low WVTR limits the diffusion of water vapour through tapes, foams, and sealants, which is critical for long-term protection, not just initial IP ratings. This is particularly important for solar junction boxes, inverter housings, and battery packs. Compression set resistance ensures sealing foams maintain contact pressure after years of thermal cycling, UV exposure, and mechanical relaxation. It also helps prevent micro-gaps from forming over time. Combined, these properties allow sealing materials to block moisture for decades, not just during commissioning.

Q: Why is energy transformation a materials challenge, not just an electrical design topic?

Richard: Much of the energy generated is not used where it is produced. It has to be transported and transformed, which places reliability requirements on equipment such as transformers, motors, and generators. In these systems, tapes provide protection and electrical insulation under extreme conditions, supporting higher performance, reduced maintenance, and a longer service life. As transformer designs develop, engineers are also investigating more sustainable resin systems, which makes chemical resistance and material compatibility in insulation solutions even more important.

Q: What has changed in customer requirements for insulation and protection in power equipment over the last 12 to 24 months?

Richard: Over the past 12 to 24 months, customer requirements for insulation and protection in power equipment have changed significantly. It’s less about entirely new applications and more about tighter performance parameters, greater certainty, and accountability throughout the product’s lifecycle.

Customers now expect insulation and protection materials to withstand higher continuous operating temperatures, quicker thermal cycling, broader ambient conditions (hotter heatwaves, colder cold starts), and safety margins that were previously acceptable are now considered inadequate.

For materials used, this means a greater emphasis on long-term ageing data, not just initial dielectric or thermal ratings, and an increased demand for materials that combine insulation, thermal stability, and sealing in a single solution.

Overall, we are seeing greater demands for longer lifespan and reliable climate resilience, even under extreme weather conditions over two to three decades. Material selection is shifting from “initial compliance” to long-term stability.

Q: Why is energy storage now central to energy security and supply chain continuity?

Richard: Wind and solar generation can be intermittent, and the gap between where energy is produced and where it is needed creates a balancing challenge. Energy storage helps bridge that gap by storing energy at one time so it can be used later.

There are many storage methods, including pumped hydro, hydrogen, compressed air, heat, and gravity-based systems. For Battery Energy Storage Solutions (BESS), often using lithium-ion systems similar to those in EVs, advanced material solutions such as compression pads, thermal interface materials, and protection from thermal runaway can improve battery performance, extend lifetime, and enhance protection through thermal management and barrier functions.

Q: Where do you see the greatest opportunities for resilience in BESS design—thermal management, mechanical stability, safety validation, or serviceability?

Serviceability is the most underappreciated resilience opportunity in BESS today. Not because thermal management or safety are unimportant, but because serviceability enhances the value of every other design decision over the life of the system. Serviceability determines whether a BESS remains an asset when faced with real-world stress, or becomes a liability.

Failure is inevitable: cells age unevenly, electronics drift, incidents happen. What matters is how the system recovers. True serviceability means non-destructive access and modular replacement of cells, modules, and power electronics. With time and manual work becoming ever more expensive, downtime today is measured in hours or days, not weeks.

This is where real resilience is built. Serviceable systems turn failures into managed events, rather than headline incidents. Faster, targeted repairs cut lost revenue, avoid full-container derating, and significantly increase asset life, often exceeding original financial models. At the same time, safety is improved. Controlled access replaces improvisation in the field, and damaged components can be isolated and removed, rather than being permanently entombed.

Materials quietly decide whether serviceability succeeds or fails. Reworkable bonding solutions, compressible foams that reseal after access, and integrated thermal, electrical, and fire-protection functions allow for maintenance without destruction. Poor material choices, on the other hand, can make serviceability impossible even if the system architecture claims to support it.

Q: EVs are part of the broader energy ecosystem. Which material functions matter most for reliability and faster charging?

Richard: Developments in EV batteries have driven innovation that also benefits stationary storage. In lithium-ion batteries, compression pads placed between cells help manage pressure during charging and discharging, while also providing thermal and electrical insulation to enhance performance and lifespan. Thermal interface materials help conduct heat away and regulate temperatures. Thermal runaway protection materials act as a barrier that helps limit the risk of propagation during abnormal events. On the infrastructure side, fast and ultra-fast charging increases the demand for electrical isolation and protection from environmental factors. Specialised tapes can support insulation and help seal charging stations against environmental influences, enhancing safety and reliability as charging power increases.

If a customer’s aim is to reduce charging downtime (for EV chargers, fast-charge cabinets, or battery energy storage systems), the two material-related failure points that matter most are those that most often lead to derating or shutdown, rather than catastrophic failure.

Thermal interface degradation is one of the most common, hidden reasons for charger power derating, as fast charging is usually limited by heat, not electrical capacity. In many real-world situations, what appears to be charger unreliability is actually the result of ageing thermal interface materials, foam compression set, or adhesive creep causing a loss of thermal contact, rather than an electronics failure.

Moisture ingress at seals and interfaces is a major cause of unexpected charger shutdowns, especially in outdoor systems exposed to fluctuating temperatures, humidity, and condensation. Many so-called electronics failures are actually sealing and material issues that reduce insulation resistance, trigger fault events, and force systems offline until they are reset or repaired.

Q: Why should buildings be included in discussions about energy security and resilience?

Richard: Enhancing energy supply efficiency and electrification is crucial, but the greatest impact frequently comes from minimising energy losses. Buildings contribute significantly to total emissions, which is why renovation, highly efficient new construction, and modern lightweight building methods are so important.

Tapes assist in creating air- and watertight building envelopes, boosting energy efficiency and living comfort. Advanced foam materials can provide sealing, dampening, and fire protection, and they also enhance acoustic comfort. Lightweight and prefabricated construction is another field where tapes and foams aid sealing and bonding applications, helping to simplify assembly and improve consistency.

Across renewables, power transformation, storage, electrification, and buildings, resilience is built through many small engineering decisions that reduce failure modes and simplify execution. Advanced tapes and foams often contribute by combining functions such as sealing, insulation, protection, and mechanical support in a single solution. That can help engineers design for reliability and help procurement teams reduce complexity, especially when supply conditions are volatile. If you are assessing resilience risks in an energy-related application, connect with Saint-Gobain® Tape Solutions to review constraints, validate material choices, and identify opportunities to simplify your design while improving reliability.