Advanced Tapes for Renewable Energy: Wind and Solar Solutions
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly growing in importance, with an increasing impact on daily life and the way we conduct business. There is plenty of debate about whether it is a blessing or a curse, but one thing is certain: AI requires power. A significant amount of it. As data centers expand and AI models become more complex, electricity demand is rising rapidly.
And that is just one part of the picture. The global appetite for energy is increasing quickly, and more of that demand is expected to be met by renewable sources such as wind and solar. So how do we keep up? How do we feed this growing hunger for energy without placing more strain on already stretched resources and infrastructure?
That is where wind and solar energy come into play. However, scaling them up is not only about building more turbines and panels. It is also about making them smarter, more durable, and more efficient. Let us shine a light on some of the small but critical components—advanced tapes and foams—and explore why these often-overlooked materials are playing a surprisingly important role in advancing renewable energy production.
Renewable energy is by far the fastest growing segment in global energy production. According to IEA (International Energy Agency), renewables accounted for the largest share of growth in global energy supply at 38%, followed by natural gas (28%), coal (15%), oil (11%), and nuclear (8%) in 2024.
The reason for the significant increase in energy production is the steadily increasing demand. In 2024, electricity demand grew by 4.3%, significantly outpacing global GDP growth (3.2%) and the average energy demand growth rate (2.2%) for the year according to the IEA Global Energy Review 2025.
This was largely due to:
- Increased cooling needs caused by record-high temperatures, particularly in Asia and the United States.
- The electrification of transport and industry, accelerating the shift from fossil fuels to electricity.
- The rapid expansion of data centers and AI infrastructure, which are highly energy-intensive.
There are many reasons why energy production from renewable energy sources is increasingly seen as the most viable solution to meet this growing demand. As a result, industrial policy is taking center stage, with governments investing heavily in domestic clean tech manufacturing—including solar panels, wind capacity and wind farms, and supporting infrastructure.
One reason behind the boom in renewable energy is cost and efficiency gains. Solar photovoltaic and wind energy production are now the cheapest forms of electricity generation in many regions, but material and system-level innovations are needed to push further. In addition, renewables must be paired with robust energy storage and grid technologies to meet demand peaks.
Although enormous advancements have been made in making renewable energy production more efficient, reliable and profitable, there are still engineering challenges to tackle in wind and solar power supply.
Thermal cycling and mechanical stress in wind turbine nacelles and solar panel junction boxes cause materials to expand and contract, which can lead to fatigue, microcracks, or delamination over time. Mechanical stress includes forces such as vibration, wind loads, or structural movement can degrade performance, reduce lifespan, and increase maintenance needs.
Other challenges include moisture ingress and UV degradation in outdoor environments or electrical insulation and EMI shielding in sensitive electronics and inverters.
The good news is that advanced tape solutions exist to solve or mitigate many of the challenges engineers in renewable energy production face. And, new materials are under development to enable a more sustainable energy supply. Let’s take a closer look.
Advanced tape solutions are used in composite molding to streamline manufacturing highly efficient wind turbine blades. Flash masking or flash breaker tapes can be applied to the outside of the composite build-up on the mold to prevent excess resin contamination, leaving a clean masking line without residue. Together with hold down tapes, they help push the efficiency of the production process, especially by preventing silicone traces and therefore eliminating orange peel effects in the downstream painting process.
Special mold release tapes are key components to ensure longer life of fabrics and fewer defects in composite molding by creating smooth non-stick surfaces while being conformable and temperature resistant. They help to minimize post-production efforts, create cost savings and longer material lifetime.
In photovoltaics and solar, Saint-Gobain® Norgard® UV Pro ETFE Films provide high levels of resistance to chemicals and weathering as well as low flammability, stress crack resistance, and insulating properties. They allow for superior light transmission and anti-reflective properties glare on both flexible and rigid modules. They also serve as a protective barrier against environmental factors such as moisture, dust, and UV radiation, preventing physical damage and degradation caused by exposure to the elements. This results in improved efficiencies and better performance, especially in low-light conditions and creates cost savings as less module replacement is needed.
In sealing and protection, special pressure-sensitive adhesives and gasketing materials provide reliable long-term sealing against dust, water, and UV in harsh environments. With unique UV cured technology for example, water ingress and other environmental influences that can harm sensitive equipment can be a thing of the past.
But there are much more applications where innovative tape solutions can make a difference, from electrical insulation and RFI/EMI shielding to improving safety and performance of Battery Electric Storage Systems (BESS).
The demand for energy is growing fast—and wind and solar are leading the way in meeting that demand. But scaling up renewable energy is not just about building more—it is about building smarter. This is where advanced tapes and foams come into play.
Whether it is improving composite molding in wind turbine blades, protecting solar modules from the elements, or sealing sensitive electronics, these materials are doing important work behind the scenes. They help systems run longer, perform better, and be easier to manufacture.
Talk to your tape experts and discover how these small components can make a big difference—with the ultimate goal of helping feed the world’s growing hunger for energy.