NEW YORK, May 6 (Reuters) - U.S. chemical maker DuPont Co (DD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Tuesday it plans to open a research and development center and a manufacturing facility in China to cater to the growing demands of the solar energy industry.

The research and development facility will be based in Hong Kong, while the plant will be in Shenzhen.

The company expects growth in the photovoltaic market to exceed 30 percent each year over the next several years. DuPont has made significant investments in product development and capacity expansions to help keep pace.

The R&D center will likely begin operations in 2009. There is no set date for the opening of the Shenzhen plant.

The expansions in Hong Kong and Shenzhen will provide new offerings to serve the amorphous silicon thin film market. These thin films are used in the production of photovoltaic modules.

"DuPont is accelerating its ability to deliver innovations that will improve the lifetime and efficiency of photovoltaic modules," said David Miller, group vice president of DuPont's electronic & communication technologies segment.

In a statement, Miller said the facilities will also help the company keep pace with the fast-rising global demand from the sector.

DuPont also announced it plans to invest about $150 million to expand and upgrade its facilities that manufacture ethylene copolymers used by the packaging, automotive and solar cell industries. (Reporting by Euan Rocha, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)