CSIRO SEEKS SOLAR PRINT PARTNERS
Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has opened a new $6.8m facility in Clayton, Victoria, to print flexible solar films, and is now looking for partners.
The new facility is dedicated to taking CSIRO’s printed flexible solar technology out of the lab and into the real world.
Leader of CSIRO’s Renewable Energy Systems Group, Dr Anthony Chesman, said “We’re looking for partners who want to join us on the R&D journey and ultimately take this technology to market.
“Our industry partners will gain access to both our cutting-edge equipment, and to our team of world-class scientists with their deep expertise in solar technology.”
Unlike traditional silicon solar panels, CSIRO’s flexible solar cells are printed on thin plastic films. This makes them lightweight, portable, and suitable for various applications across urban construction, space, defence, mining, emergency management, disaster relief, and wearables.
CSIRO’s innovative solar cells are made using an advanced material called perovskite, which is printed on long continuous rolls of flexible film.
Chesman said, "Our new system is highly automated. The multiple printing and laminating steps are performed in a single continuous operation, which significantly cuts down on production costs and the upfront investment needed to get started,” Dr Chesman said.
“Our team has also developed an automated system that can produce as many as 14,000 test solar cells a day to fine-tune their design and performance.
CSIRO Executive Director, Digital, National Facilities and Collections, Professor Elanor Huntington, said the cutting-edge CSIRO Printed Photovoltaic (PV) Facility is the newest addition to CSIRO’s suite of critical infrastructure that enable the industries of tomorrow – in this case, a thriving Australian flexible solar manufacturing industry.
“Through CSIRO’s new Printed PV Facility, industry partners can access both researcher expertise and specialised equipment to improve and apply flexible solar technology in novel ways, anywhere there is sunlight,” Professor Huntington said.
“It’s exciting to see the techniques that enabled another great CSIRO invention to now be available to partners in industry to make a difference in Australia and globally.
“This not only offers incredible opportunities for Australian manufacturers but also contributes to addressing global energy challenges and advancing the transition to net zero.”
Dr Chesman, said printed flexible solar is not intended to replace silicon rooftop panels, but rather to complement them. "This printed solar technology unlocks entirely new applications for affordable, versatile and sustainable energy generation," he said.
In addition to printed flexible solar, the lab is equipped to explore other fields that use printable materials for battery and hydrogen technologies, opening doors to a wider range of innovative applications. Earlier this year, CSIRO set a new efficiency record for its flexible solar technology.
Dr Chesman encouraged interested organisations to get in touch.
The Printed PV Facility received funding from Australian Renewable Energy Agency via the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics.
Separately, the world's biggest consumer packaging company, Amcor, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with UK-based technology pioneer, Power Roll, the collaboration aims to develop a lightweight solar photovoltaic film that can deliver a low-cost alternative to silicon solar panels.
Power Roll says its film material provides a lightweight and flexible solution that can be used on a variety of applications from fragile rooftops, facades, off-grid local generation and within the transport sector. Power Roll’s technology is not reliant on rare earth minerals, and can be manufactured using roll-to-roll processes.
Amcor is already active in the solar photovoltaic market, using its advanced barrier technologies and roll-to-roll manufacturing processes. Through this collaboration, Amcor aims to strengthen its presence in this rapidly growing sector, further exploring opportunities to produce and market components for photovoltaic film solutions.
Visitors to PacPrint in 2017 will remember Professor Paul Dastoor from the University of Newcastle, who was also pioneering printed flexible solar panels. The project was aiming to produce ultra lightweight film-based solar panels printed on PET using a conventional narrow web flexo press. The printed panels will create energy from sunlight, with no moving parts, no waste, and will be fully recyclable.
Dastoor said his lightweight solar cells can be produced at a cost of less than $10 per square metre on standard narrow web presses, which can produce kilometres of panels every day. The ultra lightweight film is secured with ordinary double-sided tape. The project has been quiet for the past couple of years since a test rig was set up in Lane Cove, NSW.