Solar Power Breakthrough - Flexible Panels

Australian solar power company Dyesol has successfully demonstrated their solar panel which is based on a flexible metal substrate. The rugged lightweight panels have been developed under a two year contract with the Australian Defence Science and Technology Organisation.

Queanbeyan NSW (PRWEB) June 30, 2006 -- Less than four months after signing a $2 million, 2 year contract to demonstrate flexible solar panels based on Dye Solar Cell technology to provide portable and sustainable energy, the project team has met the first major contract milestone. The Australian Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) has approved achievement of the Design Review, held this month in Queanbeyan and the project is proceeding to the next phase.

The project is funded under the Defence Capability and Technology Demonstrator (CTD) program, administered by DSTO. Flexible solar panels hold promise for applications including powering cooling, communications, and sensors, either as light weight mobile powerpacks, or integrated into field structures.

The Project Director, Dr Gavin Tulloch, Chairman of STI and consultant to Dyesol, said that the designs being developed in this project have wide application to supplying green energy both in remote areas and for powering portable electronic equipment.

"Many competitors are focussing on plastic solar panels, but we believe that metallic substrates will provide solar panels that are much more suitable for rugged, lightweight portable power," Dr Tulloch advises.

Dyesol is the major subcontractor to STI in this project and has an option to acquire STI. As foreshadowed in earlier releases, Dyesol has been conducting extensive due diligence on STI and expects to be in a position to make an announcement concerning this strategic acquisition very soon.

Background info for Dyesol Media Release

The Technology – Dye Solar Cells

DSC technology can best be described as ‘artificial photosynthesis’ using an electrolyte, a layer of titania (a pigment used in white paints and tooth paste) and ruthenium dye sandwiched between glass. Light striking the dye excites electrons which are absorbed by the titania to become an electric current many times stronger than that found in natural photosynthesis in plants. Compared to conventional silicon based photovoltaic technology, Dyesol’s technology has lower cost and embodied energy in manufacture, it produces electricity more efficiently even in low light conditions and can be directly incorporated into buildings by replacing conventional glass panels rather than taking up roof or extra land area.

The Company – Dyesol Limited

Dyesol is located in Queanbeyan NSW (near Canberra) and in August 2005 was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX Code ‘DYE”). Dyesol manufactures and supplies a range of Dye Solar Cell products comprising equipment, chemicals, materials, components and related services to researchers and manufacturers of DSC. The Company is playing a key role in taking this third generation solar technology out of the laboratory and into the community.

(A joint announcement by Sustainable Technologies International & Dyesol)

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