University of Newcastle Prints Organic Solar Panels

The Australian university of newcastle is introducing a solar innovation that could transform renewable energy. It consists of printing electronic ink onto clear laminated sheets, which are very light and flexible.

The technology could help dispel the “range anxiety” that afflicts electric cars. But it’s not ready for prime time yet.

Lightweight

An innovative solar energy technology that can be printed on paper thin, clear laminated sheets is being put to the test by University of Newcastle researchers. This new material uses advanced electronic inks to conduct electricity and can be produced on demand using existing printers. The results could be revolutionary, allowing solar power to become more accessible than ever before.

Professor Paul Dastoor and his team at the university’s Centre for Organic Electronics have developed a water-based version of ink that can be applied to any surface and convert sunlight into power. The material is light and flexible, with a thickness similar to that of a chip packet, and can be easily integrated into buildings, tents, combat ensembles, temporary facilities, or vehicles.

The university is partnering with UK company Charging Around Britain Ltd to demonstrate the potential of this solar technology in Australia. The Charge Around Australia project will see the university team driving an electric vehicle around 15,097 kilometres of the country’s coastline, with portable solar panels enabling off-grid charging on some remote stretches of the journey. The team will also visit schools to inspire young minds and demonstrate how the technology works.

Flexible

The team’s printed solar panels aren’t silicon-based like traditional solar cells, but “organic”. They use carbon-based molecules to carry electrons instead of silicon. This allows the team to print on any surface, including glass or fabric, and reduces manufacturing costs. The panels are also flexible and can be rolled up for storage.

The Newcastle team’s technology is one of the world’s first public deployments of organically printed solar models. It was installed in Lane Cove Council’s new public space, The Canopy, and powers interactive public lighting.

It could be used for disaster relief to power lights and water pumps, or on structures that can’t take the weight of traditional solar panels. The Newcastle team estimates that a sheet of their printed solar panels will cost less than $10 per square metre, making it cheaper than conventional silicon-based solar panels. It is also easy to manufacture, deploy and replace if damaged. The material is similar in thickness and appearance to a chip packet and can be produced using conventional printers.

Recyclable

Researchers at the University of Newcastle are developing solar cells that are printed on sheets of flexible plastic, similar to a chip packet. The physicists say their solar cells are comparable in efficiency to silicon-based panels, but can be manufactured much more cheaply and quickly. They have been creating prototypes and testing them with UK sustainable energy advocate Stuart McBain, who recently circumnavigated the United Kingdom and Iceland in an electric car.

The Newcastle team’s new solar panels could have many applications, including recharging stations for electric vehicles; powering disaster shelters and water pumps; solar-powered lighting; powering camping equipment; building smart blinds for buildings; and military applications. They can also be made from recycled PET plastic, which would reduce the ecological footprint of photovoltaic technology.

The new technology would also be much cheaper than conventional rooftop solar, making it available to renters and low-income earners, who have been excluded from the renewable energy market. However, a key issue is the recycling of the plastic material used in the production of the solar cells.

Affordable

Scientists at Newcastle have developed a way to make solar panels cheap and easy. They use a standard printer and electronic ink, making them a fraction of the cost of silicon-based solar cells. The technology is also renewable and reusable, using PET plastic layers that can be separated. Moreover, they are lightweight and flexible, and can fit into a range of applications.

Professor Dastoor estimates that his printed organic photovoltaic (OPV) solar film could produce enough energy to power 1000 homes a day at less than $10 per square metre. He says that this level of affordability will be possible even if the efficiency of sunlight conversion is only improved by 2 to 3 times.

The OPV solar panels were recently deployed at a Lane Cove Council public space, where they will be used to power a series of shade structures. This real-world deployment will help speed up commercialisation, and allow the technology’s performance and durability to be tested in a real environment.

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