Low cost polymer solar cells: an opportunity for
Australian manufacturing

With the current decline in Australia of traditional assembly line manufacturing capability, there is an urgent need to explore alternative low cost manufacturing opportunities. Polymer-based solar cells that can be inexpensively reel-to-reel (R2R) printed represent one such opportunity.

Traditionally we think of solar cells as large, heavy, glass-based panels sitting on roofs in bright sunlight. In contrast, the new polymer solar cell technology is not only light weight but can be thought of as a plastic laminate that could be integrated onto most surfaces, operating in a wide variety of light levels, either indoors or outdoors. Consequently, both walls and roofs can be utilised for power generation, as can non-rigid surfaces such as those of sunshades and tents. In addition, because the polymer solar cells operate efficiently at low light levels, shaded surfaces and even indoor areas can be utilised to generate power. They can also be designed to allow the transmission of light and so can be incorporated into windows.

There are now a number of competing technologies for producing lower-cost, flexible polymer solar cells. These light-weight solar cells have a low labour input and can be R2R printed, making production in Australia a realistic option since their manufacture would leverage off existing skills in the engineering, printing and packaging industries.

Australia has strengths in the research, development and commercialisation of next generation thin film polymer solar cells within the university, government research and industry sectors. The CRC for Polymers (CRC-P) has brought together expertise from the University of Wollongong (UoW), the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), the University of Queensland (UQ), the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the University of Newcastle (UoN) to develop a new manufacturing process for producing flexible polymer-based dye sensitised solar cells (DSSCs).  To achieve this goal, the collaboration brings together expertise in dye synthesis (UoW), electrode materials (ANSTO), electrolyte development (UQ), polymer fabrication (UNSW), and large scale R2R printing (UoN).

The focus of the collaborative project is to demonstrate that this technology offers a viable new manufacturing industry for Australia, based on Australian developed know-how, materials and processes. The research team has already produced a number of new materials and developed a unique DSSC design which substantially lowers production costs. These exciting developments open up new opportunities for the Australian manufacturing sector. These opportunities will be highlighted as part of the project team’s ongoing industry engagement program through an upcoming series of seminars entitled ‘Creating new opportunities for Australian manufacturing: Technology challenges and applications of low cost printable solar.’ The first will occur in Melbourne on June 16^th and the second in Sydney on June 17^th and feature a presentations from Eitan Zeira, the Chief Technical Officer of US start up OneSun Solar and Dyesol, Australia’s leading DSSC company.