There’s no denying that renewable energy sources are on the
rise. Strip Malls are installing wind turbines, people are heating their homes
with geothermal energy, and solar panels are being slapped onto everything and
anything. And this represents a truly exciting time for both businesses and
consumers. Make no mistake, industries struggle to create or invent the ‘next
best thing.’ Flat panel TVs and touch-screen cell phones are just a few successful
attempts to convince consumers that their ‘old’ technology is no longer viable.
But now the ‘green revolution’ presents producers with a whole host of new products
that consumers looking to do their part for the planet are all too eager to
buy. But a new manufacturing process could speed up that process considerably.
CISRO’s Future Manufacturing Flagship is
researching ways to essentially print solar cells. The manufacturing method
mimics the reel-to-reel printing methods of paper currecny, and that’s thanks to the
partnership with banknote printing company Securency International.
While flexible solar cells are nothing new, FMF’s method
allows for mass production of large sheets, opening entirely new markets. Such
‘solar-sheets’ could be used to cover large surfaces such as rooftops or they can
be subdivided to cover numerous smaller surfaces. So whats this mean to the eco movement?
FMF claims that their newfangled production method is
markedly more efficient, both in terms of time and cost. Increased efficiency
means an increase in accessibility as the price will reflect the improved
production method. Long story short, this has the potential to flood the market
with a versatile solar solution.
Promoting a new cell phone solely based on its solar
capacity such as Samsung’s Blue Earth or advertizing portable solar recharging
packs may very well become obsolete from a marketing perspective. And the do-it-yourselfers must be tenting
their fingers in anticipation of such a cost-effective and adaptable solar
solution. Though well beyond the scope of FMF’s project, one can dream of slapping
a strip of solar panels onto the back of a cell phone or cordless drill and
letting the sun do the rest.
The project is nearly halfway through its three-year research
scope, with printing trials already underway. Only time will tell whether the
product lives up to its market-changing potential.
