Printed Solar Panel
Printed Solar Power: a better tactic for mobile power generation
Printed solar cells offer a range of exciting deployment possibilities, including retractable solar farms and wearable solar.
While printed solar technology is not new, viable real-world applications of this technology are yet to be realised. We are the first group in Australia, and one of few globally, to undertake a commercial-scale pilot of printed solar.
Competitive advantage
A versatile, low-cost, lightweight and highly portable renewable energy solution that:
- Can be rapidly manufactured, deployed and inexpensively replaced if damaged
- Integrates into structural materials, including vehicle skins, combat ensembles, tarpaulins and tents
- Can be fitted as retractable solar fields on board vehicles for autonomous, remote power generation
- Reduces the need for generator or battery airlifting to remote troops
Successful applications of research
- We are one of the first research groups in the world to undertake a commercial-scale pilot of printed solar, partnering with global logistics company CHEP, a Brambles subsidiary, in 2018 to install a 200-square-metre rooftop array of printed solar in just one day
Partners
- CHEP Australia
- Lane Cove Council
- Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF)
- National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy
Impact
- Ultralight and flexible, printed solar can be customised to integrate with operational camouflage to recharge communication devices, night vision goggles and other electronics
- Large-scale retractable solar farms will reduce reliance on diesel fuel generators and the associated logistical burden and risk of transporting and storing explosive fuels in conflict zones
- Unlike diesel generators, printed solar is silent and odourless, minimising detection
Capabilities and facilities
- We are one of Australia's only research groups capable of manufacturing printed solar in-house. This process is achieved within our ANFF-funded roll-to-roll (R2R) production facility that has:
- Initial material synthesis capabilities, providing high-quality feedstocks on demand
- R2R coating lines capable of producing the ultra-thin multilayer structure of the printed solar modules
- R2R metal deposition capability, providing a scalable method for connecting the printed solar cells together
More information
Priority Research Centre for Organic Electronics
T: +61 2 4921 5426
E: paul.dastoor@newcastle.edu.au
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.