Steel beam solar cells? A technology of the future
Imagine being in a sky scraper where the huge glass windows and steel beams act as solar cells, soaking up the suns light and generating electricity. This is exactly the vision of one Australian company, Dyesol, which is commercialising dye-sensitised solar cell technology.
Although the technology is still in its infancy it could open up a new world of solar energy generation. The share market seems to think so too, with Dyesol, the Australian champion of DCS technology, almost quintupling in value from 20c at its float to 96c today. The company has a market cap of about $100 million, 70 staff, with 50 in Australia, 15 in Wales and others in Italy, Switzerland, Japan and the US.
Commercialisation of DSC technology has had a few teething problems but shows enormous promise. Although the energy efficiency of the technology is lower than traditional PV cells its lower cost of manufacture means that on a very large scale it has the ability to compete with fossil fuel electricity generation.
The possibilities for use are also remarkable. It can be embedded into steel, glass and other building materials, and due to its thin film nature, also flexible sheets such as yacht sails. It is mechanically robust, heat insensitive and effective even in cloudy conditions.
