Solar paint

hoon · #1 (**permalink**) 7th-March-2008, 02:56 PM

Researchers at Swansea University are developing a new, eco-friendly technology that could generate as much electricity as 50 wind farms.

Dr Dave Worsley, a Reader in the Materials Research Centre at the University School of Engineering, is investigating ways of painting solar cells onto the flexible steel surfaces commonly used for cladding buildings.

News Wales > Environment > Paint job could do work of 50 wind farms

What with this and panels that you can print out of a standard inkjet printer there are some pretty cool things coming out of solar right now.

Solar cells to print out on an inkjet printer

spadlet · #2 (**permalink**) 7th-March-2008, 03:01 PM

I think that the steel cladding idea is brilliant

. I got a bit worried at first, coz I thoguht it was going to be about a paint they were going to be selling in shops, but it genuinely makes sense

.

hoon · #3 (**permalink**) 7th-March-2008, 03:09 PM

Pretty cool huh. Hopefully it'll be used lots. No idea how they get the solar energy from the paint to anywhere useful though.

spadlet · #4 (**permalink**) 7th-March-2008, 06:49 PM

Maybe it'll be similar to this architectural glass sloar panel idea Energy Options - Solar Panels

I'd assume that they have electrical connections at the edge of the glass/stell panels so that they can interconnect and hook up to internal wiring. I'll try to remember to get more info on how the glass panels work when I get chance, unless someone else knows more?

sparky · #5 (**permalink**) 8th-March-2008, 08:38 AM

I do really hope something like this takes off as there would be so many places to put the stuff.

sparky · #6 (**permalink**) 15th-March-2008, 08:37 AM

Found the original press release here Swansea University - Latest Research

Interesting, even 5% efficiency would be great if it doesn't cost significantly more than standard paint. Sure, it might not be worth the equipment for small things, but something like a large bridge would generate a lot of electricity.

Andy · #7 (**permalink**) 2nd-October-2008, 08:57 AM

A recent partnership between the steel industry and UK university researchers has led to the development of a unique photovoltaic paint that can be applied to steel.

The paint is made up of dye and electrolytes that can be applied as a paste to steel sheets. Four layers of paint are applied to each sheet. When light hits the solar cells, excited molecules release an electron into an electron collector and circuit (nanocrystalline titanium dioxide). Finally, the electrons move back into the dye.

Photovoltaic paint has a number of advantages over traditional solar cells. It doesn’t have the material limitations of silicon solar cells, so it theoretically provides many terawatts of electricity at a low cost. Additionally, the paint can absorb light across the visible spectrum— so even cloudy days will reap lots of energy.

According to steel company Corus Colours, the solar cells can achieve a power conversion efficiency of 11 percent.

Production of solar paint will begin soon— a lab built to develop the new technology is starting work on October 30 in North Wales. Ultimately, researchers at the PV Accelerator Laboratory in North Wales hope to develop a way to apply solar paint to steel at 30 to 40 square meters per second.

I only wonder if solar paint will be available for purchase to consumers in the future— if so, it could easily lead to a do-it-yourself solar revolution.

Corus - Corus Colors
Solar Paint on Steel Could Generate Renewable Energy Soon