Melbourne Energy Institute

Solar power involves the conversion of sunlight into electricity. Sunlight can be directly converted using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly via concentrating solar power (CSP). PV uses special photoactive materials that produce electricity by absorbing the energy of incoming light photons. CSP simply uses an arrangement of reflective surfaces to focus the sun’s rays, which can then heat a working fluid to drive a turbine.

The vast amount of energy that the Earth receives from the Sun means that solar power could meet much of the world's energy demand if its deployment was significantly increased. The major technology breakthrough required is an efficient, low cost alternative to inorganic silicon solar cells, around which the bulk of PV research and production has hitherto focused.

Fortunately, the development of a low cost solar cell for mass production may be imminent. The University of Melbourne is the leading partner in the Victorian Organic Solar Cell Consortium that is currently developing flexible, large-area plastic solar cells that can be printed using cheap reel-to-reel techniques.   

In order to transfer this organic PV technology from 'Research to Rooftop', the University of Melbourne is working with world class research groups and industrial partners that include: Monash University, the CSIRO Molecular and Health Technologies, Securency/Innovia (electronics on plastic), BP Solar (manufacturing capacity), Bluescope Steel (solar cells on steel), Merck (polymers), and Nanotechnology Victoria (commercialisation).

Projects

Contact

• Dr David Jones