Dyesol Limited (ASX: DYE) and Singapore Aerospace Manufacturing Pte Ltd (SAM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaboratively design, develop and build an automated pilot manufacturing facility for dye solar cell (DSC) products.
The agreement involves Dyesol and SAM working together to design and cost a pilot manufacturing facility with an annual production capacity exceeding 20,000 square meters, develop the business case and construct the facility. The project will also address scale up to significantly larger volume production.
DSC technology can best be described as ‘artificial photosynthesis’
using an electrolyte, a layer of titania (a pigment used in white paints
and tooth paste) and ruthenium dye deposited on glass, metal or polymer
substrates. Light striking the dye excites electrons which are absorbed
by the titania to become an electric current many times stronger than
that found in natural photosynthesis in plants.
Compared to
conventional silicon based photovoltaic technology, Dyesol says its
technology has lower cost and embodied energy in manufacture, it
produces electricity more efficiently even in low light conditions and
can be directly incorporated into buildings by replacing conventional
glass panels or metal sheets rather than taking up roof or extra land
area.
Dyesol already has a working relationship with LKT Industrial Bhd, a subsidiary of SAM, which is currently manufacturing a range of specialised Dyesol test and process equipment under contract.
Gordon Thompson, Director of Dyesol, said, “The MOU is the next step in moving to large scale automated DSC product production and will provide a technology platform to support our activities, partners and projects globally. Larger scale production capacity will underpin growth in revenue from our core materials business.”
In October 2009, Dyesol signed an agreement with Merck KGaA to collaborate in the development of electrolytes for use in Dye Solar Cells (DSC).
