Invention has the power to help world’s poorest areas

GROUNDBREAKING solar power technology that can be fitted on to clothing and small objects or even “printed” on to buildings is being developed by a Scottish scientist.

It is hoped it could be used to bring cheap electricity to poverty-hit areas of the Third World, potentially benefiting more than a billion people.

Dr Neil Robertson, reader in inorganic and materials chemistry at Edinburgh University, is leading a team of scientists from universities across the UK, including Oxford, Cambridge and Bristol, in developing dyes that can trap sunlight and convert it into energy as part of a revolutionary new generation of low-cost solar cells.

He described the developments as a “step change” in the technology, above and beyond the normal progress associated with any energy source.

The work focuses on using dyes to produce an entirely new type of solar cell and to develop different ways of collecting light.

Dr Robertson said: “There’s a real potential to revolutionise the lives of the 1.6 billion people who have no access to grid electricity.

“To do that, you would like to have a technology that can be ramped up quickly, which is possible with dye-sensitised cells.

“It doesn’t require huge investment in infrastructure and you end up with a product that is lightweight and robust and can be distributed quickly.”

Some early objects are already on the market, such as a rucksack which has a large square of cells sewn into the fabric, and a smoke alarm with them wrapped around the base.

There is potential for them to be incorporated into the fabric of buildings by “printing” the cells on to stripped steel during its manufacturing process.

Dr Robertson believes that cheaper technology will make the cost of generating solar power the same as that of current power grids within a decade.

Richard Costello, chief operating officer of G24i, a Cardiff company that is incorporating the cells into everyday consumer goods used indoors and outdoors, said their aim was to make the AA battery redundant.

“Our devices work in very low light levels and the aim of what we are trying to do is to take away the need for AA batteries.

“They’re pretty much in every device in your home. If you think about the number of times you try to use something that needs these batteries: children’s toys, handheld gaming consoles, anything that’s wireless all pretty much need them.”

Sandy Dobbie, chairman of Chemical Sciences Scotland, said the technology could “transform” people’s lives.

“This type of work being undertaken at Edinburgh University shows how chemistry can, and is, being used to help us find solutions to the energy and climate change challenges we face today,” he added.

“Enhancing solar energy through low-cost solar cells has the ability to transform people’s everyday lives all over the world.

“Research of this type taking place across Scottish universities also offers world-class commercial opportunities.

“It is part of the success story of our chemical sciences sector, which generates £2.7 billion in exports every year, second only to whisky, and directly supports 14,000 jobs.”