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GLOBAL RENEWABLES ONLINE - JANUARY 2012
integrated into a wide variety of
uses. DSC has the ability to perform
in indirect sunlight and diffuse
light, and therefore the potential for
use on multi-sided buildings is
extensive.”
For Dyesol, the market for DSC is
multi-tiered. “There are those early
adopters that are interested in the
green side of technology. Then there
are those commercial clients who
are interested in a better
environment where there is lower
energy consumption. We have a de-
fined competitive advantage in each
level of the market because in the
long-term because we are highly
vertically-integrated from a support
standpoint. We are the only company
in the DSC market and potentially
the solar market to operate this
way,” he explained. Dyesol has “the
legs” to be successful in the DSC
market because of their partner-
ships, technological expertise and
current leadership in the market.
In 2008, Dyesol demonstrated
more than 11 per cent peak
efficiency in converting sunlight to
electricity; demonstrating multi-
colored, robust, flexible cells for
camouflage and security applica-
tions; and demonstration of the
practical application of DSC on a
coiled steel coating line. “The great
thing is that DSC, unlike traditional
solar technologies, is not added to
buildings—it is built right into
building
products,”
Thomas
commented. Therefore, if buildings
start to use the technology, and
there is necessity for building
products, “you are adding PV
generating capability to the products
themselves
throughout
the
structure.”
When it comes to cost, Thomas
said that of course, there are some
costs that will initially make
investors hesitant. “The costs are
relative, however—you will increase
your costs to build, but ultimately
you are lowering the costs of your
energy,” he reasoned.
PARTNERING INITIATIVES
Ultimately, Dyesol will look to its
partners to leverage the 3rd
generation DSC technology that the
company can offer. Dyesol adopted
its strategy to fast-track develop-
ment of DSC by partnering with
industrial entities in key markets
in 2005. Through those collabora-
tions, Dyesol has been able to add
value to partners’ products, while
the company grows commercially
through the sales of materials to
partners, as well as other customers
throughout the world. There is an
online system for ordering products,
and the company has seen success
this way, selling products to
customers in over 30 countries.
Dyesol has alliances with top
global companies such as Tata Steel,
who is developing and commercial-
izing DSC on strip steel produced
on coil coating line. The company’s
materials are being developed into
products by customers all over the
world including in Europe, Korea,
and China. The company says
“underpinning the partnering is the
cultivation of key research institu-
tions, including universities, as
customers for our materials and
equipment.”
Since 2009, Dyesol has signed
collaborations with Merck, to
develop novel electrolytes for higher
DSC performance, and with CSIRO
in Australia, to develop dyes which
are more efficient in energy
collection, and more stable in long-
term use.
The company continues to expand
its global partner program in order
to further accelerate the develop-
ment of DSC technology, and also
organizes the International Confer-
ence on the Industrialisation of DSC.
This event brings together interna-
tional scientists, technologists,
entrepreneurs and industrialists to
share knowledge that will further
the markets for DSC. “When it comes
to solar technology, you’ve got to be
able to change—being competitive
means knowing how relevant you
are. We would like to begin
developing products using our
technology, but getting to certain
markets is easy, it’s getting into
them that is a challenge and
requires a lot of money,” Thomas
concluded. “We would rather find a
partner in the area that we choose
to go forward in, and luckily our
partners can help us do this.”
TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - DYESOL
Photographer - Richard Glover