Dyesol to Collaborate with Pilkington North America on BIPV

Initially, the collaboration will seek to address the non-view glass market, known as spandrel, which accounts for 40% of the total flat glass market. Beyond spandrel, addressing the larger view glass market is also a key objective and that is expected to be supported by a number of other regional collaborations, particularly programmes to introduce new dyes and DSC systems.

Dyesol has a clearly defined strategic objective to partner with best-in-class commercialisation partners who have access to global markets in the sectors of steel, glass, auto and electronics. The collaboration with Pilkington is entirely consistent with this strategic objective. 

 “Pilkington believes it is time to begin developing the next generation of photovoltaic power,” says Pilkington's Stephen Weidner, senior vice president of building products for North America. “BIPV is an emerging market segment with great opportunity for utilizing our TCO technology to bring photovoltaic power into building design.”

“The collaboration with Dyesol has the potential to bring a significant change in the value of architectural glass as we know it today. No longer will glass be viewed solely for its insulation and aesthetic properties, but for its power generating potential as well,” Weidner adds. 

“Pilkington is the world leader in the production of TCO glass. In fact, Dyesol and their customers have been utilizing Pilkington’s TEC product for many years. This collaboration presents an ideal platform for co-developing and optimizing products that work together to improve DSC performance,” says Marc M. Thomas, chief executive officer of Dyesol Inc. “With at least 40 per cent of all electrical energy consumed in the U.S. used in the built environment, the market opportunity is enormous.”

Dr. Gavin Tulloch, the global managing director and co-founder of Dyesol Ltd. comments: “DSC technology can best be described as ‘artificial photosynthesis’. It uses an electrolyte, a layer of titania semiconductor (a pigment used in white paints and toothpaste) deposited on transparent conductive oxide glass, metal or polymer substrates which is then soaked in a ruthenium based organic dye. Light striking the dye excites electrons which are injected into the titania to become an electric current many times stronger than that found in natural photosynthesis in plants. Dyesol’s technology has lower cost and embodied energy in manufacture than competing technologies, produces electricity more efficiently over the normal light spectrum and the glass based products can be directly incorporated into buildings by replacing conventional glass.”

Dyesol is making the current ASX release in response to an unscheduled announcement about the confidential collaboration made by its collaboration partner, Pilkington North America on Thursday, March 4 in a US trade publication – please see www.solarglazingmag.com/?p=2709. Dyesol will make a further ASX release when the current collaboration discussions are concluded.

For further information contact Viv Hardy at Callidus PR on +61 (0)2 9283 4113 or on +61 (0)411 208 951.

In Europe contact Eva Reuter, Investor Relations, Dyesol Europe on +49 177 6058804 Note to editors 

The Technology – DYE SOLAR CELLS 

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’s 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.

The Company – DYESOL Limited 

Dyesol is located in Queanbeyan NSW (near Canberra) and in August 2005 was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX Code ‘DYE’). Dyesol manufactures and supplies a range of dye solar cell products comprising equipment, chemicals, materials, components and related services to researchers and manufacturers of DSC. Dyesol has subsidiaries in UK, Italy, Switzerland, USA, Korea and Singapore plus representatives and agents in Turkey, Germany, Abu Dhabi, Malaysia, Taiwan and Japan. The Company is playing a key role in taking this third generation solar technology from development into commercial production.

About Pilkington

Pilkington is 100% owned by the NSG Group. The NSG Group is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of glass and glazing products for the building, automotive and specialty glass markets. Employing around 31,400 people, it has manufacturing operations in 29 countries and sales in 130 countries. Geographically, approximately half its sales are in Europe, one quarter in Japan and the rest primarily in the Americas, South East Asia and China. The Group operates three world-wide business lines. Building Products supplies glass for interior and exterior glazing in buildings and for the growing Solar Energy sector. Automotive serves the original equipment, replacement and specialised transport glazing markets. Specialty glass products include very thin glass for displays, lenses and light guides for printers and glass fibre, used in air filters and engine timing belts.

More detail about the company and the technology can be found at: http://www.dyesol.com More detail about Pilkington can be found at: http://www.pilkington.com/