Nanotechnology Brings Next Generation Solar to Off-Grid Generation

The CEO of Eight19, Simon Bransfield Garth, explained how his company’s printed-plastic PV technology will use nanotechnologies to keep the lights on for those currently off-grid in developing countries.

As one of the panel members at Economist Conference’s UK Energy Summit, Bransfield Garth described how his technology will use just 1kg of photovoltaic materials to produce enough printed plastic PV to cover the whole of Wembley Stadium football pitch. As many key materials are in increasingly short supply, the ability to manufacture more using less will be crucial to the future of the solar industry.

Eight19’s CEO highlighted the need for replacing conventional, energy-intensive manufacturing techniques with advanced printing and coating processes, similar to those being pioneered by Eight19’s printed plastic PV, in order to maximise carbon reductions.

Bransfield Garth went on to explain the possible future role of printed PV in providing a clean and renewable solution to the energy deficit in fast growing countries such as India, where there is currently about a 12% peak energy deficit.

“For example, the peak energy gap in India is set to grow as average electricity consumption doubles over the next five years. Much of the gap is currently filled by expensive and polluting local diesel generation, with a significant impact both on carbon footprint and, because most is imported, future energy security. In India, as with a number of emerging economies, the high cost of energy and limited infrastructure is spurring a dramatic rise in so called “off-grid” renewables, where people generate the electricity they need locally. Eight19’s flexible, printed plastic solar cells can be used to charge devices such as lanterns and mobile phones helping replace these fossil fuels with clean, cheap and renewable energy that stimulate education, commerce and the pace of development where they are deployed. Our roll-to-roll manufacturing processes will vastly reduce the cost of production making future solar more affordable and accessible for those currently living off-grid. ”