A new technology bought by battery storage firm Printed Energy promises to do what the company’s name suggests – print out ultra-thin, flexible screen-printed batteries, on top of ultra-thin flexible screen printed solar panels – and engineer another major reduction in renewable energy costs.
The company this week struck a deal with UNSW and the University of Queensland – and financial backing from the federal government – to pursue the technology and bring it to market. The $12 million R&D project received a $2 million grant from the Cooperative Research Centres Projects scheme.
The Brisbane- based Printed Energy says the “solid state” batteries that is is pursuing – and has some working prototypes – are thin and flexible and can be printed in a “roll-to-roll” process – just like a newspaper – and adapted to almost any shape.
It is unlikely to be able to be paired with existing solar technology, but it figures that if it can match this technology with printed solar panels, then it may just be able to unlock the next big thing in renewable energy.
Full story here: http://reneweconomy.com.au/coal-entrepreneur-pursues-printed-batteries-on-printed-solar-60334/