Dyesol, a world leader in the commercialization of dye solar cell (DSC) technology, and CSIRO expect to finalize the documents shortly that define a collaboration which has the objective to develop higher performing dyes in a two-year project funded by CSIRO’s Australian Growth Partnership (AGP) program. The details will be announced to the market upon execution.

Under the proposed terms of the collaboration, Dyesol will project manage a specialized team of experienced scientists from CSIRO to work with the company on an agreed development program leveraging Dyesol's deep knowledge of ruthenium-based dyes and CSIRO’s extensive modeling and research capability. The program will target the creation of new intellectual property (IP) that the company expects will further reinforce its market leadership position in the DSC photovoltaic market. Under the proposed terms, Dyesol can exclusively access the project IP.

Ruthenium-based dyes, known as organo-metallic dyes, are at the core of DSC technology. DSC requires the deposition of nano-particulate titania, ruthenium dyes and an electrolyte, sandwiched between suitable substrates, capturing light and, through an electrochemical process, converting it into energy. DSC is particularly suited to building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) applications offering an energy solution to the built environment which is the largest consumer of electrical power globally.

“This project is a further example of the effectiveness of Dyesol's commercialization strategy in which partnerships with global companies such as CORUS (Tata Steel) to develop metal based products and the collaboration with Pilkington NA to develop glass-based products, is complemented by the programs with technology leaders like Merck and the CSIRO to develop valuable IP around higher performing materials,” said Ross MacDiarmid, Dyesol Australia’s CEO. “We look forward to partnering and consider this another milestone in the inexorable progress of DSC to the marketplace.”