By Warren Gamble
The first rays of new millennium sunlight will be "captured" at Massey University in Palmerston North as part of an international project designed to make solar power a leading energy source in the next century.
Massey scientists are leading one part of the project, creating new methods to more
effectively gather the sun's rays.
While scientists in Switzerland are developing cheaper and more efficient solar cells to convert the light to electricity, Australian researchers are working on the ground-breaking use of plastic polymers to conduct currents.
The aim is to develop affordable, solar power sources for appliances like fridges and computers.
The Millennium Solar Project is being launched today at the University of Woollongong in New South Wales.
Next January 1 the focus will switch to Massey, where the first rays of the new millennium will be "harvested" using man-made chlorophyll created by Dr David Officer, who heads solar research at Massey, and Dr Tony Burrell.
The pair have developed a technique to form large groups of porphyrin molecules - a substance found in nature - which is able to store sunlight.
Dr Officer said the project would draw together international leaders in the field for a workshop at Woollongong in December.
Swiss professor Michael Graetzel is behind the development of titanium dioxide cells to convert the light into electricity.
The Woollongong researchers are working on what could be the biggest advance - the use of plastic polymers to conduct electricity. The combination of the technologies will allow solar cells to be moulded to any shape, and incorporated as a self-generating power source within the equipment itself.
When fully developed - the plastic-conducting technology is 10 years away - the technology will be competitive with other energy sources.
