UNIVERSITY scientists are working on replacing rare metals used in photovoltaics – solar energy – with more common resources, driving the price down.

A Northumbria University used in solar power technology with metals such as tin.

The university is part of a nationwide photovoltaics project, Supergen PV-21, involving nine universities and nine industrial partners.

Its aim is to make future solar cells more sustainable and affordable.

The region’s growing role in the field will be highlighted next month when a national photovoltaics conference is held in County Durham.

Solar Flair 2009 has been organised by the County Durham Develpment Company, the business support arm of Durham County Council, in its role as the North-East partner of the Electronics Knowledge Transfer Network, which funds the annual event.

Indium is presently used as part of the material that converts light into electricity in solar panels, as well as in transparent conducters for more common devices such as flat screen televisions and touchscreens.

However, it is relatively rare and its price can swing dramatically. Northumbria University research fellow Dr Ian Forbes points out that while at today’s prices, it costs about $500,000 a ton, it had reached a cost of about $1m a ton in 2005 when demand rocketed.

Dr Forbes team is looking at replacing it in solar panels with more common commodities such as zinc and tin, the prices of which are considerably lower and remain fairly stable.

Dr Forbes said: “All of these things are aimed at trying to bring cost down and make the technology sustainable.

“While it won’t get rid of the variations in price, because all commodities fluctuate up and down, but it won’t be such a major change.”

Dr Forbes said the cost of photovoltaic energy was already coming down, but more could be done to make it more accessable.

He pointed to Germany, which accounts for 45 per cent of the market, as an example of why photovoltaics could be widely adopted to generate electricity in this country.

He said: “Germany is the biggest market for photovoltaics and they really are not much different to us in the amount of sunlight they get.”

He said that more support systems, similar to the Government’s new Renewables Feed In Tariff which comes into force in April next year, needed to be brought in to ensure a wider uptake.

It offers domestic and business customers using technology such as photovoltaics for electricity, payback rates of up to 40p a kWh.

Dr Forbes said: “One of the things that brings the cost down is the support mechanisms.

“A proper support system that will make it affordable for a lot of people to get a system in place is what is needed.”

He suggested that generation tariffs, where utility companies buy electricity generated from renewable sources, coupled with guaranteed loans, would enable people not just to buy the equipment, but eventually make a profit on the electricity they generated through it.

Solar Flair 2009 is being held in Hardwick Hall Hotel, Sedgefield, on Thursday, November 19. For inquiries, contact Elaine on 0191-370-9559 or email elaine@solarflair09.com