Tata Steel has said it is investing around £10m in a trio of Welsh research projects working to commercialise emerging low carbon building technologies, such as paint on solar cells that could turn homes, offices and factories into mini power stations.Tata yesterday cut the ribbon on the £6.5m Sustainable Building Envelope Centre at Shotton in North Wales, where it will test new integrated heating, energy and ventilation systems on the fabric of buildings, including pioneering dye solar cell technology.
Earlier this week, Tata also said it would expand an £11m photovoltaics project, also at Shotton, to develop a manufacturing process for Dyesol’s dye solar cells. The decision allows the project to enter a second phase in June, meaning that Tata will expand the workforce from 30 to 50, at a cost of about £3.5m a year, with further investments yet to be determined.
Peter Strikwerda, managing director of Tata Steel Colors, said that Dyesol technology is at the heart of its plan to develop a new range of coated steel products capable of generating renewable energy for use on the roofs and walls of buildings.
Source: businessGreen