Washington, Feb 26 : In a previously untested method, solar power cells have been produced by printing presses normally used to make Australian dollar bills.
According to a report in National Geographic News, the giant machines arranged and stamped flexible solar panels onto plastic film, in a trial near Melbourne last week.
The cells were only 3 percent efficient, meaning they could convert only a small amount of solar energy into electricity.
But, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) project leader Gerry Wilson told Australian ABC News that he expects the output to more than double by next year and top 10 percent after that.