They will be printed onto a thin flexible plastic, which can be easily built to fit anywhere you would like to have them.

"These solar cells are cutting edge technology and offer advantages over traditional solar technology," said Peter Batchelor, Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources. "The production of these film-like solar cells will be literally as easy as printing money."

Efficiency

Currently, these solar cells are between 2%-5% efficient, although you can expect this figure to rise as they carry out more tests.

Of course, this technology is still in its infancy, but it could become a major player as the technology becomes more efficient.

Senator Kim Carr, the Australian science minister, thinks the trial is an exciting precendent for the solar power cell industry. "This research is at the forefront of polymer technology, which has already brought to the world the bank notes used in Australia and 21 other countries. It is an important step in building up the solar industry," he said.

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