3D printing your own solar field

W

hen it comes to Australia’s relationship with the sun, it can be a little ‘love-hate’ at times. Sizzling backyard Barbies, detergent down the slip-and-slide, scorched feet on white sand and wide brimmed hats throwing shadows on the cricket pitch. Beautiful.



Kate Hines.

But in equal measure, cracked earth, broken dreams and cakey catchments where water, produce or futures could have been.  It’s a tough relationship – there’s no denying. But, of late, the balance has shifted as we look differently at the sun – our most inexhaustible resource.

Every day, it provides enough energy to power our modern lifestyles and, in commercial-scale solar deployments, looks set to play a critical role in Australia’s clean energy future.

Read the CSIRO story - “3D print your own solar field”,