BlueScope Steel’s long-held plans to combine solar cells with its steel roofing products could become a reality after a cash injection from the Federal Government this morning.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The government will chip in $2.3 million towards work on creating photovoltaic solar cells that could be integrated into Colorbond roofing sheets.
The funds for the building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) project were announced by energy minister Martin Ferguson and Cunningham MP Sharon Bird during a visit to Port Kembla this morning.
Mr Ferguson said the project would make Australia a ‘‘world leader’’ in BIPV systems.
‘‘The prototype will be easily scaled up to the operational stage ensuring future BIPV systems can be cost-effective without government subsidies,’’ he said.
Ms Bird said the project would also create jobs at BlueScope’s Port Kembla facilities, but did not say how many.
BlueScope has been working on the renewable energy project for several years and boss Paul O'Malley has previously expressed a desire to see solar cells rolled onto hot rolled coil, ‘‘so that you can roll-form it straight onto houses’’.
