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| Future Manufacturing Flagship's Dr Scott Watkins
holds a sample sheet of flexible solar cells. Flexible plastic
solar cells are much cheaper and more efficient to produce, and
have the potential to replace silicon in the next generation of
solar collectors. Credit: CSIRO |
The Flagship - a $36.2 million research program designed to
boost Australia's manufacturing capabilities - was launched in
Melbourne by Innovation Minister, Senator Kim Carr.
"Australia's innovative and highly skilled manufacturing
industry is one of the greatest hopes for our future prosperity and
this flagship is an important addition to its arsenal," Senator
Carr said.
"Manufacturing not only provides quality jobs, it drives
innovation through mobilising new skills and creating new
capabilities.
"Countries that don't have manufacturing industries are building
them fast and those that have let their industries go are racing to
get them back.
"Australia's manufacturing employs around one million
Australians, generates 10 percent of GDP and exports over $94
billion a year.
"Australian manufacturers are under increasing pressure from
global competition, the rise of low-cost, low-wage manufacturing
economies, and the changes that will need to be made to reduce
emissions and become more sustainable.
"The future of our manufacturing industry is tied to its
willingness and capacity to continue to innovate. It needs to focus
on high technology, high-skill, and high-wage manufacturing where
its strengths lie. This Flagship will help hone that focus."
CSIRO Deputy Chief Executive, Dr Alastair Robertson, said
CSIRO's advances in the commercial development of flexible, large
area, cost-effective, reel-to-reel printable plastic solar cells,
supports this approach.
"Developed with our partners in the Victorian Organic Solar Cell
Consortium, flexible plastic solar cells will be much cheaper and
more efficient to produce, and have the potential to replace
silicon in the next generation of solar collectors," Dr Robertson
said.
"This is the kind of transformational, environmentally
responsible technology the new Flagship has been established to
create to support sustainable manufacturing into the future."
The Future Manufacturing National Research Flagship was launched
at the Flagship's recently refurbished, state-of-the-art Flexible
Electronics research facility at CSIRO's Clayton laboratories.
Flagship Director, Clive Davenport, said innovation is the key
to positioning Australian manufacturing to meet the challenges of
the future.
"Taking a holistic approach, encompassing innovation together
with market integration, the Flagship will streamline the uptake of
new technologies for Australian industry, which will be crucial to
improving the future competitiveness of our manufacturing sector as
well as generating new employment opportunities," Mr Davenport
said.
"In partnership with industry we will focus on emerging
manufacturing opportunities in flexible electronics, cleantech
manufacturing, biomedical manufacturing and nanosafety, helping the
Australian manufacturing sector address major national challenges
in energy, health, climate and waste."
CSIRO initiated the National Research Flagships to provide
science-based solutions in response to Australia's major research
challenges and opportunities.
The 10 Flagships form multidisciplinary teams with industry and
the research community to deliver impact and benefits for
Australia.
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