Paving the road for next phase in commercialization

Queanbeyan, Australia – 6 August 2012 – Dyesol Limited's game-changing biomimetic Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSC) technology has excelled in external performance testing and paved the road for the next phase in the commercial development DSC powered devices.

Newport Corporation's Technology & Applications Center's Photovoltaic (TAC-PV) Laboratory has tested Dyesol's next generation DSC ‘strip cell' active area at 7.48% efficiency at one-third Sun - typical lower-light, real-world light conditions. The TAC-PV Lab is accredited by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) to ISO/IEC 17025, American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) standard E948, IEC 60904-3 ed. 2 and ASTM E1021.

With performance confirmed and an initial proof-of-concept phase nearing completion, Dyesol Inc.'s joint venture operation in Ohio, USA, DyeTec Solar, expects to relocate and expand its workshop to allow the Company to enter the testing-validation and prototype development phase which will confirm product performance in building integrated applications. This is the last phase before the venture expects to commence product development of a DSC enabled glass building façade product for commercial demonstration.

With continued Ohio Third Frontier funding, it is anticipated that the testing-validation and prototype development phase will take 12 to 18 months, during which time the DyeTec Solar team will focus on material evaluation, design, finalizing low cost manufacturing procedures and producing a limited quantity of façade product.

"Dyesol scientists have been achieving very high low-light conversion efficiency performance for some time now, but getting third-party, external validation that our DSC ‘strip cells' are achieving performance levels nearing seven and a half per cent in low light reinforces the extraordinary commercial potential of DSC as a green value-add technology," Dyesol Executive Chairman Mr Richard Caldwell stated.

Commenting on what has been achieved in such a short time frame in the USA, Mr Marc Thomas, the head of Dyesol's American subsidiary, Dyesol Inc., states: "The Ohio team has made remarkable progress considering we work in a non-laboratory, workshop environment with a Dyesol equipment set commissioned less than 12 months ago. Leveraging DyeTec Solar's process and design technology for high performing large area devices and Dyesol's next generation high performance DSC material set will allow the DyeTec Solar joint-venture to establish a strong and competitive position in the emerging, billion dollar plus building integrated photovoltaics market".

Dye Sensitized Solar Cell technology is a third generation photovoltaic technology that differs substantially from first generation, silicon solar cells, and second generation, thin film technologies – it uses discrete layers of materials (dyes, titanium dioxide nanoparticles, and catalysts) that amount to a thickness around 50 to 100 times thinner than the human hair.

The advantages of Dye Sensitized Solar Cell technology include the use of non-toxic, widely-available raw materials, lower energy and lower cost manufacturing processes, and its excellent performance in real-world, lower-light solar conditions, i.e. cloudy days, hazy/polluted days, dappled light, shade, dawn and dusk. Plus DSC offers a range of aesthetic options including variations in coloration and transparency which offer beautiful solutions for power generating glass in the building integrated photovoltaics sector.

About DYESOL LIMITED
Dyesol is a global supplier of Dye Solar Cell (DSC) materials, technology and know-how. DSC is a photovoltaic technology enabling metal, glass and polymeric based products in the building, transport and electronics sectors to generate energy and improve energy efficiency. Dyesol partners with leading multinational companies who possess significant market share and established routes-to-market. The Company is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (DYE), the German Open Market (D5I.F), and the USA's OTCQX (DYSOY). Learn more: www.dyesol.com Subscribe to eNewsletter here.

About DYESOL INC.
Dyesol Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dyesol Ltd., and headquarters for the Company's Global Glass Business Group. It is located in Toledo, Ohio and provides support for DyeTec Solar and the Company's DSC materials and equipment sales in the Americas.

About DYETEC SOLAR
DyeTec Solar is a fifty-fifty joint venture between Dyesol Limited's American subsidiary, Dyesol Inc., and Pilkington North America, started in June 2010. Dyesol is a world leader in dye solar cell technology and Pilkington North America is one of the world's largest manufacturers of glass and glazing products including transparent conductive oxide glass – a key component of DSC powered glass. In January 2011, the DyeTec Solar joint venture received USD $1 million in grant funding from the Ohio Third Frontier Commission to develop technology for DSC based BIPV glass in Ohio, USA.

About OHIO THIRD FRONTIER
Ohio Third Frontier is an economic development and jobs program that Ohio voters have twice overwhelmingly endorsed through passage of bond issues, most recently in May 2010 for $700 million. Through this program, Ohio's investment in technology, innovation and entrepreneurs has resulted in the formation of more than 500 new companies, the expansion of existing companies, and more than 48,000 new jobs for Ohioans.

About DYE SOLAR CELLS TECHNOLOGY
DSC technology can best be described as ‘artificial photosynthesis' using an electrolyte, a layer of titania (a pigment used in white paints and tooth paste) and ruthenium dye deposited on glass, metal or polymer substrates. Light striking the dye excites electrons which are absorbed by the titania to become an electric current. Compared to conventional silicon based photovoltaic technology, Dyesol's technology has lower cost and embodied energy in manufacture, it produces electricity more efficiently even in low light conditions and can be directly incorporated into buildings by replacing conventional glass panels or metal sheets rather than taking up roof or extra land area.

About NEWPORT CORPORATION (NASDAQ: NEWP)
Newport Corporation is a leading global supplier of advanced technology products and solutions for Scientific Research, Life & Health Science, Aerospace & Defence, Photovoltaic's, Industrial Manufacturing, Semiconductors, and Microelectronics markets. Learn more: www.newport.com