“Energy conservation and renewable energy are key components of our green energy future,” explained MSE PhD candidate Michael G. Helander in a blog post for the Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation.

“With popular demand for flat-panel TVs on the rise, their alarmingly high energy usage … is increasingly becoming the focus of energy conservation efforts,” Helander added.

That is why he along with, PhD candidate Zhibin Wang (MSE) and supervisor Professor Zheng-Hong Lu (MSE), have created the world’s most efficient organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) on plastic.

Current OLEDs provide high-contrast and low-energy displays and is rapidly becoming the dominant technology for advanced electronic screens. The U of T Engineering team’s OLED technology has the potential to be significantly more energy efficient than liquid crystal displays (LCDs), while less costly than traditional OLED manufacturing.

“Both OLED displays and new durable solar cells can be manufactured in the province, creating new jobs and investment opportunities,” said Helander. “Together they are poised to play an important role in our green energy economy, creating wealth and skilled labour in Ontario, while saving the environment.”

To read Helander’s article, visit the Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation website.