Photovoltaic engineering in Australia

Photovoltaic and renewable energy engineering is an area of research, development, and demonstration in Australia. Two Australian Research Council Centres play a key role.

chool of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering

The School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering at the University of NSW is, according to its website, the first organisation internationally to offer undergraduate training in the area of Photovoltaics and Solar Energy, and since then has extended the educational programs offered to include postgraduate and research training opportunities. It is widely recognised for its research in the area of photovoltaics, most of which is now conducted under the ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Silicon Photovoltaics and Photonics. [ [http://www.pv.unsw.edu.au/ School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering] ]

ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Silicon Photovoltaics and Photonics

The ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Silicon Photovoltaics and Photonics officially opened on 13th June 2003. The Centre is engaged in silicon photovoltaic research and applying these advances to the related field of photonics. The Centre is made up of five research teams dedicated to finding novel ways of improving the efficiency and cost of silicon based photovoltaic and photonic devices. [ [http://www.pv.unsw.edu.au/research/advancedsilicon.asp ARC Photovoltaics Centre of Excellence] ]

Scientists have recently devised a new manufacturing technique that could boost the efficiency of an inexpensive type of solar cell by up to 50%, making the technology an economically feasible alternative to fossil fuels.Fact|date=July 2007

ARC Centre of Excellence for Solar Energy Systems

The focus for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Solar Energy Systems is the development of improved silicon concentrator solar cells for 10-50 sun linear concentrators. Centre activities are located at the "Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems" in the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at the Australian National University. The Director of the ARC Centre for Solar Energy Systems is Professor Andrew Blakers and the Deputy Director is Dr Vernie Everett. [ [http://solararc.anu.edu.au/ ARC Centre of Excellence for Solar Energy] ]

Innovation

An innovative solar energy sound barrier that produces electricity to help light a section of the Tullamarine Calder Interchange in northern Melbourne and installed by renewable energy retailer Going Solar, has received a major award. [http://www.resourcesmart.vic.gov.au/news_and_events/business_news_3368.html]

ee also

*Andrew Blakers
*High efficiency solar cells
*Martin Green
*Origin Energy
*Photovoltaics
*Solar Cell
*Solar power in Australia
*Shi Zhengrong

References

External links

* [http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/renewable/recp/pv/four.html Solar Kogarah - developing and commercialising sustainable energy technology]
* [http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/1224 Slicing the cost of solar power]
* [http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=30&ContentID=27594 Solar breakthrough could lead to cheaper power]