Efficient PV-Thermal Micro-concentrator. Australia must reduce its dependence on carbon sources for electricity, heating, and cooling. The PV-thermal hybrid micro-concentrator development will deliver a light-weight, low-profile, cost-effective system that can be installed in almost any situation, with versatile output that can deliver electricity at grid parity as well as providing water heating, space heating, industrial process heat, and solar cooling capabilities. The nation will benefit thr ....Efficient PV-Thermal Micro-concentrator. Australia must reduce its dependence on carbon sources for electricity, heating, and cooling. The PV-thermal hybrid micro-concentrator development will deliver a light-weight, low-profile, cost-effective system that can be installed in almost any situation, with versatile output that can deliver electricity at grid parity as well as providing water heating, space heating, industrial process heat, and solar cooling capabilities. The nation will benefit through enhanced energy independence, international research recognition, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Further, successful commercialisation of this technology will enhance Australia's research standing and provide a good royalty income that will fund future research and development.Read moreRead less
Advanced Sliver Solar Cells. The expected outcome of the proposed research is the development of second generation Sliver solar cell technology, encouraging large commercial impact, which would be of substantial benefit to Australia in terms of export income and employment. Origin Energy has committed >$60 million to the development and commercialisation of the first generation Sliver cell technology. Substantial further commercial investment is expected during scale-up for full scale manufactur ....Advanced Sliver Solar Cells. The expected outcome of the proposed research is the development of second generation Sliver solar cell technology, encouraging large commercial impact, which would be of substantial benefit to Australia in terms of export income and employment. Origin Energy has committed >$60 million to the development and commercialisation of the first generation Sliver cell technology. Substantial further commercial investment is expected during scale-up for full scale manufacturing.
Successful implementation of technology developed during the research will result in the displacement of fossil fuel technologies and corresponding greenhouse gas emissions reduction, assisting Government in its objective to make major cuts to greenhouse gas emissions.
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Innovative high-efficiency hybrid technology for commercial solar cells. The purpose of this project is to develop improved photovoltaic devices of significantly higher efficiency and lower cost than conventional screen-printed solar cells. This in turn will contribute to greatly reduced electricity costs from non fossil-fuel based sources.
Thermal management of methane fuelled planar solid oxide fuel cells. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are novel devices for generating energy with extremely low emissions. This project will conduct novel experiments and numerical simulations to improve the efficiency of SOFCs. This will then allow wider adoption of this technology, thus reducing CO2 and other environmental emissions from our power generation systems.
Industrial High Efficiency Solar Cells. Photovoltaics is a promising candidate for sustainable energy generation, with Australia well-placed to capture the economic and environmental benefits from maintaining its strong position with this technology. Suntech, a world-leader in silicon solar cell production with US$2 billion annual revenue, will provide a “high profile” showplace for the developed patterning technology. This will enhance commercial opportunities arising from the project and confi ....Industrial High Efficiency Solar Cells. Photovoltaics is a promising candidate for sustainable energy generation, with Australia well-placed to capture the economic and environmental benefits from maintaining its strong position with this technology. Suntech, a world-leader in silicon solar cell production with US$2 billion annual revenue, will provide a “high profile” showplace for the developed patterning technology. This will enhance commercial opportunities arising from the project and confirm Australia’s reputation as a world leader in innovative photovoltaic research. This reputation attracts high-calibre professionals to Australia, stimulates local research and will provide opportunities for local manufacturing to exploit the technology developed as part of this project.Read moreRead less
Oscillating water column efficiency improvement through impedance matching and active latching control techniques. The coastline of southern Australia is recognised as a world-class wave energy resource. This project will play a crucial role in seeing this resource exploited whilst simultaneously keeping Australia at the forefront of wave energy technology. Specifically, this project will develop a high-efficiency turbine technology for wave
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Commercial Solar Cells with Improved Metallisation and Interconnection. The project aims to further develop a photovoltaic device concept with reduced metallisation and improved interconnection techniques. The expected outcome of the project is to remove over 90 per cent of cell metallisation compared to industry standards, and achieve a cell efficiency up to 23 per cent, which together can reduce the cost of ownership by 20 per cent. In addition, the concept eliminates the use of toxic lead and ....Commercial Solar Cells with Improved Metallisation and Interconnection. The project aims to further develop a photovoltaic device concept with reduced metallisation and improved interconnection techniques. The expected outcome of the project is to remove over 90 per cent of cell metallisation compared to industry standards, and achieve a cell efficiency up to 23 per cent, which together can reduce the cost of ownership by 20 per cent. In addition, the concept eliminates the use of toxic lead and cadmium and expensive silver. This project aims to transform an Australian patented technology into mass-production, providing overseas licence income to Australia.Read moreRead less
Integration of Solar, Wind and Storage Systems into Distribution Grids for Network Support. This project will contribute to the development and utilisation of renewable energy technologies for a sustainable future and facilitate their integration into electricity grids for network support. Innovative methodologies and technologies will be developed to reduce network problems associated with the integration of a large number of small-scale renewable energy resources into distribution grids. This ....Integration of Solar, Wind and Storage Systems into Distribution Grids for Network Support. This project will contribute to the development and utilisation of renewable energy technologies for a sustainable future and facilitate their integration into electricity grids for network support. Innovative methodologies and technologies will be developed to reduce network problems associated with the integration of a large number of small-scale renewable energy resources into distribution grids. This project will also develop assessment tools to examine the impact of renewable energy penetration on power quality aspects, network stability and protection performance. This research will provide remedies for potential problems introduced by their integration and improve voltage support in the electricity networks. Read moreRead less
Multipoint voltage sensor for high power distribution lines. This project will develop a new electric field sensor array for electricity transmission systems. The project proposes novel sensor designs based on hybrid technology; fibre optics and liquid crystals. Investment in student and researcher training will provide the industry, still in its early growth phase, with future human resources and strengthen research and development programs. The outcomes of this project will benefit our Austr ....Multipoint voltage sensor for high power distribution lines. This project will develop a new electric field sensor array for electricity transmission systems. The project proposes novel sensor designs based on hybrid technology; fibre optics and liquid crystals. Investment in student and researcher training will provide the industry, still in its early growth phase, with future human resources and strengthen research and development programs. The outcomes of this project will benefit our Australian-based Partner Organisation, Smart Digital Optics PTY LTD and will also increase Australian research expertise in the field of photonics materials.Read moreRead less
The development of inexpensive negatively charged films to increase the efficiency of commercial solar cells. This project aims to reduce the cost of solar electricity by developing inexpensive, negatively charged dielectric films. When deposited on the surfaces of commercial solar cells, these films will significantly increase cell efficiency, thereby producing more power from a given area.