• Energy Research
• Australian Research Council (ARC) close

The overseas market for photovoltaic panels is large and rapidly expanding - it is expected to grow six-fold over the next decade, to nearly US$10 billion per annum. Australia is well placed to capture a significant share of this market, creating employment and export earnings. The project is expected to make a significant contribution to the development of a vibrant and highly competitive photovoltaics industry in Australia, since the results of the research are expected to lead to improved manufacturing processes. In addition, photovoltaics will be a key technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thus mitigate the magnitude and severity of the effects of global warming.

The objective of this proposed research is to develop an intelligent control system for selection of optimal process parameters in welding using solar energy concentration. This investigation endeavours to address the complex interaction between welding process parameters and quality of weld. The results of the work will lead to signicant advancement of knowledge in automation of the welding process and will generate global interest due to its innovation and applications in automotive manufacturing and steel fabrication industries. The research activity proposed in this application is expected to further strengthen the links between QUT and Mokpo National University and will enhance the capabilities of both universities in attracting funding from local manufacturing industries.

Australia will benefit from this project in several key areas with immediate impact. The development of an innovative solar cell architecture through the use of hot exiton dissociation will deliver a potential increase in the maximum achievable power conversion efficiency. The experimental results will significantly advance fundamental knowledge of organic solar cells. This has significant economic benefits by making these solar cells more affordable and also opening up the opportunity to use new materials unconstrained by existing proprietary interests. The training of personnel will contribute towards solving the biggest challenge facing the solar industry in Australia: lack of skilled personnel in a highly specialised industry.

(Centre for Advanced Silicon Photovoltaics and Photonics) Silicon photovoltaics (Si PV) is a priority area within the Photon Science and Technology category. Multiple studies have identified PV solar electricity as the most promising option for a sustainable energy future, with Australia already at the forefront internationally in Si PV. The applicants recently have shown that insights from PV also may provide the key to the successful development of active Si photonic devices for integration into microelectronics. The Centre's aims and expected outcomes are to strengthen this technological lead in Si PV while pioneering the development of active Si photonic devices for microelectronic integration, with economic, cultural and social benefits.

This project will improve national capability to optimise power production from wind turbine farms in complex terrain by improving the understanding of the flow regime. By better understanding separated regions and the turbulent structures within these regions power production can be optimised and fatigue risks associated with turbine positioning in complex sites can be reduced. This will improve confidence in wind farm site assessment techniques and consequently reduce economic risks associated with current wind farm viability assessments. By increasing national capacity to generate clean energy stationary energy emissions can be reduced. This project will also deliver high calibre graduates that will be potential future industry leaders.

The project seeks to improve solar-hydrogen fuel production via water splitting by addressing a fundamental scientific roadblock. By engineered nanostructures with controlled charge transfer abilities, the most desirable route to water splitting will be promoted; granting Australia an opportunity to develop a solar-based renewable fuel.

Concrete accounts for 70% of materials being used for the construction of our built environment including buildings and other civil infrastructure. Consequently improvements in properties such as durability and dimensional stability have significant financial and environmental benefits. Reductions in the embodied energy and emissions associated with concretes will significantly improve Australia's ability to meet its emissions targets and contribute substantially to community sustainability objectives.

At a fundamental research level, Australia's active participation in this area of national priority and research strength will be advanced through our published research, which will increase our understanding of wind turbine wakes and their effects in wind farms. This understanding will then be used to produce improved methods of predicting wind turbine performance. Such methods are needed by wind energy designers to produce better wind farms. It will also be used to recommend how to improve the aerodynamic design of turbine components, such as the blades and hub. Numerical tools will be developed for industry use, and training will be provided to personnel, thereby increasing the capabilities of Australia's growing wind energy industry.

Energy security and climate change have intensified the search for renewable energy technologies that will reduce the carbon footprint of our economies. This project will lead to a technology platform, enabling hydrogen production and electricity generation by a clean way, which is high potential in solar-abundance Australia. Its success will definitely benefit Australia both economically and environmentally. It will speed up the utilisation of solar energy and help Australia reduce greenhouse emissions. It would also lead to advanced technologies that can be commercialised and exported overseas, thus positioning Australia at the forefront of renewable energy development.

This project will investigate energy storage for concentrating solar thermal energy systems. These systems can be used to efficiently generate electricity in remote locations, day and night, using solar energy. The solar energy is converted to heat energy and then chemical energy stored in a metal-hydrogen compound.