About Us
There are over 60 researchers at the ANU conducting research on solar energy. Follow the links on the left hand side of this page to see what we do.
Activities include; world leading research, presentation of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, the supervision of PhD students and the provision of educational and consumer resources.
Researchers in these areas regularly present their state-of-the-art research for journal publication at national and international conferences. See our publications.
Much of this research has lead to technology transfer to commercial partners to carry out solar energy infrastructure projects.
News
Latest, May 2009: ANU solar researchers commenced a DSTO funded study.
ANU solar researchers commenced a DSTO funded study to investigate the feasibility of using solar energy harvesting to enhance capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The research includes an assessment of the feasibility of incorporating the Elongate solar cell technology within the structure of a representative tactical UAV, for example within the wing skin or fuselage skin. The outcomes of this study will be used to inform and direct future research in the applications of solar technologies for environmental-energy extraction on tactical UAVs.
May 2009: ANU receives $5M Aust Solar Institute Foundation Contract, commences construction of new laboratory.
The Australian National University has signed the $5 million contract for the development of the world-class solar research facility at the Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems of the ANU. The work has started with the relocation of offices and area's to make space for the development of the new labratory. Read more...
March 2009: First Singapore-Australia Solar Energy Workshop
The very first Singapore-Australia Solar Energy Workshop was held at The Australian National
University in Canberra, on 30 and 31 March 2009. The purpose of the workshop was to explore
and develop substantial research, commercial and governmental solar energy collaboration
between Singapore and Australia, and stemmed from discussions between Professor Andrew
Blakers and Professor Joachim Luther (CEO of the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore
(SERIS)) in January. Read More...
March 2009: ANU researchers receive ARC Linkage grant
Researchers have won an ARC Linkage grant for a project to investigate methods to change the surface of a solar cell to improve its efficiency. Project partners are the German PV equipment manufacturer Centrotherm, and the Australian solar cell manufacturing start-up Spark Solar. Focusing on the solar cell surface regions, the project will aim to develop industrially relevant manufacturing techniques to achieve improvements in cell conversion efficiency and cost. The project will run for 3 years and is worth about $600K. Lead investigators at the ANU are Dr. Klaus Weber, Dr Hao Jin and Dr Keith McIntosh. Read More...
February 2009: ANU Reporter Cool Runnings
Electricity infrastructure is aging disgracefully, yet demands to power air-conditioning are on the increase. So what if the sun could be used to keep our homes and offices cool? That’s the vision of Dr Mike Dennis with an elegant solution. Read more in the ANU Reporter...
January 2009: ANU receives $5 million at the launch of the new Australian Solar Institute (ASI).
The Federal Government has provided $5 million for the development of a world-class solar research facility at the Australian National University. This was announced at the launch of ASI in Newcastle NSW. Read more...
January 2009: ANU researchers receive International Science Linkage Funds.
The Australian Government has successfully completed negotiations with China and this enabled the approval of our second project with Tianjin University: Efficient power/thermal co-generation from linearly concentrated sunlight by liquid-immersed solar cells. The project has been awarded funding of $350K. Read more...
June 2008: ANU researchers receive $2.1 million Defence grant
Elongate Solar Cells for Energy Generation: Researchers have won a $2.1 million Defence CTD grant to develop highly flexible solar panels with high efficiency under both normal and subdued light and with high power-to-weight ratios. These solar cells would allow soldiers to generate power in the field and reduce the need for batteries. The technology may be suitable for incorporation into wearable textiles and for use in a wide range of consumer and outdoor hand-held electronic devices to charge batteries. Read more...
June 2008: ANU researchers receive ARC Linkage grant
Researchers have won an ARC Linkage grant for a project aimed at minimising charge carrier recombination at silicon surfaces with improved dielectric coatings. The grant has been awarded to a collaboration of researchers from the ANU, Spark Solar and GP Solar. The project has been awarded funding of $420K with further industry contributions from Spark Solar and GP Solar.
June 2008: ANU researchers brave icy cold winter solstice swim!
Making front page news in Canberra, solar researchers from the ANU braved cold winter conditions for a swim in Lake Burley Griffin!! This act of courage was performed to mark the shortest day of the year, June 21. See front page of the Canberra Times...
May 2008: ANU wins DuPont Innovation Award
The Australia National University was today announced winner of DuPont Australia and New Zealand’s most prestigious Innovation Award, the Chairman’s Award, for its Second Generation Sliver Cell Technology.
Hailed as a breakthrough in photovoltaic technology, ANU’s Sliver Cell Technology uses innovative cell handling, assembly and electrical interconnection processes to form Raft SLIVER cell sub-modules. These cells could reduce photovoltaic module manufacturing costs by 60%, providing an economical, environmentally sustainable, renewable energy technology. Read press release.
2008 ANU research boosted by new funding
May 2008: Funding of $382K has been offered by the Indo-Australian Science and Technology Fund for development of applications of our trough concentrator technology in conjunction with Anna University in India.
Jan 2008: We have signed a contract with the Australian Government for a $1.6 million project under the Asia Pacific Partnership Program to develop advanced photovoltaic - thermal hybrid concentrator receivers.
Jan 2008: The ARC Centre for Solar Energy Systems has received increased funding of $425K per year and has been extended to the end of 2010.
Staff received several awards for excellence in 2007:
- Engineers Australia Australian Engineering Excellence Award for Sliver sub module assemblies (Everett, Blakers & Weber, 2007)
- Weeks Award (Achievement Through Action), International Solar Energy Society (Blakers & Weber, 2007)
- Engineers Australia (ACT Division), Engineering Excellence Award (Everett, Blakers & Weber, 2007)
See News Archive for articles which previously appeared on this site.
Staff site
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