By Evolution Solar Sunshine Coast
Australia and the United States team up to take on research and development of solar thermal technologies and photovoltaics to provide better performance for a lower cost.
Minister for Resources and Energy, the Hon. Martin Ferguson AM MP announced this morning that A$83mil will be used for collaborative projects between Australian and United States researchers. Funding from the Australian Solar Institute (ASI) has been made available for the United States-Australia Solar Energy Collaboration (USASEC) founded in 2010. They will use the funds for two, eight year research programs (A$68mil) and well as eleven collaborative research projects (A$15.5mil).
“Our funding unites the complementary strengths of both nations to fast track the commercialisation of new solar technologies by lowering costs” says ASI Chief Executive Mark Twidell. “We joined forces with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to fund two, eight year collaborative national research programs to drive innovation, build human capacity and provide pathways to commercialisation for new technologies.”
The first eight year research program will be conducted by the University of New South Wales at the United States-Australia Institute for Advanced Photovoltaics using A$33mil. The project aims to develop the next generation of photovoltaic technologies therefore creating vast opportunities for increasing performance and reduction in cost. The projects’ partners include the ANU, University of Melbourne, Monash University, University of Queensland, CSIRO, Suntech R+D Australia, BT Imaging, BlueScope Steel, Trina Solar United States’ Nation Science Foundation – Department of Energy Quantum Energy and Sustainable Solar Technologies, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Molecular Foundry, Stanford University, Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of California.
The second eight year research program will be conducted by CSIRO, forming the Australian Solar Thermal Research Initiative (ASTRI) using $35mil. Solar thermal power uses mirrors to concentrate sunshine and generate hear which then powers a turbine to create electricity or solar derived fuels. It aims to lower the cost of solar thermal power from 25c to around 10c per kilowatt hour, providing cheap, zero emission, secure energy for Australia and the world thus ensuring Australia remains at the leading edge of global solar research. “Demonstrating the technology is vital, it is what attracts investment and development in the industry,” says Dr Alex Wonhas, CSIRO’s Energy Transformed Flagship Director. The project teams up with the United States Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Sandia Corporation, Arizona State University and six Australian Universities. (Australian National University, University of Queensland, University of Adelaide, University of South Australia, Queensland University of Technology and Flinders University).
The remaining $15.5mil will go towards 11 research projects conducted by CSIRO, ANU, Brisbane Materials Technology, University of New South Wales, The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and the Australian Photovoltaic Association (APVA).
The Australian Solar Institute (ASI) will merge with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) as at 1st January 2013.