Hot-swappable and High-efficient Grid-connected Power Electronics System For Photovoltaic Modules with Direct Power Transfer Technique. The project aims to increase the amount of available energy intake from photovoltaic panels, lengthen lifetime of power DC/AC inverter, reduce the amount of energy waste due to inefficient inverter by introducing new switching power converters with direct power transfer technique - bypassing part of the input power without repeatedly processing it, and using lon ....Hot-swappable and High-efficient Grid-connected Power Electronics System For Photovoltaic Modules with Direct Power Transfer Technique. The project aims to increase the amount of available energy intake from photovoltaic panels, lengthen lifetime of power DC/AC inverter, reduce the amount of energy waste due to inefficient inverter by introducing new switching power converters with direct power transfer technique - bypassing part of the input power without repeatedly processing it, and using long-life ceramic type capacitors. Development of this technology will mean reduced total cost, improved product lifetime and reduced global warming. It will lead to a reliable product that will help to put the Australian switching power converter industry into a leading position internationally in the design and manufacture of DC/AC inverters.Read moreRead less
Theoretical study and experimental verification of low cost, integrated and efficient AC/DC power supplies using time-multiplexing control. The project aims to reduce the amount of energy waste and cost due to inefficient AC/DC power supplies by introducing a novel power supply technique - combining conventional two-stage power circuits and using time-multiplexing control. Improvements in power supply efficiency and size will mean reduced total cost, improved product lifetime and reduced heating ....Theoretical study and experimental verification of low cost, integrated and efficient AC/DC power supplies using time-multiplexing control. The project aims to reduce the amount of energy waste and cost due to inefficient AC/DC power supplies by introducing a novel power supply technique - combining conventional two-stage power circuits and using time-multiplexing control. Improvements in power supply efficiency and size will mean reduced total cost, improved product lifetime and reduced heating up of the environment, leading to a reliable product that is particularly relevant to the Australian switching power supply industry. The development of this technology will help to put Australia into a leading position internationally in the design and manufacturing of AC/DC power supply.Read moreRead less
Nanostructured Silicon-Based Tandem Solar Cells. The expected outcome from the project is a new generation of low-cost silicon solar cell that will significantly reduce the costs of generating electricity from sunlight. Solar cells are presently the world's most rapidly growing energy source, with Australians and Australian companies already major players in the associated rapidly expanding industry. Solar cells represent the most benign technology yet suggested for supplying the world's future ....Nanostructured Silicon-Based Tandem Solar Cells. The expected outcome from the project is a new generation of low-cost silicon solar cell that will significantly reduce the costs of generating electricity from sunlight. Solar cells are presently the world's most rapidly growing energy source, with Australians and Australian companies already major players in the associated rapidly expanding industry. Solar cells represent the most benign technology yet suggested for supplying the world's future energy needs. A cleaner environment in the future than would otherwise be likely is another expected outcome as is the creation of major new opportunities for Australian industry.Read moreRead less
Development of polycrystalline silicon thin-film photovoltaic devices on glass. This project addresses a range of key issues relevant to crystalline silicon solar cells bound by the common feature of reducing the cost of solar photovoltaic electricity by fabricating thin films of good-quality polycrystalline silicon on cheap glass substrates. The project is significant because thin-film polycrystalline silicon solar cells on glass can dramatically lower the cost of solar electricity. However, ....Development of polycrystalline silicon thin-film photovoltaic devices on glass. This project addresses a range of key issues relevant to crystalline silicon solar cells bound by the common feature of reducing the cost of solar photovoltaic electricity by fabricating thin films of good-quality polycrystalline silicon on cheap glass substrates. The project is significant because thin-film polycrystalline silicon solar cells on glass can dramatically lower the cost of solar electricity. However, at present such cells are not yet produced industrially. This project is expected to lead to major scientific/technical advances with this hugely promising power generation technology, and to bring forward the industrial mass production of these urgently needed devices.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668322
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$147,000.00
Summary
Enhancing Australia's Terahertz Infrastructure. Anthrax, explosives, water, cancer all have characteristic signatures in the terahertz (THz) part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Security, defence, agriculture, medicine are a few of the fields where THz science and technology are booming. THz developments offer enhanced national security, prosperity and quality of life. Australia has active researchers in THz concentrated at several centres across the country, but they are hampered by their work ....Enhancing Australia's Terahertz Infrastructure. Anthrax, explosives, water, cancer all have characteristic signatures in the terahertz (THz) part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Security, defence, agriculture, medicine are a few of the fields where THz science and technology are booming. THz developments offer enhanced national security, prosperity and quality of life. Australia has active researchers in THz concentrated at several centres across the country, but they are hampered by their work by lack of access to state-of-the art experimental equipment. This project will provide that equipment and ensure the nation remains internationally competitive in this rapidly-developing field.Read moreRead less
Microelectronic Applications of Improved Silicon Light Emission. While semiconductor silicon chips have been the workhorse of the microelectronics revolution, more complex semiconductor materials have driven the communications revolution. Australian developments during 2001 have largely dispelled the myth that silicon is fundamentally a poor emitter of light. This project aims to build on this work by developing silicon light emitters suitable for integration into high density integrated circu ....Microelectronic Applications of Improved Silicon Light Emission. While semiconductor silicon chips have been the workhorse of the microelectronics revolution, more complex semiconductor materials have driven the communications revolution. Australian developments during 2001 have largely dispelled the myth that silicon is fundamentally a poor emitter of light. This project aims to build on this work by developing silicon light emitters suitable for integration into high density integrated circuits, adding a new dimension to the capabilities of these circuits, driving microelectronics and the information age to the next stage of development.Read moreRead less
NOVEL REAR-SURFACE DESIGNS FOR HIGH-EFFICIENCY COMMERCIAL SILICON SOLAR CELLS. The aim of this collaboration between the University of New South Wales and BP Solar, both world leaders in high-efficiency commercial photovoltaic technologies, is to develop the rear surface of silicon solar cells to enable commercially competitive photovoltaic modules to exceed 20 percent efficiency. The project will develop new technologies for the rear surface that enable excellent light trapping, low recombinati ....NOVEL REAR-SURFACE DESIGNS FOR HIGH-EFFICIENCY COMMERCIAL SILICON SOLAR CELLS. The aim of this collaboration between the University of New South Wales and BP Solar, both world leaders in high-efficiency commercial photovoltaic technologies, is to develop the rear surface of silicon solar cells to enable commercially competitive photovoltaic modules to exceed 20 percent efficiency. The project will develop new technologies for the rear surface that enable excellent light trapping, low recombination and good electrical interconnection that allow the substantial cost and efficiency benefits promised by the use of silicon wafers approaching 150 microns in thickness.Read moreRead less
High efficiency thin-film gallium arsenide solar cells. Recent developments in GaAs-based solar cells have led to efficiencies above 30%. Widespread adoption of GaAs-based solar cells for space applications has also brought about large reductions in material costs. However, GaAs cells are still much more expensive than silicon cells. This application addresses the development of a manufacturable technique for lifting off thin films of GaAs. This approach allows a significantly reduced cost due ....High efficiency thin-film gallium arsenide solar cells. Recent developments in GaAs-based solar cells have led to efficiencies above 30%. Widespread adoption of GaAs-based solar cells for space applications has also brought about large reductions in material costs. However, GaAs cells are still much more expensive than silicon cells. This application addresses the development of a manufacturable technique for lifting off thin films of GaAs. This approach allows a significantly reduced cost due to reduced materials usage, while maintaining high efficiency. Light-trapping for lifted-off cells will also be developed, which will allow the theoretical limit to performance to be approached, and fundamental processes in GaAs to be investigated.
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Development of Bulk Silicon Photovoltaic Devices. This project addresses a range of key issues relevant to silicon solar cells bound by the common feature of reducing cell costs by improving the cell's energy conversion efficiency. An innovative component of the project involves merging two streams of work whereby the high performance attributes of the world record efficiency laboratory devices are adapted for use with state-of-the-art commercial Solar Cell technology. The corresponding develo ....Development of Bulk Silicon Photovoltaic Devices. This project addresses a range of key issues relevant to silicon solar cells bound by the common feature of reducing cell costs by improving the cell's energy conversion efficiency. An innovative component of the project involves merging two streams of work whereby the high performance attributes of the world record efficiency laboratory devices are adapted for use with state-of-the-art commercial Solar Cell technology. The corresponding developments will be particularly important in an industry set to grow by more than a factor of ten over the next decade.Read moreRead less
Silicon Photonics and Third Generation Photovoltaics. The Fellowship would be used to launch a major new initiative addressing one of the key challenges facing microelectronics, the incorporation of optical functions into high density silicon integrated circuits, as well as accelerating development of a "third" generation of photovoltaic solar cells using similar techniques. This third generation thin-film technology would be capable of fundamentally higher energy conversion efficiency than ear ....Silicon Photonics and Third Generation Photovoltaics. The Fellowship would be used to launch a major new initiative addressing one of the key challenges facing microelectronics, the incorporation of optical functions into high density silicon integrated circuits, as well as accelerating development of a "third" generation of photovoltaic solar cells using similar techniques. This third generation thin-film technology would be capable of fundamentally higher energy conversion efficiency than earlier generations, at low cost. In both cases, the targeted outcome over the period of the Fellowship is to develop technology to the stage where it can be commercially evaluated, in a way likely to maximise Australian benefits.Read moreRead less