Historic Australia-US partnership to develop next-generation solar cell technology

A new joint Australian-US research institute led by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) will foster rapid development of ‘over the horizon’ photovoltaic technology and establish Australia as the solar cell research and education hub of the Asia-Pacific region.

Federal Minister for Resources and Energy Martin Ferguson announced the $35 million US-Australia Institute for Advanced Photovoltaics (USAIAP) as part of a raft of new programs and projects through the United States-Australia Solar Energy Collaboration.

The funding is part of an $83 million commitment, one of Australia’s biggest solar research investments.

The institute is led by UNSW’s world record-holding photovoltaic researchers. It provides a pathway for research collaboration between Australian and American centres and agencies and will drive innovation and commercialisation.

“We welcome such a significant government investment in renewable energy research and we are pleased that UNSW’s world-leading solar researchers have been recognised in this way,” said UNSW Vice-Chancellor Professor Fred Hilmer.

UNSW, through its School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, holds the world record in silicon solar cell efficiency. UNSW Scientia Professors Martin Green and Stuart Wenham were recently honoured as inaugural members of the Australian Solar Council’s Solar Hall of Fame.

Program leader Professor Green said: “The institute (USAIAP) will establish Australia as the photovoltaic research and educational hub of the Asia-Pacific region. It combines our expertise with America’s world-class facilities and creates a tangible pipeline to ‘over the horizon’ photovoltaic technology.

“The institute will also be fundamental to the training of the next generation of photovoltaic research scientists and engineers,” he said.

The USAIAP is supported by both the Australian Solar Institute and the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory.