For up to date Publications and Projects and Grants, please see this webpage.
Areas of expertise#
- Photovoltaic Power Systems
- Electrical Energy Generation (Incl. Renewables, Excl. Photovoltaics)
- Electrical Energy Storage
- Electrical Energy Transmission, Networks And Systems
Research Interests#
- Solar photovoltaic energy: silicon solar cells, solar concentrator systems, PV tandems
- Energy policy, economics and markets
- Research and public discussion around 100% renewable energy futures and the dominant role that this plays in reducing greenhouse emissions.
- Off-river pumped hydro as a very large-scale low-cost and mature energy storage technology to support 100% renewable energy futures.
Recent short articles and papers are here.
Biography#
Employment: Engineering at ANU (1991-); Fellowships: ARC Senior (ANU, 1992-97); ARC Queen Elizabeth II (UNSW, 1986-91); Alexander von Humboldt (Max Planck Institut für Festkörperforschung, Germany, 1989-90); Radio Research Board (UNSW, 1984-86).
Recent distinctions
- Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering (2023)
- Eureka Prize for Environmental Research (2018)
- Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, the Australian Institute of Physics, the Australian Institute of Energy and the Royal Society of New South Wales.
Grants and industry engagement
- Design & fabrication of the 1st reported silicon solar cells with 18%, 19%, 20% and 22% efficiency
- First author of the first 3 papers for PERC silicon solar cell technology which represents ~90% of the global solar market. Cumulative PERC sales are ~$200 billion. PERC modules are mitigating about 2% of global emissions through displacement of coal generation.
- Co-inventor of Sliver solar cell technology, the subject of a $240 million commercialisation effort by Transform Solar (Origin Energy & Micron) ($12 million royalties paid to ANU)
- Founded the solar cell research group at ANU in 1991 (currently 60 staff and PhD students)
- Research funds procured since 1979 (as a Chief Investigator, current dollars) ~A$160 million
- Leading the 100% renewable energy futures group and the global pumped hydro energy storage project
Available student projects#
__**100% renewable energy**__
Projects are available in the general area of 100% renewable energy. This could include examining options for high levels of renewables in a particular country, province or city; calculating pathways to high levels of renewables; options for PV panels in densely populated countries such as floating, maritime, rooftop and agrivoltacs; balancing high levels of renewables with extra transmission and storage; critiques of renewables modelling by organisations such as the IEA, IPCC or national & state Governments; Renewable Energy Zones; and renewable electrification of transport, air & water heating and industrial heating.