Solar photovoltaics

Photovoltaics research at ANU is at the global cutting edge, spanning the entire spectrum of solar electricity technologies—from solar forecasting, to fabricating high-efficiency PV cells, to integrating renewables with storage capacity into the grid.

Our solar laboratories support about 65 staff and students with facilities that enable the fabrication and characterisation of high-efficiency silicon and perovskite solar cells. We also maintain tools for state-of-the-art laser processing, industrial solar cell manufacturing and rapid-throughput characterisation.

Our world-leading silicon solar cell research includes advanced defect characterisation, surface passivation, optoelectronics and the manufacturing of high-efficiency silicon and perovskite solar cells.

We are supported with generous research funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and a number of international industrial partners to make the next generation of renewable energy a reality.

Research areas include:

  • Silicon Materials
  • Silicon Solar Cells & Modules
  • Perovskite Solar Cells
  • Tandem Cells
  • Fundamental, Advanced Concepts & Processes
  • Solar Energy Integration

2022

GIS-based solar and wind resource assessment and least-cost 100% renewable electricity modelling for Bolivia, Cheng Cheng, Natalia Pereira Gutierrez, Andrew Blakers and Matthew Stocks, Energy for Sustainable Development.

Accelerating the Simulation of Annual Bifacial Illumination of Real Photovoltaic Systems with Ray Tracing, Marco Ernst, Georgia. E.J. Conechado, Charles-Alexis Asselineau, iScience.