The future of Solar research in Australia just got a boost, hot on the heals of the recent announcement that the biggest solar-panel factory in the southern hemisphere was rescued from closure and is set to open in Sydney. The University of Queensland (UQ) has now (15-Apr-2010) announced that it will use Queensland State Government investment in solar energy to help install Australia's largest and most powerful array of photovoltaic panels.
The new project, to be located on three buildings at UQ's St Lucia campus, will feature a 1.2 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic installation capable of producing 1750 MW hours (MWh) of electricity a year – about five per cent of the university's energy needs or enough to power 800 households. This will save approximately 1750 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, which is equivalent to taking 335 cars off the roads each year.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says the Queensland Government is investing $1.5 million to support the development of a $7.75 million 1.2 MW solar photovoltaic project at UQ. "This is a great way of celebrating the Centenary of the University of Queensland which is doing the bright thing by installing solar power to help research into new breakthroughs," Bligh says.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield commended the State Government for its commitment to solar research and technology.
“UQ will show leadership as a generator and user of solar energy and also as a provider of internationally-recognised teaching, research and development regarding solar technologies,” Professor Greenfield said. “It will also be a resource for students and staff, who will use the array to help develop next-generation solar technologies.”
Physicist Professor Paul Meredith, who chairs the University's Renewable Energy Technology Advisory Committee, said the new solar field would cover a surface area equivalent to about one-and-a-half rugby fields with state-of-the-art high-efficiency panels.
“The system will be part of a larger Micro-Grid strategy to use renewable energy across the University's other campuses over the next decade," Professor Meredith said. “The UQ Micro-Grid will allow UQ and Queensland researchers to deepen their understanding of the issues and opportunities around solar and renewable energy deployment.
“In particular, we see this project becoming a close collaboration with stakeholders such as established energy providers and the solar industry, to encourage the integration of commercial-industrial scale solar infrastructure in Queensland's electricity grid.
“It will also position our University as a major provider of solar research expertise and infrastructure in upcoming major initiatives such as the Solar Flagships Program.
“The UQ PV project is a globally-significant solar research infrastructure initiative and will be among the largest arrays at any university around the world.”
Written by Suze Chalmers
Image credits: All images courtesy of the University of Queensland
Top Image: Sir Llew Edwards building where a current 10kW test array is located
Image 2: Qld Premier Anna Bligh, Professor Paul Meredith and Professor Max Lu, UQ’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) on a site tour of the roof of the Sir Llew Edwards Building.
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