Home > Press > New £4.4 million solar energy project will be led by Glyndŵr University
Abstract:
A £4.4 million solar energy project led by Glyndŵr University could create more than 50 new jobs and provide a significant breakthrough in bringing affordable renewable energy to thousands of homes.
The university's Centre for Solar Energy Research (CSER) will develop new photovoltaic (PV) solar cells which are optimised for collecting solar energy from weather conditions in Wales as part of the Solar Photovoltaic Academic Research Consortium Cymru (SPARC Cymru).
Researchers at the centre in St Asaph, north Wales, will be collaborating with scientists from Bangor and Swansea universities to complete the three year project which has been part-funded by the EU's Convergence European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Assembly Government.
It is estimated that PV solar cells will provide 20 per cent of the electricity needs of Wales by 2050, however, uptake of the technology has so far been slow - due to prohibitively high costs and the fact that the cells aren't yet tailored to gaining maximum efficiency from solar energy in countries with temperate climates, such as Wales.
The research will develop new technologies and innovations which tackle both of these challenges, with jobs being created through the research itself, as well as the supply chain and commercial enterprises which benefit from increased take-up of solar cells.
Professor Stuart Irvine, Director of CSER, said: "This is very much a collaborative project, with our expertise in solar energy being combined with the electronics technology expertise of Swansea University in improving efficiency when converting the energy into electricity which can be used on the National Grid.
"The project also combines our thin film technology with innovative dye sensitised solar cells with researchers at Bangor and Swansea Universities".
"We have world class facilities in St Asaph with the capability to see everything through from initial research to the production of small thin film solar cell modules.
"We're currently operating with cells of 5cm square but the aim is to get up to test modules of 30cm square - taking us much closer to a size of solar cell which can be used commercially to provide the future electricity needs of Wales."
Announcement of the SPARC project comes as the Low Carbon Research Institute (LCRI), a pan Wales group tasked with shaping the future of energy research in Wales, recently held its annual conference in Cardiff.
The LCRI, which is led by Cardiff University and includes partners Glyndwr, Bangor, Swansea, Glamorgan and Aberystwyth universities, was recently awarded £15.3 million from the Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO) to enable Wales to lead the way in helping to cut carbon emissions. The total LCRI project is valued at £34m.
####
For more information, please click here
Contacts:
01978 293439
Copyright © Glyndwr University
If you have a comment, please Contact us.Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.
Related News Press |
News and information
Simulating magnetization in a Heisenberg quantum spin chain April 5th, 2024
NRL charters Navy’s quantum inertial navigation path to reduce drift April 5th, 2024
Discovery points path to flash-like memory for storing qubits: Rice find could hasten development of nonvolatile quantum memory April 5th, 2024
Jobs
Could quantum technology be New Mexico’s next economic boon? Quantum New Mexico Coalition aims to establish state as national hub April 1st, 2022
SEMI Partners with GLOBALFOUNDRIES to Offer Apprenticeship Program Aimed at Building the Electronics Talent Pipeline August 11th, 2020
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Reports Inducement Grants under NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 5635(c)(4) March 29th, 2019
Govt.-Legislation/Regulation/Funding/Policy
NRL charters Navy’s quantum inertial navigation path to reduce drift April 5th, 2024
Discovery points path to flash-like memory for storing qubits: Rice find could hasten development of nonvolatile quantum memory April 5th, 2024
Chemical reactions can scramble quantum information as well as black holes April 5th, 2024
Academic/Education
Rice University launches Rice Synthetic Biology Institute to improve lives January 12th, 2024
Multi-institution, $4.6 million NSF grant to fund nanotechnology training September 9th, 2022
Announcements
NRL charters Navy’s quantum inertial navigation path to reduce drift April 5th, 2024
Discovery points path to flash-like memory for storing qubits: Rice find could hasten development of nonvolatile quantum memory April 5th, 2024
Energy
Development of zinc oxide nanopagoda array photoelectrode: photoelectrochemical water-splitting hydrogen production January 12th, 2024
Shedding light on unique conduction mechanisms in a new type of perovskite oxide November 17th, 2023
Inverted perovskite solar cell breaks 25% efficiency record: Researchers improve cell efficiency using a combination of molecules to address different November 17th, 2023
The efficient perovskite cells with a structured anti-reflective layer – another step towards commercialization on a wider scale October 6th, 2023
Research partnerships
Discovery points path to flash-like memory for storing qubits: Rice find could hasten development of nonvolatile quantum memory April 5th, 2024
Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024
'Sudden death' of quantum fluctuations defies current theories of superconductivity: Study challenges the conventional wisdom of superconducting quantum transitions January 12th, 2024
New-Contracts/Sales/Customers
Bruker Light-Sheet Microscopes at Major Comprehensive Cancer Center: New Advanced Imaging Center Powered by Two MuVi and LCS SPIM Microscopes March 25th, 2021
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Announces Closing of Agreement with Takeda November 27th, 2020
Veeco Announces Aledia Order of 300mm MOCVD Equipment for microLED Displays: Propel™ Platform First 300mm System with EFEM Designed for Advanced Display Applications October 20th, 2020
GREENWAVES TECHNOLOGIES Announces Next Generation GAP9 Hearables Platform Using GLOBALFOUNDRIES 22FDX Solution October 16th, 2020
Solar/Photovoltaic
Development of zinc oxide nanopagoda array photoelectrode: photoelectrochemical water-splitting hydrogen production January 12th, 2024
Shedding light on unique conduction mechanisms in a new type of perovskite oxide November 17th, 2023
Inverted perovskite solar cell breaks 25% efficiency record: Researchers improve cell efficiency using a combination of molecules to address different November 17th, 2023
Charged “molecular beasts” the basis for new compounds: Researchers at Leipzig University use “aggressive” fragments of molecular ions for chemical synthesis November 3rd, 2023
The latest news from around the world, FREE | ||
Premium Products | ||
Only the news you want to read!
Learn More |
||
Full-service, expert consulting
Learn More |
||