Image: Leigh and Maria with the UWS Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (SIMS) a key instrument in the solar research program.Dr Leigh Sheppard and Dr Maria Nowotny of the Solar Energy Technologies Research Group (SETG), School of Natural Sciences, have been awarded an ARC discovery grant to investigate different methods of improving the efficiency of solar-hydrogen fuel production. A partner investigator to this award will be Dr David Kisailius from the University of California at Riverside.
The team is pursuing a solution that is based on a photoelectrochemical process where sunlight is used to “split water” into its component parts - oxygen and hydrogen. The hydrogen gas produced in this way is solar-hydrogen fuel. This project aims to enhance solar-hydrogen generation from water splitting by addressing a major scientific roadblock that prohibits the visible fraction of sunlight being used during the oxidation of water. Read the full story here.
As many would be aware, the development of cost effective renewable energy technologies is of critical national and international importance. This was explored in detail at the 7th Australasian Cleantech forum that was held from Feb 28th to March 2nd 2011 at the Hilton Hotel, Sydney. It was made obvious that no currently available renewable energy source has the ability to monopolise the market and the prevailing vision is for an energy economy that exists through the contributions of multiple energy sources. Cleaner, cheaper, more reliable and more efficient technologies are needed. With solar, wind, geothermal and a range of bio-fuels currently propping up the list of successful renewables, it is hoped that UWS researchers at the SETG will be able to contribute to the great potential that solar-hydrogen energy presents.
If you have any inquiries about harnessing UWS research for your business, or accessing UWS equipment like the SIMS, please do not hesitate to contact the UWS Innovation team.
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