The University of New South Wales research team has been chosen for a three-year grant worth over $A3 million to investigate new ways of designing and fabricating solar cells, aiming to develop cheap and efficient options for converting solar energy to electricity.
"Stanford's Global Climate and Energy Project (GCEP) will soon announce five new research grants, totalling more than $A14 million. For the first time, two of those grants will go to researchers outside the United States – in Australia and Japan," said federal industry minister Ian Macfarlane.
"It's an outstanding endorsement of the high level of skills and innovative nature of this country's researchers that an Australian team has been chosen to lead a global project developing solar energy technologies."
The Global Climate and Energy Project is funded by ExxonMobil, GE, Schlumberger and Toyota, who will invest up to $US225 million over a ten year period to develop new power-generation technologies.
"This sort of research has the potential to develop new pragmatic approaches to greenhouse gas reduction and foster technological relationships between Australia and the US while developing an important element of our future energy mix," said Macfarlane.
"The acknowledgment of Australia's position as a leader in solar technology is timely as applications to the Australian government's $A75 million Solar Cities program are being considered now."
