Seminar in SMMEE: Recent Trends in Solar Thermal Energy

Title: Recent Trends in Solar Thermal Energy
Speaker: Dr Robert Taylor
Location: L3
Date: 07-Nov-2012 (Wed)
Time: 12 noon - 1pm

Dr. Robert Taylor :-

Recent Trends in Solar Thermal Energy

Approximately one half of global energy consumption is associated with meeting thermal requirements for buildings and industrial processes. While some of this is for low temperature heat, there is also a vast market for the supply of 100-400oC thermal energy for applications such as industrial and commercial steam, and air conditioning. This demand is currently met by gas and electricity. However, using innovative technology, it can also be met by concentrated sunlight from urban rooftops, potentially eliminating billions of kg of CO2 emissions per year. The energy output is on the retail side of energy meters, where energy prices are triple wholesale prices, which substantially improves the commercial potential of rooftop collectors.
Successful large scale collection of 100-400oC thermal energy from rooftops requires a concentrator system that is roof-integrated with minimal ancillary requirements. These systems will have similar geometrical features and appearance to PV panels and non-concentrating solar hot water collection panels, which are by far the most widely deployed solar collection systems to date. This talk will outline some of the ongoing work at UNSW
where we are developing this type of technology.

Dr. Robert Taylor (Bio):-

Taylor received his PhD from Arizona State University (USA) in 2011 and recently joined the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering at UNSW, in Sydney, Australia. Taylor's main research interest is in the development of ‘next generation’ solar thermal collectors. Drawing on the fields of heat transfer and nanotechnology, he is researching new/novel working fluids and materials for solar systems. Thus, Taylor's main goal is to provide a more efficient or more economic coupling between solar energy and useful thermal and/or electrical energy.

Email: robert.taylor@unsw.edu.au
Web: http://www.mech.unsw.edu.au/info-about/contact-us/staff-database/taylor

All are invited.