
Solar energy meets the Outback with Australia’s newly minted AUD$100 million solar research institute. According to the government, objectives of the institute include increasing competitiveness of solar technologies, establishing Australia as a key player in the solar industry, making photovoltaics and solar thermal technology cost-competitive, and attracting international solar experts to the country.
Money for the Australian Solar Institute comes from the country’s $500 million Renewable Energy Fund. The Australian government has also provided a $15 million investment for three foundation projects.
$5 million will go towards towards developing a crystalline silicon pilot production line at the University of South Wales. An additional $5 million will establish a solar thermal tower at the Newcastle CSIRO, and another $5 million will assist in the creation of a solar research facility at the Australian National University in Canberra.
More information on the ASI’s structure is available in a scoping paper written by the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.
Photo Credit: NREL
I don't like paywalls. You don't like paywalls. Who likes paywalls? Here at CleanTechnica, we implemented a limited paywall for a while, but it always felt wrong — and it was always tough to decide what we should put behind there. In theory, your most exclusive and best content goes behind a paywall. But then fewer people read it! We just don't like paywalls, and so we've decided to ditch ours. Unfortunately, the media business is still a tough, cut-throat business with tiny margins. It's a never-ending Olympic challenge to stay above water or even perhaps — gasp — grow. So ...
Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!
Have a tip for CleanTechnica, want to advertise, or want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.
