MTE6884 - Advanced photovoltaics and energy storage - 2018

Materials and principles for energy production, storage and conversion will be covered in detail. Topics include Light harvesting materials, Solar power conversion efficiency, Interaction of light with matter, Commercial and emerging photovoltaic technologies, Concentrator PV, Electrochemical methods, Primary and secondary batteries, Supercapacitors, Photocatalysis, Water splitting and Fuels Cells.

At the successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Appreciate why the energy landscape is changing and the role materials will play in alternate energy technologies in the broad areas of energy production, storage and conversion.
2. Apply the theory behind the operation of photovoltaic devices to predict and quantify the performance of solar cell materials.
3. Appraise various energy storage technologies including batteries, capacitors, and hydrogen storage, and discuss the benefits and shortcomings of each.
4. Assess novel electrochemical technologies including photo-(electro-catalysis), water splitting and fuel cells.
5. Design experiments to assess the performance of energy storage and conversion devices.

Internal continuous assessment: 50%

Final examination (2 hours): 50%

3 hours of lectures/tutorials, 1 hour of laboratory work and 9 hours of private study per week.

See also Unit timetable information

Materials science