As occurred in 2023 the APSRC will be hosting a number of Industry Workshops that focus on particular topics that may be of particular interest to industry. We expect there to be eight Industry Workshops selected from those listed below.
PV forecasting and Firm Power Management
Photovoltaic (PV) forecasting is crucial for optimising the integration of solar energy across different time scales, including short-term weather forecasts, sub-seasonal to seasonal predictions, and long-term climate projections. Accurate forecasts of solar irradiance are essential for ensuring consistent power generation by firms to meet demand. With the growing use of renewable solar resources, precise forecasting is vital for proper system sizing and effective planning, operation, and management. This workshop will focus on the importance of PV forecasting for a sustainable energy future, while also addressing the advancements and challenges in this field.
PV recycling and circular economy
As a renewable energy solution PV must also address concerns about its environmental impact. This is the subtopic for abstracts related to environmental science and engineering, circular economy and LCA of PV: Life-cycle analysis (LCA) of modules, systems, and applications, CO2 footprint, ecological effects of PV applications on land and water; sustainability of materials; customised products and sustainable design; reuse and recycling of PV modules; PV decommissioning; raw material availability; resource efficiency and material flows; and PV in the circular economy.
Building Integrated PV
The benefits of Building Integrated PV go beyond clean energy generation and aesthetic visual impact. BIPV can also offset conventional building envelope elements and potentially balance the energy generation patterns to maintain grid stability. The major hurdles of BIPV implantation spread across the PV and building aspects including but not limited to energy and durability performance, economic viability, safety, operation and maintenance. This session with presentations from both industry experts and academics, attempts to showcase the good practices of BIPV experiences, as well as tackle the hurdles for adoption.
Vehicle Integrated PV
The integration of PV into vehicles, such as cars, trucks, ships, and planes, is an emerging area that presents new technical challenges and opportunities. Vehicle-integrated PV has the potential to significantly reduce emissions from the transport sector by increasing energy autonomy and partially replacing grid power with onboard solar electricity. The session on VIPV seeks to showcase progress and developments in PV component design, new cell/module technologies, manufacturing concepts, safety/standardization, and real-world applications.
Agri-PV
Come along to hear the latest progress in Australian Agrivoltaics research from local experts and understand the opportunities, challenges and innovations in the field.
PV manufacturing
PV manufacturing is currently concentrated in China, and with increasing interest in diversifying the PV supply chain, this Workshop Session will look at Manufacturing potential, including in Australia. We will hear from industry and academic studies about the plans, potential benefits and challenges of international and Australian PV manufacturing.