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The residential sector contributes significantly to the overall energy consumption in Australia. A survey was undertaken to provide an indication of the determinants of electricity consumption in Perth Social Housing in Western Australia. The household survey provided a range of information about a number of building and occupant-related factors, including floor area, household size, disposable household income, occupancy hours, Head of Household (HoH) gender, presence of children in the households and occupants’ window opening behaviour that may influence the consumption in the dwellings. Outcomes of the research revealed that the floor area, household size, disposable household income and HoH gender are significant in explaining the variation in electricity consumption of the sample households. Other factors such as the presence of children in the household and window opening behaviour of the building users, however, did not precisely explain the changes in the households’ electricity usage. It is concluded that further studies into the determinants discussed in this paper are required to support the findings and gain a better understanding of the impact of these factors on electricity consumption in Western Australia (WA).

The transit authority in Perth, Western Australia, has put several alternative fuel buses, including diesel-electric hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell buses, into revenue service over the years alongside conventional diesel and natural gas buses. Primary data from this fleet is used to construct a Life Cycle Cost (LCC) model, providing an empirical LCC result. The model is then used to forecast possible scenarios using cost estimates for next generation technologies. The methodology follows the Australian/New Zealand Standard for Life Cycle Costing, AS/NZS 4536:1999. The model outputs a dollar value in real terms that represents the LCC of each bus transportation technology. The study finds that Diesel buses deliver the lowest Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The diesel-electric hybrid bus was found to have a TCO that is about 10% higher than conventional diesel. The premium to implement and operate a hydrogen bus, even if industry targets are attained, is still substantially greater than the TCO of a conventional diesel bus, unless a very large increase in the diesel fuel price occurs. However, the hybrid and hydrogen technologies are still very young in comparison to diesel and economies of scale are yet to be realised.

The Australian way of life is now largely dependent on imported foreign oil and petroleum products. This has two important impacts: firstly, it means the responsibility for delivering a secure supply of fuel for domestic Australian transport is maintained by foreign agents beyond our borders and is therefore not under the control of our government; secondly, there is an additional cost to the Australian economy, and individual Australian transport users, to import these fuel products in increasing volumes to meet domestic demand when local fuel resources and refining capacities are declining every year.

This research investigates the contribution of dust to the long-term performance degradation of various photovoltaic (PV) modules that have been operating for almost eighteen years without any cleaning procedures at the Renewable Energy Outdoor Testing Area (ROTA), Murdoch University, Perth, Australia. A solar module analyser was used to assess the PVs’ electrical performance, while a combination of spectrophotometer, scanning electron microscope, electron dispersive spectroscope and X-ray diffraction were used to exam the properties of the dust on the panels. The study found that the degradation of the PV modules’ power output, ranged from 19% to 33%. The degradation is mostly due to non-dust related factors such as corrosion, delamination, and discoloration, which account about 71–84%, although the contribution of dust is still significant at 16–29%. Anova analysis shows that the dust has a fairly uniform impact on the performance degradation of all PV technologies at ROTA. This is in line with the results of spectral transmittance curves for different dust density samples that essentially flat over the wavelength range of the PV modules. An investigation of the properties of dust revealed that dust particles deposited on PV modules’ surface at ROTA were dominated by fine particles built of large amounts of quartz (SiO2), followed by calcium oxide (CaO) and some minors of feldspars minerals (KAlSi3O8), which are the main factors in transmittance losses that affect PV module performance.

Around 20% of the world’s population currently do not have access to electricity while the importance of electricity services for society continues to increase. Solar Home Systems (SHS) are a competitive option for supplying basic electrification under meteorological conditions in Sunbelt countries. However, many of the SHS electrification programmes have failed in the past. Furthermore, their evaluation is often still based on one individual indicator such as the number of disseminated systems. This research explores how to measure success of SHSs in a comprehensive manner. Success can be defined as the achievement of self-set goals. From this statement a model of success was developed which incorporates all key-stakeholders and their multiple self-set goals. The model of success combines the individual level of success with the SHS implementation’s overall success. A hypothetical example is used to demonstrate the application of the model. The challenges relating to the measurement of success are also illustrated. The resulting methodology combines general success factor research, diffusion of innovation research, and lessons learned from SHS projects. The drawbacks of the current approaches to SHS implementation, and their characteristic of still being an innovation, were also determined. The proposed model of success can be applied to pre-evaluate SHS programmes, to evaluate existing SHS projects, and to observe and evaluate the development of SHS implementation over time.

Modern energy can contribute to development in multiple ways while approximately 20% of world's populations do not yet have access to electricity. Solar Home Systems (SHSs) consists of a PV module, a charge controller and a battery supply in the range of 100 Wh/d in Sunbelt countries. The question addressed in this paper is how SHS users approach success of their systems and how these user's views can be integrated in to an existing model of success. Information was obtained on the user's approach to their SHSs by participatory observation, interviews with users and by self-observation undertaken by the lead author while residing under SHS electricity supply conditions. It was found that success of SHSs from the users' point of view is related to the ability of these systems to reduce the burdens of supplying energy services to homesteads. SHSs can alleviate some energy supply burdens, and they can improve living conditions by enabling communication on multiple levels and by addressing convenience and safety concerns. However, SHSs do not contribute to the energy services which are indispensable for survival, nor to the thermal energy services required and desired in dwellings of Sunbelt countries. The elements of three of the four components of our previously proposed model of success have been verified and found to be appropriate, namely the user's self-set goals, their importance and SHSs' success factors. The locally appropriate, and scientifically satisfactory, measurement of the level of achievement of self-set goals, the fourth component of our model of success, remains an interesting area for future research.

In Mongolia, 43% of the total population lives in remote areas where supplying sufficient electricity through the existing grid is difficult due to terrain. The Mongolian government intends to utilize renewable energy systems to supply electricity in these areas and, as a first stage, financed 12 renewable energy hybrid systems but these systems failed to operate as planned. These projects are evaluated in this study based on government documents and other research reports and it is found that most of these systems are unsuccessful in providing the required services. The lessons learned from the failed installations are documented in this paper. Local technician training and user education is also important as technology transfer is very important for remote area systems. The research reveals the fact that introducing new technology does not solve a problem. To reduce the chance of failure, proper sizing and quality equipment selection are very important in such a harsh climatic zone. The results of the analysis show that inadequate attention was given to sizing the system, which led to customer dissatisfaction and unwillingness to pay.

Coal power stations have been hybridised with concentrated solar thermal (CST) fields which producefeedwater or with turbine bleed steam (TBS) heating from directlinear Fresnel to steam technology. This paper assesses solar hybridisation of boiler based steam power plants, whichpreheat boiler combustion air with a novel high temperature CST system based on a solid particle receiver (SPR). This new method of preheating has the potential to increase the solar share of the overall system, improve fuel saving and therefore produce a higher solar to electric conversion efficiency. These benefits result from theSPR solar systems higher operating temperature and integrated thermal storage. The integrated thermal storage also allows a buffered response time for handling transients in the intermittent solar resource. Analysis indicates that air-solarisation of coal plants can result in significantly higher solar to electric conversion efficiency than existing solar hybridisation options. Solarisation by TBS decreases power cycle efficiency due to bleed steam reduction, while solarisation by air-preheating increases the power system efficiency, primarily due to enhanced boiler efficiency brought about by reduced stack losses.The air solarisation option proposed in this paper has beencompared to current TBS with Fresnel based technology. The comparison was conducted by modelling both systems and analysing the thermodynamic heat and mass balance of the steam cycle and boiler using EBSILON®Professional software. Annual simulation tools, which calculate the performance of the solar field, receiver, storage (when applicable) and other system components, were used to model the output of the solar technologies. These tools, coupled with available economic data and cost models for the newly developed solar components, were used to calculate the levelized cost of energy of the compared hybridisation options. It was calculated that the levelized cost of the solar electricity produced by the SPR system was approximately 59%theelectricity produced by the Fresnel hybridisation.

In this study we review the trends and trajectories of energy use and emissions in Australia's road transport sector. We find that energy use and emissions in heavy-duty vehicles are growing at a greater rate than light-duty vehicles, and that heavy-duty vehicle energy consumption will surpass that of light-duty vehicles by 2032. We explore whether popular light-duty alternative energy concepts, such as battery electric technology, are also competitive for heavy-duty vehicles. We observe that finding a sustainable energy technology that competes with the high energy density of diesel is a formidable challenge. Alternatives such as natural gas, propane and biofuels have managed to establish a beachhead. However, none have constituted a disruptive threat to diesel oil. The lack of any silver bullet technology indicates that further research into technology options is warranted. Hydrogen fuel cell systems have many characteristics which are attractive for the heavy-duty transport task, including complementarity with electric vehicles and a cross-benefit from developments in batteries and electric drivetrains. We conclude that for Australia, fuel cells may find their niche in the electrification of heavy-duty drivetrains, in markets where zero emissions are desirable, and where range, duty cycle or payload requirements exceed the capabilities of battery--only vehicles.

Copper cobalt oxide (Cu2CoO3) thin film coatings integrated with silica (SiO2) antireflection (AR) layer have been deposited on the top of aluminum substrates using a simple sol-gel dip-coating method. Reflectance spectra of the coatings were generated using spectroscopic methods while the coatings were subjected to an accelerated thermal durability test. The addition of silica changed the reflectance spectra of coatings within the wavelength range of 0.3–15.4 µm. The absorptance decreased with the increase of the withdrawal rate in range of 10–40 mm/min, while the emittance increased with the increase of the withdrawal rate. The optimum optical parameters for this study were absorptance, αS=84.96%; emittance, eT=5.63% corresponding to the coating with a silica AR layer at withdrawal rate of 10 mm/min. The coatings with the silica AR layer were shown to be thermally durable in which no discernible ‘cracking’ phenomenon was observed. The degradation of the coatings with the silica AR layer was predominantly governed by temperature changes rather than exposure time.

Worldwide, the residential sector is a substantial energy consumer mainly due to the requirements of space heating and cooling, lighting and electronic appliances in the building. In Australia, the residential sector accounts for a significant proportion of final energy consumption, with a significant proportion of this energy attributed to space conditioning. Appliances including lighting, refrigeration, water heating, cooking and standby power also factoring into the energy used in Australian households. In response to sharp rises in energy prices in recent years, many households are taking steps to reduce their energy consumption. Many are investing in energy efficient appliances, home upgrades, installing rooftop solar panels, etc. However, low income can become a barrier, preventing many people from investing in energy efficiency as a way of reducing costs. This paper is a part of a broader study aiming to identify the areas of energy inefficiency in social housing dwellings, and improve the overall efficiency through modifying occupants’ energy use culture. The firsthand information on where and how energy is used in the dwellings was collected through conducting walk-through energy audits in the sample dwellings. This information was then combined with the information provided by the households’ representatives on the time of use of their appliances as well as direct observations to calculate energy consumption in these households. Practical guidelines were then proposed, taking into account their energy use behaviour to minimize their energy consumption at a minimum cost.

A survey has been carried out of graduates and employers working in the sustainable energy (SE) industry in Australia. The aims were to identify the key areas of content to be included in University level SE training and the type of degree structures that are most appropriate for SE professionals. Attention was also directed to the mode of instruction (online, blended or face-to-face) and the role of work-integrated learning (WIL). This paper presents the results of the survey, which provide guidance to Universities seeking to develop new, or revise existing, SE education offerings. The results of the survey clearly indicate that responding students and employers prefer a generalist degree in engineering, with a stream in sustainable energy as the initial qualification for professionals in this field. Specialist degrees at postgraduate level were also considered appropriate for continuing professional education (CPE). Both graduates and employers agreed on key areas to be included in the SE courses. These key areas are generic skills (research methods, team work, report writing), generation technologies (especially PV, wind and biomass), and enablers (such as economics, policy and project management). The graduates, many of whom came from overseas countries, generally agreed about the course content and its relevance to employment in their countries. Face-to-face or blended learning was preferred by both groups as the mode of instruction for the first degree. Online learning was considered a valuable adjunct in the undergraduate course and more suitable for CPE in postgraduate courses. WIL and more practical work were considered important, especially in the first degree. There was some disagreement about the appropriate length of work placements, with graduates preferring 6–8 weeks and employers 10–12 weeks. This work should provide a basis for further course development and curriculum reform for sustainable energy education.

There is a great demand for low-cost and environmentally friendly techniques for synthesizing high quality solar selective absorber (SSA) coatings. Such coatings are capable of absorbing most of the incoming solar radiation (high absorptance) without losing much of the thermal energy through re-radiation from heated surface (low emittance). Sol–gel techniques are promising synthesis methods for these SSA coatings. The optical properties and durability of the SSA coating can be easily controlled by fine-tuning relevant design parameters such as heating temperature or precursor concentrations in the synthesis process. In light of this, there are many knowledge gaps that need to be filled in the context of technicalities regarding the sol–gel processes and the optical and morphological characteristics of these coatings. Comprehensive understanding of these characteristics is a vital component in the optimal design of SSA coatings and therefore, the aim of this paper is to identify these technical issues and review developments in the synthesis of flat-plate SSA materials produced by sol–gel methods.

Novel copper–cobalt oxide thin films with different copper/cobalt molar ratios, namely, [Cu]/[Co] = 0.5, 1, and 2, have been successfully coated on aluminum substrates via a simple and cost-effective sol–gel dip-coating method. Coatings were characterized using high resolution synchrotron radiation X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (SR-XPS) and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, in combination with nanomechanical testing and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The surfaces of both [Cu]/[Co] = 0.5 and 1 samples consisted primarily of fine granular nanoparticles, whereas the [Cu]/[Co] = 2 has a smoother surface. The analyses reveal that the increase of copper concentration in the synthesis process tends to promote the formation of octahedral Cu2+ which minimizes the development of octahedral Cu+, and these octahedral Cu2+ ions substitute the Co2+ site in cobalt structure host. The local coordinations of Co, Cu and O are not substantially influenced by the change...

Copper–cobalt oxides thin films had been successfully coated on reflective aluminium substrates via a facile sol–gel dip-coating method for solar absorptance study. The optimum absorptance in the range of solar radiation is needed for further optimum design of this material for selective solar absorber application. Field emission scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the surface morphology of the coating whereby nano-size, grain-like morphology was observed. Synchrotron radiation X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was employed to analyze the electronic structure of the coated surface showing that the (i) oxygen consisted of lattice, surface and subsurface oxygen, (ii) copper consisted of octahedral and tetrahedral Cu+, as well as octahedral and paramagnetic Cu2+ oxidation states, and (iii) cobalt consisted of tetrahedral and paramagnetic Co(II), octahedral Co(III) as well as mixed Co(II,III) oxidation states. In order to optimize the solar absorptance of the coatings, relevant parameters such as concentrations of cobalt and copper, copper/cobalt concentration ratios and dip-speed were investigated. The optimal coating with α = 83.4% was produced using 0.25 M copper acetate and 0.25 M cobalt chloride (Cu/Co ratio = 1) with dip-speed 120 mm/min (four cycles). The operational simplicity of the dip-coating system indicated that it could be extended for coating of other mixed metal oxides as well.

Solar Home Systems can supply basic electricity services in Sunbelt countries. About 20 % of the world's population lack of access to these services. A preliminary model to evaluate the success of a SHS implementation has been proposed previously. The views of a range of institutional stakeholders related to SHS were explored by problem centered interviews and by participatory observation. An improved model of success is developed which is capable of providing a quantitative measure of success for SHS implementations. Five groups of key stakeholders have been determined. The most important self-set goals for the institutional stakeholders are profit, quality and social benefit. The most important success factors that encourage the achievement of self-set goals were retrieved and are discussed. Measuring the level of achievement of the defined self-set goals is the largest challenge in this process. The refined model of success demonstrates the complexity of measuring the success of Solar Home System implementations. The next phase of the research is to survey the Users' views on the SHS's success.

Much of the hydrogen vehicle research to date has been conducted and demonstrated in wealthy nations, with very few exceptions. However, developing economies are largely dependent on public transportation, and struggle with air pollution and energy security concerns. The developing regions are in great need of alternative transportation solutions, and although many alternatives are being explored, hydrogen-fueled vehicles are emerging as one of the only technologies that can meet the demands for lower greenhouse gas emissions, lower emissions of air pollutants, and reduced dependence on imported energy. Many conventional buses in developing regions are built from an imported ‘buggy-chassis’, which is a functional bus chassis with an engine and other auxiliaries. ‘Buggy-chassis’ are designed with a very short wheel-base dimension to reduce freight costs as they are often shipped overseas. Domestic companies extend the ‘buggy-chassis’ to full bus length, build the body and cabin, and install other auxiliary systems. The existing infrastructure of the bus buggy-chassis market can be used to leverage hydrogen technology for mass production. This solution allows developing nations to import a state-of-the-art vehicle, with the possibility for local content in the final delivered product, while maintaining the flexibility for innovative technological developments and promoting hydrogen research within the developing economies. Indeed, a modular series-hybrid drivetrain can be made adaptable to a range of primary power sources such as an internal combustion engine or fuel cell engine. The modular approach provides an opportunity to reduce cost while still providing flexibility for innovation, and allows customers to tailor performance to suit their topographical and operational needs.

The Republic of Kiribati, formerly known as the Gilbert Islands, is a Micronesian (One of the three groups of islands in the Pacific. The eight territories that make up Micronesia are Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Nauru, Republic of Palau, Territory of Guam and Territory of Wake Island. The other two groups of islands in the Pacific are Melanesia and Polynesia) country in the Pacific. The energy sources utilised in Kiribati include petroleum products, biomass, solar energy and wind power. Solar energy was introduced in Kiribati in the early 1980s (Wade H. Survey of RESCO projects - prepared for OPRET, Fiji Department of Energy, 2003; p. 36). Currently, it makes a very insignificant (less than 1%) contribution to the total annual primary energy supply (South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). Pacific Islands Renewable Energy Project (PIREP) - Pacific Regional Energy Assessment (PREA) 2004. Kiribati national report, Vol. 5, 2005). Solar energy in Kiribati is used mostly in the form of solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies for the provision of lighting and electricity. This study examines the role of PV technologies in the sustainable development process in Kiribati, with particular reference to remote atoll communities. Initial results from on-site surveys carried out are reported in this paper. These surveys have sought to identify the reasons why people use or do not use PV systems.

On the remote and geographically fragmented atolls of Kiribati (Republic of), imported petroleum products are the main sources of energy. The other sources of energy utilised include biomass, solar energy and wind power. Of these three renewable energy sources, biomass is the most, and wind power is the least, exploited in terms of the contribution it makes to the total primary energy supply. Solar energy makes a very insignificant contribution to the total primary energy supply in Kiribati. Petroleum products, biomass and solar energy contribute approximately 75%, 25% and less than 1%, respectively to the total primary energy supply annually. Solar energy has been exploited mostly in the form of photovoltaic (PV) technologies for the provision of lighting. The geographical, social, economic and political situation in Kiribati is considered in this paper to give an overview of the country. The current energy situation in Kiribati is presented with emphasis on the application of PV technologies. Some recommendations that will promote sustainable development of the rural and remote communities on the outer atolls of Kiribati, through the use of PV technologies, are also presented in this paper.

The Sustainable Transport Energy Programme (STEP) is an initiative of the Government of Western Australia, to explore hydrogen fuel cell technology as an alternative to the existing diesel and natural gas public transit infrastructure in Perth. This project includes three buses manufactured by DaimlerChrysler with Ballard fuel cell power sources operating in regular service alongside the existing natural gas and diesel bus fleets. The life-cycle assessment (LCA) of the fuel cell bus trial in Perth determines the overall environmental footprint and energy demand by studying all phases of the complete transportation system, including the hydrogen infrastructure, bus manufacturing, operation, and end-of-life disposal. The LCAs of the existing diesel and natural gas transportation systems are developed in parallel. The findings show that the trial is competitive with the diesel and natural gas bus systems in terms of global warming potential and eutrophication. Emissions that contribute to acidification and photochemical ozone are greater for the fuel cell buses. Scenario analysis quantifies the improvements that can be expected in future generations of fuel cell vehicles and shows that a reduction of greater than 50% is achievable in the greenhouse gas, photochemical ozone creation and primary energy demand impact categories.

This document summarizes the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system that allows communication with, and controlling the output of, various I/O devices in the renewable energy systems and components test facility RESLab. This SCADA system differs from traditional SCADA systems in that it supports a continuously changing operating environment depending on the test to be performed. The SCADA System is based on the concept of having one Master I/O Server and multiple client computer systems. This paper describes the main features and advantages of this dynamic SCADA system, the connections of various field devices to the master I/O server, the device servers, and numerous software features used in the system. The system is based on the graphical programming language "LabVIEW" and its "Datalogging and Supervisory Control" (DSC) module. The DSC module supports a real-time database called the "tag engine," which performs the I/O operations with all field devices attached to the master I/O server and communications with the other tag engines running on the client computers connected via a local area network. Generic and detailed communication block diagrams illustrating the hierarchical structure of this SCADA system are presented. The flow diagram outlining a complete test performed using this system in one of its standard configurations is described.

The performances of five different types of photovoltaic modules have been measured for more than a year in the temperate climate of Perth, Western Australia. Perth averages over 5.4 peak sun hours (PSH) each day, from less than 3 in the winter months to over 8 at the height of summer. The average sun-up temperatures range between 16.5 °C and 28 °C. The types of modules examined in this study are: crystalline silicon (c-Si), laser grooved buried contact (LGBC) c-Si, polycrystalline silicon (p-Si), triple junction amorphous silicon (3j a-Si) and copper indium diselenide (CIS). Using a purpose built outdoor monitoring facility the energy production under actual operating conditions has been measured for each module. The annual and monthly performance ratios (PRs) have been calculated for the different modules and a comparison is presented here. The I-V characteristics and maximum power at standard test conditions have been measured for each module prior to, and at regular intervals, during outdoor exposure. These values are compared to the manufacturers' values, and monitored over time for the modules operated in the field.

If photovoltaic solar cells and modules are to be used as a major source of power generation it is important to have a good knowledge and understanding of their long-term performance under different climatic and operating conditions. A number of studies of the long-term performance of commercially available photovoltaic modules manufactured using different technologies have now been reported in the literature. These have shown clear differences in the seasonal and long term performance and stability of different solar cell techniques. In addition to general module engineering factors that result in a loss of performance in all modules some types of solar cells, such as those made from thin film amorphous silicon (a-Si:H), also suffer specific losses in performance due to fundamental material changes, such as photodegradation or the Staebler-Wronski effect (SWE). A field evaluation of the long term performance of state-of-the-art crystalline and amorphous silicon photovoltaic modules in Australian conditions is currently being undertaken at Murdoch University. The initial results from this monitoring program are reported. This paper also reports on laboratory and field studies being undertaken on the nature of the Staebler-Wronski effect in amorphous silicon solar cells and how the stability of these cells is affected by different operating conditions. Based on a mechanism for the SWE in a-Si:H solar cells developed as a result of our research we propose a number of possible ways to reduce the Staebler-Wronski effect in a-Si:H solar cells. Data on the long-term performance of commercially available photovoltaic modules culled from the literature show differences in the seasonal and long-term operation and stability of various cells. Thin film amorphous silicon cells suffer specific losses in performance due to fundamental material changes, such as photodegradation of the Staebler-Wronski effect (SWE). Initial results from a field evaluation of the long-term performance of crystalline and morphous Si modules in Australian conditions are reported. Avenues for reducing the SWE in amorphous Si cells are proposed, including the use of light trapping to promote uniform illumination of material. (from World Renewable Energy Conf Proceedings, Perth, Australia, Feb 99).

One of the primary advantages of the internet is its ability to enable flexible, 24-h access to up-to-date information, irrespective of the geographic location of the user. It is thus rapidly becoming an important tool for the dissemination of information on a global scale. In order to take advantage of the increased accessibility available through the internet, the Murdoch University Energy Research Institute has developed an internet-based version of its physical renewable energy remote area power supply (RAPS) demonstration system. In this way, the physical site, which aims to inform the community about the cost, performance and reliability of renewable energy systems by enabling them to visit a practical operating RAPS system, is available to a much larger audience. The internet-based site, WebRAPS, contains a number of features including case studies of the three RAPS systems at the physical site, specifications of the components used in the systems and general information about the renewable energy system technologies. It also displays historical and real-time data from a monitoring system integrated with the largest of the physical RAPS systems. Visitors to the internet site are able to see how the RAPS system is operating, almost as well as if they were present at the physical site itself. This paper demonstrates the features of the WebRAPS site and discusses how it was developed.

This study describes the prospects for solar hot water systems in Vietnam. Changes in domestic energy consumption, both in terms of quantity and patterns of usage, particularly the increase in electricity use for hot water systems, are expected. VIETSIM, a computer program for simulating solar hot water systems in Vietnam will be described. This program has been validated by comparing the results of this program with those from the well-known TRNSYS program and shown to be highly reliable. The feasibility of SHWS will be studied for both the domestic and commercial sectors. For the domestic sector, the feasibility of SHWS will be studied for medium size families in three locations, representing the main climatic types in this country. The optimum criteria for designing SHWS in this sector are also investigated. For the commercial sector, a case of a hotel/office building is analysed and it is shown that the application of SHWS is very feasible due to high electricity prices for the commercial sector. With the natural advantages of high solar intensity, the social advantages of having plentiful and cheap human resources, and an economic environment with high energy and capital inflation, the use of solar hot water systems in this country can be very favourable if the government has the correct policies to encourage this application.

Computer simulation is an increasingly popular tool for determining the most suitable renewable energy system type, design and control for an isolated community or homestead. However for the user without any expertise in system design, the complicated process of system component and control selection using computer simulation takes on a trial and error approach. Our renewable energy system design package, RESSAD, has been developed to simulate a wide range of renewable power supply systems, and to go beyond system simulation, by combining design expertise with the simulation model. The knowledge of the system designer is incorporated into the package through a range of analysis tools that assist in the selection process, without removing or restricting individual choices. The system selection process is analysed from the early stages of renewable resource assessment to the final evaluation of the results from a simulation of the chosen system. The approach of the RESSAD package in this selection process is described and its use is illustrated by two case studies in Western Australia.

The scarcity of hourly solar radiation data for locations in Vietnam presents difficulties in using simulation packages for assessing the potential of solar energy systems in that country. This paper describes a computer model to generate daily and hourly solar radiation sequences from monthly average daily radiation values, or monthly average daily sunshine hour data. The resulting model has been tested in a number of ways. The statistics of the real and generated sequences were compared. Also the two data sequences have been used in simulation packages and design program such as f-chart and the performance of solar hot water system for the two cases compared. The results of these comparisons are also reported in this paper.

A computer model based on mass and energy balance has been developed which incorporates a range of solar flat plate air heating collector geometries and a drying model based on the thin layer drying principle. This model will be useful in understanding the extreme complexity of the drying process which is influenced by many design parameters. The developed model will also be helpful as a decision making tool in assessing suitable solar collector design options to meet the desired drying requirements. The collector and drying models have been tested separately for a wide range of operating conditions. A description of the models and their assumptions, together with some simulation results for rough rice drying are presented in this paper.

Solar Home Systems (SHSs) are considered an option to supply the basic electricity dependent energy ser-vices to dispersed rural households in unelectrified regions of world’s Sun Belt. Recent experiences in China, India and Bangladesh have consolidated the view that for many applications solar PV is the least cost and the most environmentally preferred option for increasing access to electricity for rural households and small enterprises in these rural and remote areas. In some countries (e.g. Bangladesh) SHSs are considered to be successful but that is not the case in other places. There is a need to determine the success of SHSs and to find out what factors influence this success. The objective of this research is to determine the stakeholders understanding on success of SHSs, success factors and the barriers impacting on the success, the indicators of success and how we can quantify the success. To address the research objectives a desktop study is carried out to identify successful and failure programs. Based on this desktop research SHS’s stakeholders will be interviewed on their views on success of the pro-grams. This paper proposes a framework for assessing the degree of success of SHSs including a consideration of the key factors that contribute to success. In future work feedback from relevant institutions will be incorpo-rated in the process of developing the success framework and the relative importance of the various factors and barriers influencing the SHS’s success. It is proposed to develop a weighting system for these factors that can influence the success of SHS’s installations.

In most of the remote areas of Australia and in many other parts of the world, diesel generators are used to provide electrical power. Such systems are often characterised by either poor efficiency and high maintenance costs because of prolonged operation at low load levels, or intermittent power because the unit is only run during period of significant load. The addition of a battery bank and a power conditioner to produce a diesel-battery-inverter hybrid system has been identified as produccing a number of benefits. Such systems can be broadly classified according to their configuration as series, switched, or parallel hybrid systems. A new parallel hybrid energy system developed in Western Australia is described in this article. The heart of the system is a high quality sinewave inverter which can also be operated in reverse as a battery charger. The system can cope with loads ranging from zero (inverter only operation) to approximately three times the generator capacity (inverter and diesel operating in parallel) with excellent efficiency. The system is fully automatic, provides continuous power, and can readily incorporate input from wind or photovoltaic systems. This article also includes a description of a 5 kW wind generator charging a battery bank as part of the hybrid system, and an economic analysis indicates a favourable result for this hybrid system with payback period estimated to be the order of three years.

Battery management and general storage performance and cost remain major problems in remote-area power-supply (RAPS) systems utilizing renewable energy sources. A brief review of field experiences with lead/acid batteries is presented, together with results from battery tests carried out in the laboratory. It is recommended that further collaboration between battery manufacturers and system designers is established to develop improved storage systems for RAPS applications.

This paper examines two electric generator options for use in autonomous wind systems producing asynchronous electric power. The first makes use of a capacitor-excited squirrel-cage induction generator feeding a battery bank and an induction motor driven centrifugal pump. The second uses a permanent magnet alternator. Results obtained from field tests and laboratory experiments are included. A model to calculate the wind energy captured by a commercial 5 kW wind turbine, used in the field tests, is presented. This information is then used in a cost benefit analysis based on the present value method.

A prototype hybrid energy system consisting of a diesel-alternator operating in parallel with a battery-inverter has been assembled and tested. The controller is based on a single-chip microprocessor and is designed to optimize the operation of the system. Management of the system is based on current system status as well as system constants. The theory behind the operation of the system and the development of the control software are described, and some of the results obtained with the prototype system are presented. >

The dynamic modeling of a wind-diesel hybrid remote area power system has been analysed and presented in this paper. This has been used as a tool to perform the transient analysis of a rural hybrid system for the various system perturbations affecting the quality and reliability of the power system. The main issues covered in this paper are: connection issues, dynamic response of the combined hybrid system to system disturbances, reactive power demand from the induction generators, loss of wind generator output due to cut in wind speed. In this paper, some of the system perturbations are considered in detail such as wind speed fluctuation, random nature of the wind profile, and major change in the demand. Effects of the above forcing functions on system voltage and frequency have been studied.

There is a growing demand from remote communities in Australia to increase the amount of decentralised renewable energy in their energy supply mix in order to decrease their fuel costs. In contrast to large scale concentrated solar power (CSP) plants, small solar-hybrid gas turbine systems promise a way to decentralise electricity generation at power levels in the range of 0.1- 10 MWe, and reduce to cost of energy production for off-grid, isolated communities. Thermal storage provides such CSP Systems with an advantage over photovoltaic (PV) technology as this would be potentially cheaper than adding batteries to PV systems or providing stand-by back-up systems such as diesel fuelled generators. Hybrid operation with conventional fuels and solar thermal collection and storage ensures the availability of power even if short term solar radiation is not sufficient or the thermal storage is empty. This paper presents initial modelling results of a centrifugal receiver (CentRec) system, using hourly weather data of regional Australia for a 100 kWe microturbine as well as a more efficient and cost effective 4.6 MWe unit. The simulations involve calculation and optimisation of the heliostat field, by calculating heliostat by heliostat annual performance. This is combined with a model of the receiver efficiency based on experimental figures and a model of the particle storage system and turbine performance data. The optimized design for 15 hours of thermal storage capacity results in a tower height of 35 m and a solar field size of 2100 m² for the 100 kWe turbine, and a tower height of 115 m and solar field size of 50 000 m² for the 4.6 MWe turbine. The solar field provides a greater portion of the operational energy requirement for the 100 kWe turbine, as the TIT of the 4.6 MWe turbine (1150°C) is greater than what the solar system can provide. System evaluations of the two particle receiver systems, with a selection of cost assumptions, are then compared to the current conventional means of supplying energy in such remote locations.