Complete Report - University of New South Wales

ARCPHOTOVOLTAICSCENTRE OFEXCELLENCE2010/11ANNUAL REPORTThe project team and Imakivillage volunteers preparingthe long trench for the powercables from the turbine to thevillage. (Image produced byand used with permission ofE. Tehan).5.7.3 Cundall, Infigen, NorcoastRefrigeration and OthersCundall, a sustainable design consulting company,and the Darcy and Patricia Wentworth Fund joinedforces to financially support a final year thesisproject to bring hydro power to a remote villageschool in Vanuatu, mentioned in Sec. 5.1.Thestudent undertaking this project, Eden Tehan, wasstrongly supported by an alumnus, Chris McGrath,who started the project in 2009. In 2010 the projectwas extended to include the secondary (boarding)school, medical clinic and church in an integratedpower system supplied by two hydro turbinesand including a new low-power electric vaccinerefigerator. Donors for the project extension in 2010included Cundall, Infigen, Norcoast Refrigeration,and several private donors: John Tehan, SusanMcParland, Sean Tehan, Don and Marg McGrath,Tyler Troy, Helena Colnaric, Leah Greengarten,Athron McCann, Peter Baker, Noam Field and DavidGazal. Eden and Chris also raised $4,500 for theproject at a Vanuatu Shakedown concert, thanksto donated performances by “The Bakery”, “TheLiberators” and Emma Davis. David Thompsonof Gwynneville Electrical Services was the team’selectrician during the first trip, paying his ownway and donating a week of work as well as manyelectrical components. Dave Selke of All-roundSupplies, Sydney, was a very helpful tradesman whoalso donated some vital electrical components.Samantha Paver, Sasha Siljanovic and Sean Tehan allcontributed their time to the project.5.7.4 Suntech Power CorporationSuntech, a partly Australian-owned companyoperating in China, has been actively involved inassisting UNSW with the development, testingand evaluation of educational material in thePV area such as in the development, testing andevaluation of a teaching software package calledthe Virtual Production Line. Significant numbersof UNSW undergraduate students participate inindustrial training or in “Taste of Research” projectsat Suntech and postgraduate students often travelthere to use vital research equipment. Additionally,Suntech sponsored an undergraduate CooperativeScholarship and two PhD scholarships and hasmade significant financial and in-kind contributionsto UNSW to support photovoltaics research.5.7.5 Singapore Polytechnic, Ngee AnnPolytechnic and Temasek PolytechnicThe Polytechnics in Singapore offer three-yeardiploma programs, including in engineering.During 2007 the School arranged for futurearticulation of graduates from the new clean energydiploma of Clean Energy program at SingaporePolytechnic into either of the School’s Bachelor ofEngineering programs. In 2008 the School set upa similar articulation arrangement with Ngee AnnPolytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic was includedin 2009. Significant numbers of students may flowin future years from these institutions, once the firstgroups of students make their way through thenew programs, fuelling Singapore’s drive to becomea major photovoltaics manufacturer. RichardCorkish has accepted in 2010 the role of ExternalExaminer for the Diploma in Clean Energy programSingapore Polytechnic.5.7.6 Darcy WenworthDarcy Wentworth donated his services through2010 as a visiting academic, supervisingundergraduate student projects and coordinatingtwo subjects.5.7.7 Kema ConsultingDr Hanzheng Duo, a practicing Engineer at KemaConsulting, in his role as visiting academic, donatedhis time and industrial project experience tosupervise and assess an undergraduate thesisproject through 2010.119