The Australia Solar Institute is interested in receiving feedback from the Australian solar research community in relation to a proposed Strategic Research Initiative (SRI) funded initially under the auspices of the United States – Australia Solar Energy Collaboration (USASEC).

 

This document aims to provide context and sets out a number of questions for consideration. Comments received on or before close of business on Friday 23 September 2011 will be appreciated.

 

Please note that the ASI has not committed to proceeding with the proposed SRI and this consultation document forms part of the decision-making process, which the ASI aims to conclude by the end of calendar year 2011.

 


Background Context
The ASI is funding a range of solar R&D projects over the period 2010-2015. ASI funding has been successful in leveraging industry and research institution investment in R&D projects that have specific development objectives over a 2-4 year period; this period is consistent with the ASI funding profile. A project funding approach helps attract industry engagement, with industry typically seeking near-term commercial market outcomes.


An SRI under the auspices of the USASEC would be intended to complement the ASI’s existing short-term project-based portfolio with a longer-term R&D program that focuses on the next generation of technologies and still seeks to attract third party contributions.

 

Under the proposed SRI, the ASI would support the development of capacity and technology in the areas of CSP and solar PV. This would help to support a strategic long-term national approach to solar R&D in Australia, aimed at “over the horizon” technologies not yet commercially viable while also helping underpin the researcher capacity required to deliver the long term innovation needed to deliver cost effective solar technology. It is proposed that funding would be allocated following a competitive process resulting in 3 or 4 complementary “nodes” of coordinated activity under the SRI – 2 in PV and 1 or 2 in CSP. The funding would be applied to highly innovative, internationally competitive research into fundamental, pre-competitive science and technology. It is anticipated that any ASI funding would leverage research institution and industry contributions from both Australian and U.S. organisations.

Objectives

The objectives of an SRI would include to:

  • provide a degree of funding stability, and by extension employment security, to leading research teams that, subject to regular performance and program reviews, ensures they can focus on delivering the required research outcomes;
  • provide a framework for Australia’s leading researchers to stay closely aligned to industry and market requirements; and
  • maximise leverage from international collaboration to minimise duplication of effort, maximise utilisation of high value overseas laboratories and focus on specific areas where Australian researchers can add unique value.


The funding provided would be programmatic in nature rather than project-based but it would support a range of specific R&D activities each with milestones, performance measures and expected outcomes attached. It would help fund researchers, support staff such as laboratory technicians and OH&S and governance needs. R&D activities would be planned in accordance with an overall strategy and the ASI would be closely involved in formulating that strategy and ensuring a coordinated approach across the nodes, with shared access to research facilities. The ASI would call for public proposals for these programs that are consistent with the overall strategy for the SRI and can demonstrate U.S. collaboration. For example, a university or consortium of universities might propose a program of activity focused on next generation PV technologies. The ASI Board would then select the hosts of each node on a competitive basis.


Link to USASEC and Alignment with U.S. Initiatives


There is an excellent opportunity to align the SRI with much larger U.S. efforts, including, if desired, the SunShot Initiative. The SRI would have as its primary goal transformational reductions in solar energy costs 10 to 20 years into the future, beyond which costs will be following relatively incremental improvements in technology that are expected to result from current 2-4 year projects. This would help keep Australian research at the forefront of solar research globally.
Governance


The details of the proposed SRI governance structure would be developed during the program design phase. However the following principles are proposed:

  • Leverage existing ASI governance process and structure – specifically independent Board, Research Advisory Committee and Executive management team.
  • The SRI will leverage ARC best practice for activity planning, review, reporting and benchmarking of long term research activity. Consistent with standards developed for Centres of Excellence and other SRIs in areas such as ground water and stem cell research. As with other activities funded under the A$50m Australian Government funding for USASEC, the ASI Board and not the USASEC Steering Committee would take ASI funding decisions in relation to the SRI.


Request for Comment


The ASI is interested in receiving feedback from the Australian solar research community in relation to the proposed SRI. Especially helpful would be comments that address the following questions:


1. Should program funding for solar research in Australia be prioritised over funding for shorter-term project-based activity? Why or why not?
2. Should SRI funding be used to support fundamental, basic research or more applied research that has near-term commercialisation potential?
3. Please nominate what you regard should be the 3-4 priority focus areas of activity for any SRI, encompassing both PV and CSP technologies.
4. Please describe in broad terms how you envisage collaborating with U.S. solar researchers in your area(s) of research under an SRI, assuming sufficient funding were available to support U.S.-based research activity.
5. Please describe how you envisage collaborating with industry in Australia, the U.S. or elsewhere, in your area(s) of research under an SRI.
6. Please outline your suggestions for an effective SRI governance structure that takes into account the above comments on governance and ensures appropriate representation from the Australian Government (including through the ASI and ARC), solar research community and industry.

 

Comments received on or before close of business on Friday 23 September 2011 will be appreciated. These may be submitted in confidence to the ASI by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.