SUNLAB News
SUNLAB awarded NSERC SPG grant
Professor Karin Hinzer has been awarded a grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada's Strategic Parnership Grants for Projects program. The project, entitled "ASPIRE - Arctic Solar Photovoltaics: Innovation for Renewable Energy" is based on a long-standing collaboration between Dr. Karin Hinzer, Dr. Henry Schriemer and Dr. Joan Haysom from the SUNLAB at the University of Ottawa, Dr. Mariana Bertoni from Arizona State University and Dr. Michael Ross from Yukon University. Project collaborators include Morgan Solar, Spectrafy and the Canadian High Arctic Research Station.
Solar photovoltaic energy technology is globally established and effective, especially in high solar resource regions, largely in fixed-tilt monofacial silicon photovoltaic panel installations. Outside these regions commercial adoption rates decline following the available solar resource. However, there is a case for photovoltaics in the Arctic:
- the solar resource is similar to lower latitudes due to very long summer days;
- silicon photovoltaics are more efficient in cooler temperatures; and
- displacement of diesel fuel is an economic and environmental advantage.
A disruptive technology ecosystem receiving much attention is silicon bifacial photovoltaic panels. Bifacial panels receive sunlight on both front and rear faces, but are only slightly more expensive than monofacial panels. These panels can harvest energy arriving direct from the sun, and from the sky and from cloud edges and from nearby building facades or bright snow-covered ground. Adding dual-axis trackers means the panels can be pointed continuously into the best orientation to generate maximum solar power, around the entire horizon. Conventional silicon solar cells are nearing their practicable performance limit, ~17-18%. Novel advanced bifacial silicon cells using pyramidal surface texturing and amorphous|crystalline heterojunctions hold good promise for efficiencies beyond 21% and will be designed, fabricated, and field tested on trackers. Comprehensive numerical models for design support and system yield forecasting will be established. The goal of ASPIRE is to double the yield of fixed-tilt monofacial in the Arctic using advanced tracked bifacial cells.
SUNLAB students awarded scholarships
Congratulations to SUNLAB students Kayden Kaller, Mandy Lewis and Erin Tonita on receiving scholarships for 2020-2021.
Both Mandy Lewis and Erin Tonita have been awarded prestigious 3-year scholarships from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Mandy has been awarded a Postgraduate Scholarship - Doctoral Program while Erin has received an Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship. This support allows scholars to fully concentrate on their doctoral studies and to seek out the best research mentors in their chosen fields. Mandy is finishing her MASc in electrical engineering and will soon move to the PhD. Erin is a PhD physics candidate.
MASc electrical engineering candidate Kayden Kaller has been awarded an Ontario Graduate Scholarship. This merit-based scholarship is available to students in all disciplines of academic study. The Ontario Graduate Scholarships program is jointly funded by the Province of Ontario and Ontario universities.
SUNLAB facilities reopen partially
Nous sommes heureux d'annoncer la réouverture partielle de nos laboratoires le mercredi 17 juin 2020. En raison de nouvelles réglementations universitaires liées à la COVID-19, nous fonctionnerons à 33% de notre capacité avec de nouvelles mesures de sécurité.
We are excited to announce that our physical labs reopen on Wednesday, June 17, 2020. Due to new COVID-19 regulations on campus, we will be operating at 33% capacity in our labs for the time being, and new safety measures have been put in place.
SUNLAB closed due to COVID-19
Veuillez noter que les laboratoires de la plateforme technologique de recherche SUNLAB à l’Université d’Ottawa sont temporairement fermés en raison de la COVID-19. Nous continuons nos recherches et collaborations. N’hésitez pas à nous contacter par courriel. Consultez ce lien pour les coordonnées de notre personnel.
The laboratories of the SUNLAB core facilities at the University of Ottawa are presently closed due to COVID-19. We are continuing our research and collaborations. Do no hesitate to contact us via email. Contact information can be found here.
SUNLAB students win prizes at uOttawa Faculty of Engineering Research Poster Competition
SUNLAB graduate students shined at the Faculty of Engineering 12th Research Poster Competition held on March 3, 2020. PhD candidate Neda Nouri received the IEEE first prize for her poster on "Modeling of thin high-efficiency photonic power converters operating at 1310 nm illumination". In the "Photonics for devices, networks and energy" category, MASc candidate Ras-Jeevan Obhi received 3rd prize for her poster on "Angle dependent quantum efficiency measurements of bifacial silicon solar cells". Congratulations!
Capstone group working on a smart load controller for an off-grid solar power station
The SUNLAB welcomes fourth year electrical engineering undergraduate students Magtireh Mahad, Amadou Erwan Ouedraogo, Sandy Sitamdze and Benjamin Wolf who have been working away at their capstone project since January. They are presently designing controls and power-handling components to regulate fixed increment loads so as to balance power arriving from solar panels and the charge/discharge cycles of a battery bank. They will eventually build, code and operate those controls, integrating one or more pyranometers to sense sun load and estimate the photovoltaic power available. Their project will pause during the summer months and resume in the fall.
SUNLAB student wins Best Business Opportunity Award at Startup Garage Rally
Congratulations to MASc candidate in electrical engineering Robert (Kibby) Pollak, CEO of MyPitboard!, on being awarded the Best Business Opportunity Award at the Startup Garage Rally which took place on August 29, 2019. MyPitboard! is a new startup developed and created by current uOttawa Faculty of Engineering students. It is a newly developed racing performance and training application designed and built to enhance training of motorcycle athletes. A full article and video can be found here.
The SUNLAB goes to NUSOD
SUNLAB students and researchers attended the 19th International Conference on Numerical Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices last July. Watch undergraduate summer student Adam Johnston's VLOG to learn more about their experience.
The SUNLAB goes to PVSC
SUNLAB students and researchers attended the 46th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC 46) last June. Watch MSc candidate Erin Tonita's VLOG to learn more about their experience.
SUNLAB test site up and running again
The SUNLAB test site is now operational following its move to the University of Ottawa Lees campus. In May 2019, with the help of Morgan Solar engineers, SUNLAB students and researchers installed 2 Savanna trackers and 24 solar panels for a capacity of 7 kW. The test site will be expanded in 2020 for a total capacity of 20 kW.
SUNLAB student wins NUSOD 2019 poster award
Congratulations to MASc electrical engineering candidate Mandy Lewis on winning the Best Poster Award at the 19th International Conference on Numerical Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices for her work on the “Modelling of Bifacial Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells for Arctic Applications”. NUSOD 2019 was held in Ottawa, July 8 to 12, 2019.
SUNLAB students win Area 4 poster competition at PVSC 46
Congratulations to MASc electrical engineering candidate Mandy Lewis and MSc physics candidate Erin Tonita on winning first place at the Area 4 poster competition of the 46th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC 46) for their work on "Angular Dependence Of Bifacial Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells For High Latitudes". PVSC 46 was held in Chicago, IL, June 16 to 21, 2019.
SUNLAB at Photonics North
SUNLAB students presented results at last week's Photonics North conference in Québec City. PhD physics candidate Meghan Beattie, MASc electrical engineering candidate Annie Russell and MSc physics candidates Gavin Forcade and Erin Tonita gave oral or poster presentations on topics including bifacial solar cells, concentrator photovoltaic systems, energy yield modeling and photonic power conversion. Former SUNLAB member Dr. Ross Cheriton, now at the National Research Council, and uOttawa PhD candidate Kaustubh Vyas also presented a poster including research conducted at the SUNLAB.
Bottom row: Ross Cheriton and Karin Hinzer
SUNLAB students part of winning intramural hockey team
Congratulations to MSc physics candidates Gavin Forcade and Warren Gies, as well as MASc electrical engineering candidate Robert Pollak for winning the mixed intramural hockey tournament. Their team was one of four at the University of Ottawa's April tournament. They won the final game 3-2.
University of Ottawa winning team, 2019 mixed intramural hockey, included three SUNLAB students.
Come visit us at Photonics North and PVSC
Come visit SUNLAB students and researchers at Photonics North in Québec City, May 21-23, 2019, and the 46th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference in Chicago, June 17-21, 2019.
On May 23, PhD physics candidate Meghan Beattie and MSc physics candidates Gavin Forcade and Erin Tonita will be presenting results in room 2104AB of the Québec City Convention Centre. Topics discussed will include bifacial solar cells, concentrator photovoltaic systems and photonic power conversion. Click here for the full conference program.
SUNLAB participants to the 46th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference include senior researcher Dr. Chris Valdivia, who will be giving an oral presentation on segmented multi-junction solar cells on June 17, and MASc electrical engineering candidate Mandy Lewis, who will be giving a poster presentation on bifacial solar cells on June 19. The full conference program can be found here.
SUNLAB director awarded University Research Chair
Congratulations to SUNLAB director Dr. Karin Hinzer on being awarded a University Research Chair in Photonic Devices for Energy. This is the most recent in a long line of awards for Dr. Hinzer, a professor at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Ottawa. The research funded with this University Research Chair will advance novel concepts in photonics and nanophotonics, driving new architectures and markets in energy, power and data communication
SUNLAB students awarded scholarships
Congratulations to SUNLAB students Mandy Lewis, Annie Russell, Kevin Shimotakahara, Viktar Tatsiankou and Erin Tonita on receiving scholarships for 2019-2020.
Both Annie Russell and Kevin Shimotakahara, MASc electrical engineering candidates at the SUNLAB, have been awarded a prestigious Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The program’s objective is to help develop research skills and assist in the training of highly qualified personnel by supporting students who demonstrate a high standard of achievement in undergraduate and early graduate studies.
PhD electrical engineering candidate Viktar Tatsiankou, MASc electrical engineering candidate Mandy Lewis and MSc physics candidate Erin Tonita have been awarded Ontario Graduate Scholarships. These awards are merit-based scholarships available to students in all disciplines of academic study. The Ontario Graduate Scholarships program is jointly funded by the Province of Ontario and Ontario universities.
Recent graduations from SUNLAB
The SUNLAB sends congratulations Ross Cheriton for the successful thesis defense and completion of his postgraduate studies:Ross Cheriton, Ph.D., Phys., "Design and Characterization of InGaN/GaN Dot-in-Nanowire Heterostructures for High Efficiency Solar Cells", July 2018 This follows three other PhD students who successful defended their theses and completed their postgraduate studies in 2017:Matthew Wilkins, Ph.D., Elec. Eng., "Multi-Junction Solar Cells and Photovoltaic Power Converters: High-Efficiency Designs and Effects of Luminescent Coupling", May 2017Pratibha Sharma, Ph.D., Elec. Eng., "Modeling, Optimization, and Characterization of High Concentration Photovoltaic Systems Using Multijunction Solar Cells", March 2017Mark Yandt, Ph.D., Elec. Eng., "Characterization Techniques and Optimization Principles for Multi-Junction Solar Cells and Maximum Long Term Performance of CPV Systems", February 2017
Amanda Lewis, MSc candidate at SUNLAB, interviewed by On Your Wavelength blog on Nature.com
Following her award of a poster prize at Photonics North this year in Montréal, Amanda Lewis (MSc candidate studying bifacial solar power energy yield and photonic power devices at SUNLAB), was interviewed by the Nature.com blog entitled On Your Wavelength. The full interview can be found here.
NSERC CREATE TOP-SET Summer School a Success
Thank you to all the presenters and participants who made the first summer school of the NSERC CREATE TOP-SET project such a success! The three-day event over May 29-31, 2018, included speakers from across Canada (Université de Sherbrooke, McMaster University, University of Ottawa, Natural Resources Canada, National Research Council), the United States (National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Naval Research Laboratory/George Washington University), and industry (Morgan Solar, Azastra Opto/Broadcom, Spectrafy, iBIONICS, J. L. Richards). Check this website regularly for details regarding next year's summer school.