Working with industry partners and government groups, the University of South Australia identified a need to establish a centre capable of providing additional testing and research capacity to support the growing needs of the renewable energy industry in Australia.

Currently under development, the Sustainable Energy Industry Support Centre (SEISC) will focus on developing new innovations with industry and is currently focussing on commercialising solar hot water systems in Australia.

The project will build capability in five key areas of solar thermal technologies:

1. Quality testing and evaluation services for Solar Hot Water System (SHWS) panels 2. Enhanced modelling capability for SHWS 3. In-situ testing and evaluation of SHWS 4. Product development for solar thermal technologies 5. Training and education relating to solar thermal technologies.

Computer modelling will also be used to evaluate and audit solar hot water or heat pump performance under different climate conditions.

The SEISC is hosted by The University of South Australia’s Sustainable Energy Centre (SEC) — a multidisciplinary group dedicated to the research, development, education and implementation of sustainable energy systems.

The SEC’s outdoor solar collector thermal performance test facility for flat plate and evacuated-tube solar collectors to AS/NZS 2535.1:2007 has been quality accredited, and the thermal performance test reports are accepted by the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator and Sustainability Victoria.

The testing facility is currently being upgraded to offer additional tests such as stagnation tests for collectors, impact resistance tests, tests for water ingress and retention in the solar collector, tests for protection against freezing, no-load system operation tests and tests for solar energy transmittance as per AS/NZS 2712:2007 and the heat loss of a storage water heater as per AS/NZS4692.1:2005.

The SEC has been heavily involved in the development of commercial products such as a roof-integrated solar heating systems and a new generation of solar lights. Researchers have developed methodologies for rating and monitoring energy use in housing and are conducting research programs on solar powered dehumidification/cooling systems, combined solar hot water, space heating and cooling systems and thermal storage systems with phase change materials.

The Clean Energy Council is a representative on the Steering Committee working to establish the Sustainable Energy Industry Support Centre, along with the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator. The (SEISC) is being established with funding support from both the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and the South Australian Government’s Premiers Science and Research fund.