Units / MTE5884
MTE5884 · Advanced photovoltaics and energy storage
2026 Handbook6 credit pointsLevel 5Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Last checked: 23 Aug 2026 UTCOverview
Materials and principles for energy production, storage and conversion will be covered in detail. Topics include light harvesting materials, solar power conversion efficiency, interaction of light with matter, commercial and emerging photovoltaic technologies, concentrator PV, primary and secondary batteries, supercapacitors, water splitting (e.g. for green hydrogen production), fuel cells, and hydrogen storage.
Areas of study: E6011 Master of Professional Engineering - Specialisation: Materials engineering E6014 Master of Engineering - Specialisation: Energy transitions engineering E6014 Master of Engineering - Specialisation: Materials engineering E6014 Master of Engineering - Specialisation: Renewable energy engineering E6017 Master of Advanced Engineering - Specialisation: Power systems engineering E6017 Master of Advanced Engineering - Specialisation: Renewable energy engineering
Offerings
| Campus | Teaching period | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Clayton | First semester | Teaching activities are on-campus (ON-CAMPUS) |
Assessment
The Handbook lists an examination for this unit.
| # | Assessment | Type | Weight | Hurdle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Online pre-class quizzes | Quiz / Test | 10% | — |
| 2 | Project | Project | 30% | — |
| 3 | Laboratory work | Written | 20% | — |
| 4 | Final assessment | Examination | 40% | — |
Continuous assessment: 60% Final assessment: 40%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Requisites
The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.
Learning outcomes
- Appreciate why the energy landscape is changing and the role materials will play in alternate energy technologies in the broad areas of energy production, storage and conversion.
- Apply the theory behind the operation of photovoltaic devices to predict and quantify the performance of solar cell materials.
- Appraise various energy storage technologies including batteries, capacitors, and hydrogen storage, and discuss the benefits and shortcomings of each.
- Assess novel electrochemical technologies such as water splitting and hydrogen fuel cells.
- Design experiments to assess the performance of energy storage and conversion devices.
Workload
The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of 3-6 hours of scheduled learning activities and 6-9 hours of independent study per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher-directed learning, peer-directed learning and online engagement. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities.
| Activity | Duration |
|---|---|
| Workshops | 24 hours |
| Laboratories | 6 hours |
| Practical activities | 24 hours |
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