Principal Investigator (PI)
Ana Flavia Nogueira – UNICAMP – Institute of Chemistry – anafla@unicamp.br
Co-PI
Mateus Giesbrecht – UNICAMP
Meet all the members of the division.
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The Energy Generation research division encompasses several multidisciplinary development and innovation projects in the areas of solar and wind energy.
In the field of solar energy, the program prioritizes perovskite solar cells, seeking to improve their efficiency and durability to meet the growing demand of the Brazilian photovoltaic market. With regard to wind energy projects, the focus is on offshore generation, with the aim of improving the reliability and efficiency of wind generating units.
To advance perovskite solar cell technology, the division covers everything from fundamental studies of this new class of semiconductors to challenges such as scaling up the technology to larger substrates and ensuring stability under environmental conditions.
Improving the reliability and efficiency of wind generating units will be achieved through advanced converter control techniques and the development of automatic fault diagnosis methods, involving artificial intelligence techniques. Robust simulation models will also be developed that will allow the optimization of critical components for operations on floating platforms, which will result in cost reduction and increased energy efficiency of wind energy generating units in the offshore environment.
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See the publication list of the division.
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Projects
Project leader:
Ana Flávia Nogueira (UNICAMP)
Objective:
- Study of optoelectronic properties of perovskites by advanced characterization techniques seeking higher performance and longer durability;
- Preparation of new and more stable molecules and materials aimed at the upscaling of perovskite photovoltaic devices able to withstand harsh climatic conditions.
Benefits:
- Higher efficiency than polycrystalline silicon solar cells;
- Better light harvesting over a wider range compared to silicon, which allows devices with smaller areas and still high efficiency;
- Perovskite solar cells may be assembled by cheaper production processes over flexible and even textured substrates;
- Exploration of Sirius, the Brazilian particle accelerator, to deeply understand fundamental properties of perovskites and then boost efficiency and durability.
Project leader:
Jilian Nei de Freitas (CTI Renato Archer)
Objective:
- Application of new and more stable materials and scalable processes for the upscaling of perovskite solar cells, from labscale devices (~0.1 cm2) to large-area single cells and minimodules (25 cm2), seeking more stable devices through light management.
Benefits:
- More stable perovskite solar cells;
- Increase in added value of locally developed materials;
- Demonstration of a novel technology;
- Technology transfer for the national industry;
- Contribute to the formation of specialized HR.
Project leader:
Mateus Giesbrecht – UNICAMP
Objective:
- Development of fault detection and diagnosis algorithms for wind power generation units and control systems for power converters.
Benefits:
- Detection of incipient faults and condition monitoring for wind power generation units;
- Development of control techniques for power converters in wind power generation units increasing the electric power quality.
Project leader:
Gregory Bregion Daniel (UNICAMP)
Objective:
- Improving the reliability and efficiency of wind turbines, with an emphasis on offshore vertical wind turbines.
Benefits:
- Application of representative models to ensure better fault diagnosis, prognosis and useful life prediction, directly impacting equipment reliability, availability and productivity;
- Better predictions related to the real performance of the wind turbine, thus aiming to mitigate critical operating conditions;
- Proposing improvements and optimization of mechanical components, in order to increase the efficiency and reliability of vertical floating turbines;
- Simplified floating base concepts to reduce installation costs.
