Contact
Sustainable Energy Research Group
School of Civil Engineering and the Environment
University of Southampton

Address
Highfield
Southampton
SO17 1BJ, UK

Telephone
+44 (0)23 8059 2051

Fax
+44 (0)23 8067 7519

Email
serg@soton.ac.uk

more details
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Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Research

Renewable energy systems have much in common. Generally, they rely on a knowledge and understanding of the resource, the converter technology and the balance of system. This applies equally to the optimisation of converters and their energy yields, whether they are derived from tidal currents, waves, wind or solar radiation.

For example, in the study of energy yields from tidal currents and waves, one needs to understand the resource that can be utilised by the energy converters as well as the device layout within a site. Furthermore, one needs to study the design of the mechanical/electrical interface (balance of system) that will deliver electrical power to the grid. Similarly, in solar photovoltaics (PV), energy yields are dependent on the analysis of the solar radiation (sunlight), the type of semiconductor or photon converter that generates electrons, the design of arrays and the balance of system to supply power to the grid. In addition, converter-converter interactions are important in renewable energy studies to understand and predict energy yields.

In the urban environment, building related energy generation and energy conservation are vital for carbon emission reduction. Urban energy generation / conversion technologies are generally microgeneration systems such as solar photovoltaics (PV), micro wind turbines, micro combined heat and power (µCHP) and ground source heat pumps. These systems can have a multifunctional design approach as for example in the case of semitransparent PV elements that act as weather barrier whilst providing shading and daylighting in addition to their function of generating electricity.

Understanding the relationship between occupant behaviour and energy demand is important within the urban environment to develop appropriate strategies for both new buildings and for the refurbishment of existing buildings. Furthermore, the interaction of occupant behaviour with renewable energy systems needs to be studied to achieve low carbon buildings and cities.

Research by the Sustainable Energy Research Group

The Sustainable Energy Research Group seeks to address the sustainable energy challenge across a range of scales and approaches. This encompasses diverse topics such as resource assessment of MW scale wet renewables, performance trials of micro-wind turbines, thin film photovoltaic development and assessment of the impact of climate change on future office space performance. Each project looks at one or more aspects of the resource, converter and end user chain and how they interact. Details on individual projects can be accessed via the links on the right hand side of this screen. A detailed overview of the group's research by themes is given by the topics in the main menu on the left hand side of this screen.

Research Themes of SERG
SERG Research Fields
The work of the Sustainable Energy Research Group concentrates on six major fields of research which span renewable energy generation, resource assessment, energy efficiency as well as pollution control issues. The main fields of research are:
List of Research Grants
The following list displays research grants since 1992 in which the Sustainable Energy Research Group has been involved. The list is organised by the year of start of the research. The links lead to the research grant database on the website of the School of Civil Engineering and the Environment.

2009 Why waste heat?

2008

Climate change implications for buildings and their technical services in tropical and moderate climates

DONGTAN eco-city research networks coordination
HYLOW - Development of hydropower converters for very low head differences
The hydrodynamics of a distensible wave energy converter

2007

(SolarCell) Sputtered semiconducting silicon for large area flexible solar cells

Access to the Deep Water Wave Basin, Danish Hydraulics Institute

DONGTAN eco-city research networks

The multi-mode response of a cylinder undergoing simultaneous vortex-induced and wake-induced vibrations

UK Microwind Trial

2006

(Wave) Wave energy resource at potential sites for the Pelamis.

2005

(Array) Performance characteristics and optimisation of marine current energy converter arrays

(DUCT) INVESTIGATION OF THE HYDRODYNAMICS OF LUNAR ENERGY DUCTED TURBINE

2004

(ASSB) - PV atrium – Admin. & Student Services Building at Southampton University

(CA-OE) Coordinated Action on Ocean Energy

(IDCOP) - Innovation in the Design Construction and Operation of buildings for People

(MicroGen): Integrating Micro-Generation into Energy Networks and Buildings

2003

Design, Installation and Monitoring of PV Systems in Social Housing

2002

Hydrodynamics of Marine Current Turbines for Electrical Power Generation

Vortex-induced vibrations of deep water risers

2001 Holographical Optical Elements (HOE) for High Efficient Illumination, Solar Control and Photovoltaic Power in Buildings

POWERTILE - Experimental and theoretical analysis of a pre production prototype of PV roof tile

Security of Supply in Food Transport Refrigeration

The onset of disturbed-laminar flow over an Oscillating Cylinder

1999

Development of Reliable Electrical Connectors for PV Roofs

PV in Marine Propulsion

1997

Solar PV in Food Transport Refrigeration (1997 - 2002)

University’s Solar Campus Project

1996

SCOLAR

Solar Roof Tile: Design and Integration into Buildings

1993 Bioleaching of Industrial Minerals

1992

Pump Priming for the Solar Energy Centre

SERG 2009 last update - 09/07/2009 by mj