The stream includes training in technology development, manufacturing, quality control, reliability and life-cycle analysis, cell interconnection and encapsulation, a range of solar cell applications, system design, maintenance and fault diagnosis, marketing, policy development and the use of other renewable energy technologies. Emphasis is placed on gaining hands-on experience of working with solar energy devices, modules and systems.

Innovative teaching techniques have been developed to enhance the learning environment including the 'Virtual Production Line' and 'Virtual World Solar Car Challenge'. UNSW academics in the photovoltaic field have been consistently ranked amongst the leaders worldwide through international peer review. This team has held the world record for silicon solar cell efficiencies for decades and were responsible for developing the most successfully commercialized new photovoltaic technology internationally throughout the same period. From 2006 onwards we have seen an explosion of interest in the School's technologies from major industry players all around the world.

Second Area of Specialisation

The cross-disciplinary nature of photovoltaics and renewable energy applications necessitates many PV engineers possessing broad engineering backgrounds or else working in teams with other engineers. A good example is the UNSW Solar Car Project involving PV engineers, electronics engineers, control engineers, mechanical engineers, chemical engineers, power engineers, biomedical engineers, computer engineers, and communication engineers. Therefore it is important for photovoltaic engineers to have a broader understanding of other engineering disciplines.

A unique feature of this stream is that in Year 2, students have the opportunity to select a strand to complement their education in Photovoltaics and Solar Energy. Each strand comprises 18 units of credit with the opportunity to subsequently select additional electives in the corresponding area in the final two years, subject to the approval of the Undergraduate Coordinator. The strands available are listed below and cover areas such as computing, electronics, mathematics, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, physics, chemical engineering, and architecture. Students may also formulate their own strands subject to the approval of the Undergraduate Coordinator.

Selection of a second area of specialisation is subject to the stream rule that states that no more than 60 UOC of first-year level courses may be counted toward the BE (Hons) in Photovoltaics and Solar Energy.

Photovoltaics and Solar Energy is also available as a component of the dual degree programs.