Desert Knowledge Australia Solar Centre

Last night we had a presentation from Christian Bindel, Managing Director of "Phoenix Solar". Part of his presentation showcased the Desert Knowledge Solar Centre near Alice Springs. What is unique about this setting is the ability to compare the different solar technologies and types of solar cells available. I quote from the website:

"The Desert Knowledge Australia Solar Centre is a $3.1M initiative of Desert Knowledge Australia that showcases and demonstrates a range of solar power technologies in commercial-scale installations.

These installations provide meaningful and accurate comparisons of the performance of the technologies' in the arid environment of Central Australia, improving the knowledge base for solar initiatives globally.

A range of different manufacturers and suppliers have chosen to demonstrate their technologies at the site. While some of the technologies have been widely used within Australia, many of theinstallations use technologies that are new to Australia. Different mounting technologies are also demonstrated."

Click on the Live System Information box above the menu to go to the section where you can compare the different technologies. Thin film appears to be the best but the panels are a little larger and this need to be taken into account when planning an installation on a limited roof space.

http://www.dkasolarcentre.com.au/