EAGER: US-Turkey Collaboration on Energy Harvesting for Sustainable and Energy Efficient Buildings of the Future

University Of Texas At Austin, Austin TX

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal was submitted as an EAGER grant; it seeks funding for a US-Turkey Collaborative research initiative. The application entitled, "EAGER: US-Turkey Collaboration on Energy Harvesting for Sustainable and Energy Efficient Buildings of the Future," was submitted by Brian A Korgel and Heath Naquin from the University of Texas at Austin. The goal of this collaborative project is to establish a long-term collaboration between researchers at UT Austin and Middle East Technical University (METU) in the area of energy-efficient, sustainable buildings. The research will explore new semiconductor nanomaterials (both silicon-based and alternatives to CIGS), which are suitable for spray-on solar paint applications, and the combination between concentrated solar power and geothermal energy. New knowledge will be created from these studies that will lead to future buildings that are sustainable and energy efficient. The project will bridge the NSF-funded Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) on Next Generation Photovoltaics with the Turkish government-funded Center for Solar Energy Research and Applications (GÜNAM) at METU. These centers have significant involvement with industrial partners to establish a research infrastructure that can rapidly transfer new technologies to the commercial sector for the promotion of joint economic development in both the US and Turkey. This research project also focuses on student education and training and providing an element of international collaboration which is important for training the next generation of technology innovators.