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The Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering was established in January 2000. The Centre conformed to the standard school structure of the university and was an 'umbrella' Centre encompassing all photovoltaic and related activities such as the Key Centre and two Special Research Centres - the Photovoltaics Special Research Centre and the ARC Special Research Centre for Third Generation Photovoltaics. (files 961746 and 982464 & 1999 Key Centre Annual Report) The Centre was an independent budget unit and had the same standing as all the other school within the faculty of Engineering. The photovoltaic activities had formerly been part of the School of Electrical Engineering. The Head of the Centre was Professor Stuart Wenham and the Director of Research was Professor Martin Green. In December 2002 approval was given for a new ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Silicon Photovoltaics and Photonics to be established. With the awarding of this Centre for Excellence in 2003, the university made the commitment that the Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering would become the School of Photovoltaic Engineering, within which the ARC Centre of Excellence would be located. The Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering continued to exist until the establishment of the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering in January 2006. Council at its meeting on 25 July 2005 resolved (CL05/82) 1. That Council approve the proposal to establish the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, effective 1 January 2006. Subordinate agency: Key Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering (1999-2003) - 01/01/2000 - 13/06/2003 Subordinate agency: Centre for Photovoltaic Devices and Systems (1991 - 1996) / Photovoltaics Special Research Centre (1996 - 2002) - 01/01/2000 - 13/06/2003 Subordinate agency: ARC Special Research Centre for Third Generation Photovoltaics - 01/01/2000 - 13/07/2003 Subordinate agency: ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Silicon Photovoltaics and Photonics/ ARC Centre of Excellence for Photovoltaics - 13/06/2003 - 31/12/2005 Controlling Organisation: UNSW -

On 1 August 1990 the Commonwealth Government announced the approval of ARC Special Research Centre funding for the establishment of the Centre for Photovoltaic Devices and Systems, to be headed by Professor Martin Green. The Centre commenced operations from 1 January 1991. The Centre was initially located in the School of Electrical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering (file 901657). On 8 August 1996, Professor Green stated that following the conditions for renewal of funding, the Centre would be re-named the Photovoltaics Special Research Centre as of that date. This was noted by the Vice-Chancellor on 10 August 1996 (file 961746). On 9 November 1998 Council changed the name of the School of Electrical Engineering to the School of Electrical Engineering & Telecommunications (resolution CL98/80b). At the end of 1999 the Photovoltaics Special Research Centre completed the maximum 9-year period of support from the Australian Research Council. The Founding Director, Dr Martin Green, resigned from his position of Director as at the end of 1999 to take up the position of Director of the ARC Special Research Centre in Third Generation Photovoltaics which commenced at the university in January 2000. However an on-going role for the Photovoltaics Special Research Centre had been approved with Dr Jianhua Zhao, Dr Christiana Honsberg and Dr Armin Aberle as the new Directors, with funding to be sought through a variety of sources. From 1 January 2000, with the establishment of the Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering (file 982464) as an independent unit within the Faculty of Engineering the Photovoltaics Special Research Centre was located under the Centre. 2000 was the first year the Special Centre operated without ARC funding so its income was significantly less. To find additional income from other sources was identified as one of the highest financial priorities of the Centre by the end of 2000. In December 2002 approval was given for a new ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Silicon Photovoltaics and Photonics to be established. Staff members of the Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering were affiliated with the Centre of Excellence and it seems the staff and activities of the Photovoltaic Special Research Centre were integrated into this new this new Centre of Excellence and the Photovoltaics Special Research Centre ceased to exist. Controlling Organisation: UNSW - 01/01/1991-13/06/2003

In December 2002 approval was granted by the ARC for the establishment of a new ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Silicon Photovoltaics and Photonics. The new Centre officially came into being at UNSW on 13th June 2003. The mission of the Centre was to advance silicon photovoltaic research on three separate fronts, as well as applying these advances to the related field of silicon photonics.The Centre absorbed the activities of the ARC Special Research Centre for Third Generation Photovoltaics and the Key Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering. From 2006 onward the Centre was known under the [more compact] name of ARC Photovoltaics Centre of Excellence. Within the organisational structure of the faculty of Engineering the ARC Centre for Excellence was located within the Centre of Pholtaic Engineering which had been established as an independent budget unit and had the same standing as all the other school within the faculty of Engineering. The Centre Director was accountable to the Dean of the faculty through the head of the Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering and responsible to the Australian Research Council through the UNSW Research Office in terms of reporting against stated aims, objectives and expected outcomes. Professor Stuart Wenham was Director and Professor Martin Green Executive Research Director of the Centre. Controlling Organisation: UNSW - 13/06/2003-

The Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering (CPVE) within the School of Electrical Engineering became an independent budget unit by 2000, carrying out an effective and active research program. The ARC Key Centre Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering which had been established in 1999 operated under the umbrella of the Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering. One of the main activities of the Key Centre was to establish teaching activities in the field and to establish a school. Teaching activities in the pioneering Bachelor of Engineering program in Photovoltaics and Solar Energy Engineering began in 2000. In 2005 the CPVE was the Program Authority for two undergraduate programs and one postgraduate coursework program. While the CPVE was accorded the status of a school within the Faculty of Engineering this was not the case elsewhere in the university, for example the Library did not set aside a book purchasing budget for the Centre and the Centre Director was not included in forums and meetings for heads of schools. In addition later in 2005 the ARC Centre of Excellence which was located under the CPVE was due for its mid-term review upon which continued funding depended. It was felt it was important that significant progress in establishing a school should be shown as well as clearing up the confusing administrative arrangements of having a Centre within another Centre. The propsal to establish the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering was considered by the Standing Committee of the Faculty of Engineering on 29 April 2005, the Policy Advisory Committee on 14 June 2005, and Academic Board on 5 July 2005. Upon Recommendation of the Academic Board Council at its meeting on 25 July 2005 resolved CL05/82 1. That Council approve the proposal to establish the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, effective 1 January 2006. (file 2005/1542) Subordinate agency: ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Silicon Photovoltaics and Photonics/ ARC Centre of Excellence for Photovoltaics - 01/01/2006 Controlling Organisation: UNSW - 01/01/2006-

In January 1999 the Australian Research Council (ARC) announced that Research Centres Scheme funding would be provided to establish a Key Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering at the university. The Centre was headed by Professor Stuart Wenham with the initial aim to develop high performance solar cells with potential to connect to existing electrical grids and cells for space applications. Objectives also included the development of courses to enhance the quantity and quality of teaching. The primary new initiatives of the Key Centre were in the educational area. In particular the Key Centre was developing the first Bachelor of Engineering in in Photovoltaics and Solar Energy. Initially located within the School of Electrical Engineering & Telecommunications, from 1 January 2000 the Centre became an autonomous unit within the Faculty of Engineering under the umbrella of the Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering. In December 2002 approval was granted by the ARC for the establishment of a new ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Silicon Photovoltaics and Photonics. This new Centre absorbed the activities of the ARC Special Research Centre for Third Generation Photovoltaics and ARC funded projects of the Key Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering. Thus the ARC Key Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering ceased to exist by 13 June 2003 (file 992072). At the time the Centre was allowed to carry forward 2002 funds to be spent in 2003; however it did relinquish its 2003 allocation which was transferred to the new Centre for Excellence. The relinquishment was backdated to 1 January 2003. Controlling Organisation: UNSW - 01/01/1999-13/06/2003

On 25 October 1999 the Commonwealth Government noted that Australian Research Council (ARC) funding would be provided to establish an ARC Special Research Centre for Third Generation Photovoltaics at the university effective from 1 January 2000 (file 992072). Initial funding was provided for a three year period from 2000 to 2002. The Centre's director was Professor Martin Green and the main aim of the Centre was to build on previous research which developed silicon wafers and thin films of polycrystalline silicon on glass and focus on developing higher solar energy conversion efficiency by combing thin film technology with advanced energy conversion concepts (file 961746). The Centre was located under the Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering (file 982464). In December 2002 approval was granted by the ARC for the establishment of a new ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Silicon Photovoltaics and Photonics. This new Centre absorbed the activities of the ARC Special Research Centre for Third Generation Photovoltaics and the ARC Key Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering. Thus the ARC Special Research Centre for Third Generation Photovoltaics ceased to exist by 13 June 2003 (file 992072). The Centre was allowed to carry forward 2002 funds to be spent in 2003, however it did relinquish its 2003 allocation which was transferred to the new Centre for Excellence. The relinquishment was backdated to 1 January 2003. Controlling Organisation: UNSW - 01/01/2000-13/07/2003

This series consists of the annual reports of the Centre for Photovoltaic Devices and Systems / Photovoltaics Special Research Centre. Each item is a typed, paper-bound volume on the happenings, research and changes within the Centre throughout the year. It seems the last report of the Special Research Centre was produced for 2000, the first year the Centre operated without ARC funding and under the umbrella of the newly established Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering in the faulty of Engineering. Copies of the reports including the 1991 report are also held on file 961746 9S1751/1636-15.

This series consists of the annual reports of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Silicon Photovoltaics and Photonics known from 2006 onward as ARC Centre of Excellence for Photovoltaics. Each item is a typed volume on the happenings, research and changes within the Centre throughout the year.

This series contains the annual reports of the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP) / Australia-US Institute for Advanced Photovoltaics (AUSIAPV). Each item is a typed volume on the happenings within the Centre throughout the year.

This series consists of the booklet / leaflet collection of the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering. The material is printed, and is mainted in a folder. Most of the material is related to information about courses offered and programs of study for students.