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PROFESSOR DR MOHD. YUSOF HJ. OTHMAN

UNIVERSITI KEBANGSAAN MALAYSIA

43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Histor7 of Institute

Activities started with the setting up of Solar Energy Research Group at Dept of Physics and goes back as early as 1977. With only a few members then the group started some work on solar thermal systems with grants provided by the university research committee. With some members furthering their studies, research activities were limited to projects for honours year students.

Currently, the group is actively involved in renewable energy research such as solar, wind, methanol-hydrogen and charcoal. Beginning session 1993/94, they will conduct an MSc course program in Renewable Energy Technology.

OBJECTIVES

The major objectives of the group are :

a) To fabricate, characterize and develop materials for solar energy conversion and other related application. b) To fabricate, characterize and develop solar energy systems suitable for our needs. c) To study the effects of solar radiation and wind energy variation on the performance of solar energy systems, and make available computational information on solar radiation availability in Malaysia. , d) To serve as an educatibn centre for postgraduate programmes in solar and wind energy at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. e) To collaborate actively in research on solar, wind and other non-conventional energy sources (methanol-hydrogen and biomass) with other institutions and agencies in Malaysia. f) To collaborate actively in research on solar, wind and other non-conventional energy sources with other ASEAN countries.

ACTIVITIES

In 1982 the department moved to its permanent campus at Bangi, about 35 km to the south of Kuala Lumpur. At that time the Physics Department of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia had 10 members, 9 of them having Ph.D's and being interested in furthering research and development in the department. A group was required to bring together several physicists and into coherent and well directed research on solar energy. Weekly meetings were then organised and further research proposals were made for funding by the university research grant committee.

BiograpMes of WREN M e m ~ 661

In 1984 the New Energy and Industrial Development Organisation of Japan (NEDO) contributed a data acquisition system, with meteorological sensors and photovoltaic panels for solar radiation data based and photovoltaic energy studies, including the relevant software. All the systems were on loan to the department. In 1985 a 1.2kW peak PV pump testing system was installed on the campus ground, again on loan from NEDO, Japan.

A project on the development of microturbines for solar energy conversion was started in 1984 with a grant of less than UD$4000/=. This project was completed in 1987.

In 1990 two members of the.group were requested by The Royal Malaysian Police to participate in the installation of Solar Assisted Automatic Speed Trap Cameras along the Kuala Lumpur - Karak highway.

In the same year our members were involved in the Financing Energy Services For Small-Scale Energy-Users (FINESSE) Project funded by World Bank and Asia Pacific Development Corporation (APDC).

The meeting of the Fourth ASEAN Sub-Committee on Non-Conventional Energy Research in May 1991, Brunei Darussalam, approved the ASEAN-Canada Project on Solar Energy for Drying Processes (Five year project). The project commenced in 1992. Our group actively participate in the project on drying of cocoa bean and solar assisted smoke house for rubber sheet.

Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is the sole company in Peninsular Malaysia entrusted with the supply of electricity for the development of the nation. Solar Energy Research Group of UKM is conducting several studies on harnessing non-conventional energy sources in collaboration with the organisation. The first study is the assessment of wind energy in Pulau Tioman, Pulau Redang and Pulau Perhentian. The study was started early 1992. The first phase of the study was successfully finished and the second will commence soon.

The second project with TNB is solar assisted methanol and hydrogen production. The project is progressing successfully.

The group is also involved in the production of thin films to be applied as selective surfaces and semiconductor materials. The group has succeeded in producing thin films of tin oxide by the spray pyrolysis method. The characteristic of these films have been documented.

Characterisation equipment for electrical conductivity, optical properties, microhardness, magnetic properties and sample preparation set up are available.

Apart from solar and wind energy, the group is also actively involved in biomass energy studies and energy planning. Study on charcoal is being conducted with Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) to study the heat capacity of local charcoal, performance of several type of wood stoves and particle size and porosity of charcoal produced in Malaysia.