- Home
- Aid by Department
- Department of Science, Innovation and Technology
Department of Science, Innovation and Technology
DARA Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy Phase 3
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
This proposal is to continue, deepen and expand the Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy (DARA) project. DARA is a human capital development programme with the principal aim to develop high tech skills in radio astronomy in the eight developing African countries that partner with South Africa in the hosting of the mid-frequency telescope of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). The first two phases utilized the Newton Fund and delivered a basic training to over 300 young people as well as Masters and PhD level training. This proposal is once again a bilateral UK-SA project bidding for Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding as part of the Tomorrow's Talent strand of the new International Science Partnership Fund (ISPF). In this new phase we will extend the HCD pipeline to establish postdoctoral fellows in African partner institutions for the first time. The aim is to complete the establishment of radio astronomy research groups in each partner country so that their citizens can fully engage with the SKA project. We will also continue the basic and Masters level training programme. This third phase will also encompass elements of the DARA Big Data sister project to deepen the training in machine learning techniques required to analyse SKA data and embed synergies with Earth Observation data. We will also continue and expand our partnership with the space sector to showcase how the skills of radio astronomy can be utilized to address development challenges in Africa. The industrial partners also bring entrepreneurship and business start-up experience. Overall, the DARA project addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in terms of increasing high tech skills, research activity and international cooperation.
CERN Non-Member State Doctoral Student Programme
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The CERN and Society foundation run PhD student placements for researchers from non-member states, funded through partner contributions. Through this programme STFC will provide funding to cover costs for students from Sub Saharan African countries that are on the DAC list to participate in CERN’s Non-Member State Doctoral Student Programme for the first time. Enabling up to 5 high-calibre students in particle physics, applied physics, information technology/computing and engineering from CERN non-member states to obtain world-class exposure, supervision and training in scientific and technological activities at CERN.
African School of Fundamental Physics and Applications Graduate Summer School Programme
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The African School of Fundamental Physics (ASP) runs an annual programme supporting graduate and postgraduate physicists from ISPF priority African countries (Kenya, South Africa plus LDCs). High calibre students are selected to attend a two-week 'summer school' in Morocco in July 2024 which aims to increase applied physics skills, increase the diversity of the physics research base, and increase engagement with university facilities. One-year’s funding enables 10-15 students from ISPF Priority Countries to attend in 2024. A 3-year sponsorship would support two schools and one conference, covering travel and subsistence for students/researchers, who would otherwise be unable to attend. STFC is working directly with ASP to support this programme which will benefit the African physics research community enabling mobility and networking.
Characterization of high-energy neutron beams at iThemba LABS for use in irradiation of electronics
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The project aims to characterize high-energy quasi-monoenergetic neutron beams at iThemba LABS for applications in irradiation testing of electronics. High-energy neutron facilities are crucial for testing the effects of atmospheric radiation, induced by cosmic rays, on electronics. The increasing need of reliable electronics is today coming from many growing sectors, like vehicle electrification, automation, and internet infrastructure. The project will evaluate neutron fluxes, spectra, and beam uniformity at energies from 50 to 200 MeV. A variety of neutron techniques, that have been developed and used at the ISIS neutron source of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, will be deployed to perform a complete characterization and a cross-calibration with the ChipIR beamline. Silicon and diamond detectors will be used for their well-known neutron energy response combined with fast signals that allow for time of flight measurements. Activation foils will measure neutron flux and energy distribution with direct reference to nuclear cross sections. SRAM-based detectors will monitor Single Event Upsets to measure neutron flux and beam profiles, aiding cross-calibration with existing facilities like ChipIR at ISIS. This comprehensive approach ensures robust testing and confidence for using these beams for microelectronics testing application. The research teams at ISIS and iThemba LABS have a proven track-record in neutron measurements and instrumentation development as well as operation of fast neutron user facilities. Each team is led by an internationally recognised expert. The total project budget of £ 211k consists of STFC staff time, equipment, calibration at a third reference facility and travel&subsistence. The equipment cost includes silicon and diamond detectors, activation foils, electronics and SRAM based monitors. South Africa is the country that will directly benefit from this Official Development Assistance (ODA) project. A desired outcome of this project is to expand the international user base of the quasi-monoenergetic neutron beams at iThemba LABS for applications in irradiation testing of electronics. On top of being an international centre of excellence, the particle accelerators operated by iThemba LABS can make a huge contribution towards improving the quality of the lives of South African citizens. As an example of direct societal and regional benefit, iThemba LABS uses accelerated proton beams to facilitate the production of radiopharmaceuticals. These radioisotopes are used amongst others for PET imaging of neuroendocrine tumours, prostate cancer and positron annihilation studies. iThemba LABS in general contributes towards developing a cohort of future researchers in nuclear measurements, instrumentation, and related applications.
Digital Advances for Nuclear Science and Applications
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Radiation detection has a wide range of applications in fields such as medical, environmental monitoring and security. However, compact, high-performing commercial systems can be prohibitively expensive and often require specialised expertise and support to operate and maintain, making them inaccessible to many developing countries. A significant portion of the cost is attributed to the data acquisition and analysis components of these devices. For some commercially available software, specialised training workshops and long-term support is required, further escalating costs and limiting accessibility to these systems. To address these challenges, our project aims to develop a scalable, low-power, low-cost and lightweight, streaming digitiser. This digitiser will interface with detectors (both new and existing), digitise the input and stream it to low-power single-board computers. We will also develop pulse shape analysis software to extract information from the detector signals, provide real-time data monitoring and store data for subsequent analysis. When combined with small-volume scintillator detectors, this complete detection system will offer an affordable alternative to existing commercial products. The control and user interface will be deigned for access through WiFi or other lightweight and portable protocols. Due to its light weight and portable design, our system will be ideal for field applications, such as radiation mapping and source identification (for example, mapping of uranium mines). Its scalability and low cost also make it suitable for use in Compton cameras and ion therapy (for example, to monitor or identify the origin of observed γ rays in therapy or security scenarios).
Optical diagnostics system for ion sources
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) ISIS Neutron and Muon Source (UK) and iThemba LABS (South Africa) will collaborate on the development of optical diagnostics systems for ion sources. Optical diagnostics will be used to improve ion source availability for accelerators and their applications. The diagnostics system will guide decisions on adjustments of the ion source control parameters and provide information for the technological development of ion sources at iThemba LABS. The time-resolved optical diagnostics system will be first developed and tested in the UK using existing ion source test facilities at ISIS. The system will then be deployed in South Africa. The main features of the optical diagnostics system are good time-resolution, wavelength selectivity, capability for simultaneous monitoring of several emission bands and ease-of-use. The setup is based on bandpass filters providing selectivity and silicon photomultiplier detectors providing high-sensitivity and good temporal resolution. The proposed work builds on pioneering development of optical diagnostics at ISIS. The ISIS Low Energy Beams Group (LEBG) have used time-resolved optical diagnostics to study the plasmas of the ISIS Penning and prototype RF ion sources, and for the detection of beam-induced light emission to study the space charge compensation in the low energy beam transport. We will utilise the ion source and low energy beam transport test facilities at ISIS for further prototyping of the diagnostics tool developed for iThemba LABS, which makes the approach efficient and mitigates the risk related to the prototyping stage. The risk related to technology transfer is minimised by arranging a training period for iThemba LABS staff at ISIS where they are trained to use the prototype diagnostics device for monitoring a real ion source and to carry out the data analysis. The research teams at ISIS and iThemba LABS have a proven track-record in ion source and plasma diagnostics development as well as operation of ion sources at accelerator-based user facilities. Each team is led by an internationally recognised expert. The project budget consists of STFC staff time, equipment and travel & subsistence. The equipment cost includes vacuum components, optical fibres, optical components, spectrometers, silicon photomultiplier diodes, pre-amplifier components, power supplies, oscilloscopes and data acquisition computers. Several experimental campaigns attended by researchers from each laboratory will be conducted during the project. The country that will directly benefit from this Official Development Assistance (ODA) project is South Africa. The particle accelerators operated by iThemba LABS can make a huge contribution towards improving the quality of the lives of South African citizens. As an example of direct societal and regional benefit, iThemba LABS uses accelerated proton beams to facilitate the production of radiopharmaceuticals. These radioisotopes are used amongst others for PET imaging of neuroendocrine tumours, prostate cancer and positron annihilation studies. Some of these radioisotopes are used for cardiac and neurological applications and these are produced solely for local clients due to the half-life of the isotopes. iThemba LABS in general contributes towards developing a sufficiently trained cohort of future researchers. The charged particle beams of all these applications are delivered by the ion sources operated by iThemba LABS. The proposed technology transfer of the optical diagnostics system is foreseen to improve the usability and reliability of the ion sources, resulting in better utilisation of the accelerator facilities addressing these development goals and challenges.
South Africa Biome Mapping with UAVs and Satellite Measurements
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
South Africa is a water-scarce country, which experiences highly variable rainfall as well as high evaporative rates resulting in an average of only 9% of rainfall being translated into streamflow. These characteristics have led to a system where water resources are strongly intertwined with the land cover and land use, and thereby the energy and carbon fluxes. The proposed study area is part of the Northern Drakensberg Strategic Water Source Area (SWSA) in the upper uThukela catchment. The study area, includes a vast tract of the protected, near pristine UNESCO World Heritage Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park which falls under the management of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW), contrasted with the heavily engineered Thukela-Vaal Pump storage scheme and impoverished communities with no access to water. The complex terrain and high levels of biodiversity endemism make the landscape sensitive to global change. There is a heavy dependence on the ecosystem services this landscape provides at national, regional and local scales with the livelihoods of the local population closely linked to the natural resources and ecosystem integrity. High soil-carbon stocks and the catchments' substantive contribution to the country's water resources, coupled with trends in land transformation impacting on these ecosystem functions provide a development context of national significance in which to understand global change impacts on ecosystem functioning along a river course from point and plot scale to cumulative downstream impacts. To optimally manage the landscape, as well as identify intervention and restoration activities, fine-scale observations over the relatively large area are required. Being in a developing country, as well as a rural area with complex topography means that fine-scale, field-based observation data are scarce, and is limited to a small research area in the headwater catchments in the protected grassland area (approximately 8 km2 out of a larger area of approx 5000 km2) and a new established site lower in the landscape in a conservation area. Land cover outside the protected areas varies from commercial agricultural cropping and rangelands, to heavily degraded rural village areas. Remotely sensed satellite based information is often inaccurate in areas of rugged, mountainous terrain such as this. The overarching objective of this project, would be to develop and validate fine scale datasets for the selected areas in the Northern Drakensberg for use in land and water management and modelling applications. These datasets are critical for upscaling ongoing in-situ observations across the broader landscape, in order to reduce spatio-temporal uncertainty around the influence of global change on ecosystem biodiversity and functional assets. This would be achieved through the joint expertise of STFC RAL Space in earth observation and SAEON in field based monitoring in combination with their local knowledge The aims and objectives are Design and build a drone-based HyperSpectral Imager (HSI) platform for use in the field in the Northern Drakensberg, South Africa. Perform fine-scale vegetation, land, evapotranspiration and soil water content mapping using drone technology and hyperspectral, thermal and LIDAR at a seasonal temporal resolution. Complement in-situ monitoring with land-based sensors and satellite imagery for tracking seasonal and longer-term shifts in vegetation phenology. Validate the fine-scale data products from the drone and satellite imagery using existing field-based data. Build capacity through knowledge exchange and sharing of procedures and best practice.
Target making skills transfer
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Thin film targets and foils are required for low-energy nuclear physics experiments in nuclear structure, nuclear reactions and nuclear astrophysics. In order to meet current demands of NP physicists engaged in experiments around the world, a large variety of targets are required from isotopes throughout the periodic table. Worldwide expertise in target preparation is becoming rare. In Europe, only a small number of target making laboratories remains. They produce targets for free to their own national users but usually charge the other users. In the USA, Argonne national laboratory has also a target making facility, but again mostly for local use. The target preparation laboratory (TPL) at Daresbury Laboratory provides this service to the UK NP community and it is the only facility of its kind available in the UK. The aim of the proposed work is to develop this expertise at the iThemba Laboratory (iTL) in South Africa and create a close UK-South Africa collaboration in this very niche expertise area. This will be achieved by a series of visits of the Daresbury TPL by staff from iTL, to learn the skills of target productions using various techniques: vacuum deposition, electron beam gun, sputtering, rolling and chemical fabrication techniques.
The Intelligent Observatory
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The South African Astronomical Observatory and the STFC Hartree Centre are joining forces to deliver the Intelligent Observatory, where the human engineers and astronomers are aided by advanced software solutions to deliver the best scientific products and swift maintenance of the telescopes and instruments. This collaboration will deliver three main results: a platform to interrogate the scientific literature; a unified system to analyse all health-check signals from the instruments and predict necessary maintenance in advance; and automated pipelines to provide scientists with high-quality data, which can automatically correct disturbances from the atmosphere and unavoidable imperfections in the instruments. These three combined activities will accelerate ground-breaking research by the astrophysical community in South Africa and worldwide. Until now, many of these activities have been performed manually, requiring significant time and effort, and observing requests were evaluated only twice a year and allocated some hit-or-miss slots in advance. The SAAO telescopes have been refurbished for robotic operations, to enable a wider use by the community, and observing requests will be processed on a nightly basis. This shift will enable the rapid follow-up of new phenomena, including the many astrophysical transients that are now flagged every night and will become even more abundant with the advent of the Vera Rubin Observatory. This new approach requires operations to be prioritised and automated as much as possible, and advance warning of any possible faults such that the engineering teams can promptly intervene during the day. The Hartree AI researchers will build generative AI solutions, to aid the effective elicitation of knowledge in the scientific literature and in fault logs. Working closely with the SAAO scientists, they will develop a unified platform to collect and analyse all telemetry data (telescope and instrument health, weather stations), including audio and video data, to direct early maintenance efforts. Finally, Hartree and the SAAO will deliver automated pipelines to convert the instrument detector signals in ready data products for science, with minimal user intervention and using all information gathered during every night including the telemetry from the other strand of work. Some of these solutions are not yet available even at the most advanced observatories. Observatories are the best place to develop new technologies in a safe environment, strengthening them for wider industrial applicability. The work on knowledge elicitation will lower the barrier versus access to literature in many fields, accelerating new discoveries but also the interrogation of internal logs for similar occurrences of possible issues. The work on telemetry models will develop solutions for predictive maintenance that can be applied to the industrial sector, e.g. to predict whether some ambient conditions can result in more frequent manufacturing defects or catching early warning signs of machinery faults. The work on pipelines will provide advanced solutions for image reconstruction, defect detection and artifact correction in challenging regimes. By lowering the barrier to excellent science, the tools developed in this combined SAAO-Hartree endeavour can provide many hands-on training opportunities for STEM universities, including historically disadvantaged institutions.
UK-SA partnership on Earth Observation for Atmospheric Composition Science (UK-SA EO4ACS)
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Climate change mitigation, and air quality (AQ) improvement are two inter-related pressing global challenges for which high quality, trustable Earth Observation (EO) data are essential. Particularly, quantitative knowledge of atmospheric composition is required to understand the gases and particulates emitted into the atmosphere (processes and quantities), their fate (transport and chemistry), and their impact on the Earth system and ultimately on the present and the future health of the biosphere (including people). To that end, both for the quantification of greenhouse gases (GHG) and pollutants, complex EO systems combining satellite-borne, airborne, and ground-based instrument networks, together with models and data analytics, have been and are being developed nationally and globally. EO data of the atmosphere’s composition obtained remotely from the satellite infrastructure are inherently global. However, the quality of the satellite data sets is dependent upon a network of ground-based instruments for validation, which are overwhelmingly located in the northern hemisphere, and operated by the most industrialized countries. For example, there is no such validation site anywhere in Africa as far as GHG data are concerned. This introduces some significant geographical biases, associated to the local specificity of the land (albedo) and gas transport, affecting the global dataset quality and therefore its use for accurate monitoring and understanding of GHG- and AQ-related atmospheric processes. This is particularly detrimental to the global effort to transparently reduce GHG emission and improve AQ. The aim of the project is to establish a UK/South Africa long term collaboration towards augmenting the global EO ground-based capabilities, essential to maintaining and validating the accuracy of GHG and AQ measurements made remotely from satellites and to relate local measurements to global datasets. By leveraging the expertise of STFC RAL Space and NRF South African Environmental Observation Network, the primary objective is to establish a first validation site in South Africa with ground-based remote sensing instrumentation relevant to GHG and AQ, collect a dataset over a season, analyse the data using advanced algorithms, and demonstrate their added value to the EO and atmospheric composition sciences. In addition, a novel, machine-learning approach to use satellite observations to extend surface network measurements of pollutants across South Africa will be demonstrated. Through this seminal project, the project team intends to produce evidence in support of the establishment of a permanent ground-based reference EO validation site in an under-sampled region of the world; ultimately to be integrated into the international satellite validation networks and to contribute to addressing global environmental issues. Such an ‘EO super-site’ is ideal for capacity building, strengthening UK/South Africa collaborative links, improving both infrastructure and skills, training the next generation of EO scientists and technologists, and growing knowledge and understanding in atmospheric composition, with a relation to land GHG emission and AQ that can inform policy and possible actions.
Potential of sub-seasonal Operational Weather and climate information for building Energy Resilience in Kenya (POWER-Kenya)
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Context and Challenges Kenya Vision 2030 identifies energy as a key infrastructural enabler for social and economic development, aiming for universal energy access and 100% renewable energy by 2030. Currently, 54% of Kenyans, and up to 84% in rural areas, lack access to sustainable modern energy, relying on traditional wood fuels for cooking and heating. Kenya's energy generation is particularly sensitive to weather variability, with nearly 50% of electricity coming from weather-sensitive sources like hydro, wind, and solar power. Achieving the ambitious goal of 100% renewables requires doubling the current capacity of these weather-sensitive sources. Despite the growing reliance on renewable energy, Kenya lacks reliable weather and climate information for effective energy planning, particularly on sub-seasonal timescales (weeks to months in advance). This gap impacts crucial decisions such as generator maintenance scheduling, international market trading, water conservation, and future energy storage management. In comparison, other regions like Europe have more advanced user-relevant tools for renewable energy decision-making. Aims and Objectives POWER-Kenya seeks to bridge the gap between Kenya's increasing dependence on weather-sensitive renewable energy and the lack of reliable weather and climate information to support energy planning. The project also aims to build capacity for integrated climate-energy research in Kenya. Its objectives are: Ob1: Deliver a step-change in the underpinning physical science to support affordable, clean energy by advancing understanding of sub-seasonal predictability of weather-sensitive demand and renewables. Ob2: Build combined climate-energy research capacity to continue improvements in maintaining reliable energy supply in Africa, facilitating the creation of risk-informed tools for energy decision-making to benefit both society and the economy. Acknowledging Kenya’s continent-leading capabilities in climate and energy fields individually, the POWER-Kenya project brings together UK and African expertise in electricity demand and renewable energy modelling (Bloomfield, Oludhe, Brayshaw, Olago), with the forefront of research on sub-seasonal predictability (Hirons, Gitau, Woolnough), and expert knowledge of East African climate (Wainwright, Mutemi, Hirons) to conduct world-leading energy-climate research to support this step-change in understanding (Ob1) and build partnerships and capacity (Ob2) capable of supporting Kenya’s climate-smart shift to reliable renewables. Applications and Benefits. Universal access to affordable, clean energy helps emerging economies like Kenya progress towards their Sustainable Development Goals by building businesses and societies capable of producing and consuming sustainably for a climate-resilient future. However, access to reliable energy has societal benefits far beyond sustainable economic growth. Reliable energy access can empower women, and other marginalised groups, by improving access to services such as mobile technology, online banking, educational materials, and employment opportunities. Access to clean energy, especially for currently unconnected rural households, can enhance health outcomes by reducing reliance on traditional wood fuels, which are linked to respiratory diseases. Achieving POWER-Kenya aims to ensure Kenya's shift to clean, weather-sensitive renewables is backed by current scientific thinking and proven techniques that will help deliver the country's aim for reliable energy for all businesses and households. Beyond Kenya, POWER-Kenya outcomes will inform and support the aims of the wider Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) - an institution that coordinates regional cross-border power trade and grid interconnection. KenGen, a key project partner and regional leader, is a utilities member of the EAPP. Through iterative dialogue with POWER-Kenya, KenGen will help co-design the research, by defining energy stress case studies, and ensure it remains solutions-orientated and maximises benefits for Kenya and the broader region.
Sharing the sky – Using a global robotic telescope network for capacity and research community building in East Africa
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
We will provide a skills development programme for the astronomy communities in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda through observational projects with the Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) 1m global telescope network. Acknowledging the specific value of fundamental sciences for long-term sustainable economic development, we address the prevalent barrier of lack of access to world-leading research facilities. Moreover, experience has shown that facility access needs to be paired with active engagement with potential user communities and a gradual development of expertise and experience in order to eventually develop strong research programmes. Our programme involves four national coordinators in each respective country who will act as focal point for their local community. Rather than building a single research project that focuses on a small number of individuals, we aim at supporting and growing whole communities at large, not only covering researchers with a PhD, but also PhD students and undergraduate research projects. Dedicated in-person workshops, covering observational and statistical techniques as well as campaign design and management, will accompany the target community along their research journey with the LCO network and support building inter-African collaborations, as well as path towards independence and African leadership (not being reliant on the strength of a non-African partner) as part of an integrated process. The opportunity for less resourced countries is in innovation, building on the creativity of its people to eventually shape new global trends. This provides potential to leap ahead rather than just trying to catch up. We will therefore particularly support research projects that trial new ideas or approaches, while providing pathways to larger projects and internationally competitive facility proposals. LCO uniquely combines the features of fast response, uninterrupted long-term monitoring, and full-sky coverage, resulting from a purpose-built design for observing astronomical transient events with durations ranging from seconds to several years. We will be getting astronomy research communities in East Africa ready for the unprecedented flood of alerts on transients of up to 10,000,000 per night from the LSST survey, expected from early 2026.
Bridging the Efficiency Gap of Metal vs Carbon back Electrode Perovskite Solar Cells to Support the Clean Energy Growth Transition in South Africa
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Affordable energy for all Africans is the immediate and absolute priority in the Sustainable Africa Scenario (SAS) 2030. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) Africa Energy Outlook 2022 report, solar energy-based mini-grids and stand-alone systems are the most viable solutions to electrify rural areas, where over 80% of the electricity-deprived people live [1]. Though Africa has 60% of the best solar resources globally, it has only 1% of installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity. Thus more investment and effective solar PV capacity building is required in the region to make electricity from clean energy sources as the backbone of Africa’s new energy systems. The existing silicon PV technology alone cannot meet this demand as it is an expensive mature technology, with global materials security issues, and enormous quantities of PV waste with poor recycling options [2]. Emerging PV technologies such as halide perovskite solar cells combine the unique properties of high power conversion efficiency (>25 %), low-cost printability, and provision to adopt a circular economy to ensure a sustainable clean energy transition for the region [3,4]. Halide perovskite PV offers the lowest cost of solar PV to date (<32 $ per MW h) and it matches with the levelised cost of electricity by solar PV (18-49 $ per MWh) required in Africa in the Sustainable Africa Scenario, 2020-2030. However, the mainstream highly efficient halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) use thermally evaporated metals such as gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu) etc as the back electrode. These metals account for 98 % of the cost, 65 % of the carbon footprint and 45 % of the energetic cost of perovskite solar cells [5]. Replacing these metal electrodes with carbon electrodes enhances the stability, scalability and commercialisation aspect of PSCs along with further reduction in cost and carbon footprint. However, carbon back electrode-based PSCs (c-PSCs) have consistently lower power conversion efficiency (PCE) compared to metal electrode-based PSCs (m-PSCs) (20 % vs 26 % efficiency comparison for 0.1 cm2 area devices) limiting their commercialisation. The proposed project aims to bridge the gap in power conversion efficiency between the carbon-back vs metal electrode-based PSCs and demonstrate low-cost and highly efficient (>15 %) printable carbon electrode-based mini modules (10 x 10 cm2). This aim will be realised by combining the strengths of know-how in the fabrication and device physics of efficient halide perovskite solar cells of UK-based physicists with the defect analysis strengths of African physicists. To bridge this efficiency gap, the challenges to overcome are (i) reducing the interfacial losses and (ii) efficient photon management inside the perovskite active layer and the research objectives are identified accordingly. The proposed aims and objectives will formulate the foundations for achieving the vision for the proposed project: to provide accelerated growth in the scale-up of cheaper and cleaner energy sources in South Africa to achieve Sustainable Africa Scenario 2030 through capacity building in cost-effective and efficient PSCs in the partnering institution (University of Pretoria) in South Africa. References: IEA Africa Energy Outlook 2022 Charles et al Energy Environ. Sci., 2023, 16, 3711 Carneiro et al Energy Reports 2022, 8, 475 Faini et al MRS BULLETIN 2024, 49 Zouhair Sol. RRL 2024, 8, 2300929
Building the foundation for geodetic excellence in Africa through the Africa-UK Physics Partnership
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Geodesy measures the Earth’s time-variable size, shape, and gravity. Its role is fundamental to various scientific areas, such as navigation and mapping, climate change, engineering, meteorology, and natural hazards. The precise geographical information systems (GIS) produced by geodesy are essential for delivering services to people, households, and businesses, administering land rights and development permits, and developing and maintaining national and regional infrastructures to access water, waste management, electricity, transport, schooling, health facilities, markets, and security. As a result, geodesy has been noted to contribute directly and indirectly to all of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the status of geodetic infrastructure on the African continent needs to be fully documented, and the existing infrastructure must be made more extensive to enable African nations to participate in and contribute to global geodesy effectively. This project seeks to address these challenges by laying the groundwork for a comprehensive understanding and enhancement of the geodetic infrastructure in Africa. It will assess the current state of geodetic equipment, computational infrastructure, and human capacity across critical African nations, including South Africa, Tanzania, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. By conducting a detailed inventory and analyses of existing resources, the project will identify critical gaps and opportunities for enhancement and strategically plan for new infrastructure development. The project will tackle these challenges by using advanced simulation techniques to assess where new infrastructure would be most beneficial, ensuring that future investments are strategically targeted and cost-effective for maximal impact. This foundational work is essential for enabling Africa to build a robust and sustainable geodetic infrastructure that aligns with global standards and meets the continent's unique needs. One of the most significant benefits of this project is its potential to substantially enhance Africa’s contribution to global geodesy. By laying the groundwork for improved infrastructure and capacity, the project will enable African nations to play a more active role in international geodetic initiatives, such as those outlined in the UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/69/266, "A Global Geodetic Reference Frame for Sustainable Development." This will benefit the scientific community and support policymakers in making informed decisions related to many areas, such as climate change, disaster management, and urban planning. In addition to its scientific and policy implications, the project will have broader societal benefits. By promoting awareness of the importance of geodesy and encouraging greater participation from underrepresented groups, particularly women, the project will contribute to a more inclusive and diverse geodetic community in Africa. Furthermore, the knowledge and skills gained through this project will have applications beyond geodesy, supporting advancements in environmental monitoring, agriculture, and infrastructure development. In summary, this project aims to establish a solid foundation for the future development of geodetic infrastructure in Africa, ensuring that the continent is well-positioned to meet its own needs while contributing to global geodetic science. The project will create the conditions necessary to establish GGOS Africa, an affiliate of the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS), through detailed infrastructure assessment, capacity building, and strategic planning. This regional body will coordinate geodetic activities and further integrate Africa into the global geodetic community.
Efficient Photoelectrochemical Green Energy System based on Hematite Photoanodes Heterostructured with Selected 2D Transitional Metal Dichalcogenides
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
This project addresses the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions by enhancing photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting technologies, which convert solar energy into storable hydrogen fuel. With the increasing global focus on mitigating climate change, the development of efficient, renewable energy technologies is paramount. PEC water splitting, a process that uses sunlight to produce hydrogen, presents a promising pathway to this goal. Our initiative centres on improving the efficiency of hematite-based PEC devices through innovative heterostructures incorporating two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), such as SnS₂, MoS₂, SnSe₂, and MoSe₂. Hematite has long been studied for its potential in solar-driven water splitting due to its strong visible light absorption and favourable theoretical solar-to-hydrogen (STH) conversion efficiency. However, its practical application has been limited by issues such as poor electrical conductivity, slow charge transport, and high recombination rates of electron-hole pairs. By integrating hematite with 2D TMDCs, we aim to overcome these challenges, enhancing the material’s performance through improved charge transfer, reduced recombination losses, and optimised band alignment. This approach promises to boost STH conversion efficiency and achieve the 10% benchmark set for practical applications, making a significant contribution to the development of scalable, clean energy solutions. The project not only advances scientific knowledge but also brings substantial benefits to researchers and institutions in Africa. The collaboration between UK and African institutions facilitates access to cutting-edge facilities and expertise in the UK, which are critical for the successful implementation of this research. African researchers will have the opportunity to train on advanced characterisation tools and gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art PEC technologies. This exposure is invaluable for building their technical skills and enhancing their research capabilities. Moreover, the project fosters networking and collaborative opportunities between African and UK researchers, promoting the exchange of knowledge and ideas. This international collaboration helps to strengthen research networks, opening doors for future partnerships and joint ventures. African institutions will benefit from the establishment of sustainable partnerships and the development of local expertise in advanced energy technologies. Additionally, the project includes outreach and dissemination activities, which will raise awareness and engage various stakeholders, including the public and industry players. These activities will not only highlight the advancements in PEC technology but also showcase the contributions of African researchers to global scientific progress. In summary, this project is poised to make significant strides in improving PEC water-splitting efficiency, with the added advantage of enhancing research capacity and collaboration between African and UK institutions. By addressing key challenges in renewable energy technology and providing valuable training and networking opportunities, the project aims to contribute to the global transition to clean energy while strengthening the scientific community in Africa.
SAPPHIRE : Supra-African Physics Partnership for Health Innovation and Radiotherapy Expansion
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Vision: SAPPHIRE is a UK-African research and training partnership which will build capacity in Africa to obtain better fault information of M-LINACs and to feed into an M-LINAC tailored to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Importance: Our previous STFC funded ITAR project surveyed 28 African countries, revealing two major challenges: 1) many African M-LINACs suffer from considerable down-time down due to frequent breakdowns of specific components; and 2) a shortfall exists in radiotherapy workforce, especially trained physicists. Team: We will bring together M-LINAC facilities in Accra and Kumasi (Ghana) and Pretoria (South Africa), two STFC accelerator centres in Oxford & Lancaster, and medical physics expertise from Cambridge in partnership with CERN and ICEC. Our global team has decades of experience in accelerator and M-LINAC research and has engaged in collaboration with African partners since 2010. Areas of Focus: Specific focus will be given to post-acceleration beam-shaping systems that match radiation beam to tumour target (i.e. multi-leaf collimator devices). MLCs are prone to frequent breakdowns. Project SAPPHIRE has 3 key objectives: Objective 1: To identify junior physicists in Africa to train in electronic data collection and analysis of usage and fault data from M-LINAC stock in their own centres. Objective 2: To use gathered data to assess the effect of faults and to define MLC tolerances, studying different candidate leaf designs for an improved and robust MLC unit. Objective 3: To compare the performance of candidate designs with current-generation commercial M-LINAC devices for treatment planning using real-world clinical data. We will achieve these objectives through four key Physics Education And Research Linkage work packages (PEARLs): PEARL-1 Data Capture. We will create a solution for electronic data capture (EDC) of M-LINAC fault and usage data, enhanced with key environmental factors (e.g. operating temperature, voltage stability, humidity and atmospheric particulate levels). Hasford, Addison and Nethwadzi will supervise training of junior physicists for EDC work in Ghana and South Africa. PEARL-2 MLC Improvements. Dosanjh, Burt, Addison, Hasford and Nethwadzi will develop an understanding of the causes of MLC faults, analyse the implications on the radiation patterns using Geant4 and develop improvements of the MLC design. This will allow researchers throughout our collaboration to investigate the relationship between reported fault and environmental data and the design constraints of the MLC. PEARL-3 Training workshops. Burt, Dosanjh, Jena, Ayette, Addison, Grover, Hasford, and Nethwadzi will establish two physics schools in Africa, first one in Ghana focussing on LINACs, their sub-components and faults/maintenance of those system and the second in Pretoria focussing on radiation physics simulations and imaging and treatment planning. PEARL-4 Treatment planning. Jena, Dosanjh, Ayette and Grover, will compare the performance of candidate hardware designs with current-generation commercial M-LINAC devices in a suite of treatment planning tasks typical of today’s clinical demands. Pathway to success: 1) We have a rich and capable multi-professional team and a long track record of successful collaboration. 2) We will make lasting impact through successful upskilling of junior physics staff in Africa, to perform better research and development in M-LINAC component design and operational robustness. 3) Data from SAPPHIRE will be used by our global consortium (ICEC) to design and deploy a novel fault tolerant M-LINAC design for LMICs by 2030.
Temperature-sensitive Earth-abundant Catalysts for green Hydrogen production
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Hydrogen production via water electrolysis technology has been a major focus of discussions for practical carbon-neutral transportation fuel and a key component for other chemical syntheses for the past decade. Particularly, Africa’s total announced electrolyser pipeline capacity has reached 114 gigawatts. However, the costs of water electrolysis to be reported in the range of 2-5 £/kg H2, which is still twice as expensive as the existing fossil fuel-based technologies. Among various electrolyser technologies for hydrogen production, alkaline water electrolysis is considered to be the most mature type for industrial scale-up and has strong cost-effectiveness. Despite these advantages, its cold-start nature, unfortunately, requires a certain ramping-up time (approximately 1 hour). This makes it challenging to integrate with renewable energy sources, which are difficult to predict. Alkaline water electrolysis at elevated starting temperatures offers a promising solution to enhance catalytic reactivity and reduce required electric energy, increasing cost-effectiveness. The cobalt- and nickel-based catalysts, known for their prominent temperature dependence, could be the key to enhancing the hydrogen production rate. In this study, we aim to establish a feasible fabrication method of temperature-sensitive catalysts for alkaline water electrolysis and to explore the multi-element catalysts' physical and chemical bonding structure change at elevated temperature conditions. Exploring the underlying mechanism of intrinsic kinetics change is a challenging yet crucial step towards more efficient and cost-effective hydrogen production. The ultimate goal of the proposed collaboration entitled "Temperature-sensitive Earth-abundant Catalysts for green HYDROgen production (TECHydro)" is not to develop new catalysts but to discover new combinations that have a high-temperature sensitivity and explore underlying principles, giving rise to fresh perspectives of the developed catalyst for their application to AWE. The outcomes will provide a methodological achievement in cost-effective catalyst preparation. Moreover, the project will make a rigid bridge for further joint-research funding applications and staff exchange between African (South Africa and Kenya) and UK partners. We believe that the outcomes of this study could set benchmarks for hydrogen production that operates more efficiently in South Africa and Kenya's hot climate, contributing to the global transition towards a hydrogen economy.
Compound-Semiconductor-Enabled Renewable Energy System for Powering Critical Buildings in Africa
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Africa’s power supply systems for critical loads, such as healthcare facilities, are transitioning to a more sustainable, efficient and reliable future. This is driven by the integration of renewable energy, which includes AC and DC power conversion enabled by power semiconductors switching at increasingly high frequencies (e.g., 10–100 kHz). The semiconductors’ operation causes power loss, reducing energy efficiency, and they are the most vulnerable components, counting for 20%–30% of the failure of power conversion systems. Improving the performance of the semiconductors will thus provide significant benefits in energy saving and system reliability improvement. For example, a 1% increase in efficiency in solar photovoltaic (PV) inverters and a 1% in reliability will make 150 GWh more energy available to critical healthcare facilities in Africa. This project’s overarching aim is to leverage the latest advancements in Silicon Carbon (SiC) semiconductor technology to develop high-efficiency and reliable solar photovoltaic-battery energy storage system (PV-BESS) for critical loads. Such compound semiconductors have low conduction loss, fast switching speed, and high operating temperature, which provides all potential for developing low-carbon PV-BESS. Challenges are that high-frequency switching of SiC semiconductors can increase thermal stress and create electromagnetic interference (EMI) due to their high-speed voltage transients (e.g. dv/dt over 10kV/us), affecting the reliability of the PV-BESS and lifespan of critical components such as capacitors and batteries. SiC semiconductors exhibit various material defects and variability, leading to variations and high non-linearities in their electro-thermal performances. Integrating SiC semiconductors into PV-BESS requires a better understanding of induced parasitic parameters and their coupling with components, including capacitors, inductances and gate drivers. To address these issues, the project has three research work packages (WP1-3): Develop accurate characterisation and modelling methods for semiconductor devices (WP1): Accurate SiC electro-thermal models and lifetime models will provide a new understanding of SiC semiconductors, which will be built to evaluate component efficiency and reliability under various environments. Integration optimisation of SiC-based PV-BESS (WP2): This involves studying and modelling the multiphysics coupling between SiC semiconductors and other components, investigation of induced parasitic parameters and system-level topology design of PV-BESS to reduce power conversion stages, thus improving overall efficiency and reliability. Validation and operation optimisation of SiC-based BESS in various operation conditions (WP3): This will investigate integration strategies and verify the benefits brought by SiC devices' advantages to ensuring the BESS’s high-efficiency and reliable operation in both normal and fault conditions. The main deliverables will include validated tools and a testbed for modelling and characterisation of SiC semiconductors (WP1), hardware-in-the-loop demonstrator for validating the SiC-based PV-BESS (WP2), and optimal operation strategies for PV-BESS (WP3). These will be useful to physics R&D institutions, renewable equipment vendors, and power system operators. The project will involve international partnerships with the University of Nairobi, with support from Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) and Toshiba Europe. Researchers involved will benefit from the unique collaboration and training, and the project will help Africa build new physics research capacities in the renewable energy and semiconductor sectors. The project output will boost the PV-BESS’ energy conversion efficiency by 1%–2%, and extend their mean-time-between-failures by 20%. Developed compound semiconductor technologies will have a wider impact across applied industries, including electrified transportation sectors, robotics and aerospace. The integration and BESS technologies can be extended to generic low—and medium-voltage energy systems.
Frugal Innovation for Societally-Important Challenges in Africa (FISICA)
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Historically, Physics is seen to be a key driver of novel techniques and instrumentation that draw on our advances in scientific understanding. Such instrumentation often plays a critical role in helping to solve societal challenges in areas such as agriculture, climate change, energy generation, and healthcare. Sadly, much state-of-the-art technology is prohibitively expensive for developing countries, limiting its adoption. Here, we will bring together partners from the UK and several African countries – Ghana, Rwanda, South Africa and Tanzania – to collaborate on developing cost-effective instrumentation. The two types of instrumentation to be worked on are a hyperspectral imager and a gamma-ray spectrometer: A hyperspectral imager is an instrument that can be used to analyse fine details of the light reflected by the leaves of plants in different parts of the visible or infra-red spectrum. The properties of this reflected light turn out to be very sensitive to the health of plants or crops. In this manner, a hyperspectral imager can be a major benefit to monitoring of crops and other aspects of agricultural development. A gamma-ray spectrometer is an instrument that is sensitive to gamma radiation. Gamma radiation is emitted from so-called naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) found in certain rocks, minerals and soils. A gamma-ray spectrometer can both quantify the radiation and identify its origin. This project will begin with two workshops: one in the UK and one in South Africa. The workshops will be facilitated by experts in innovation to help the project partners co-create mini projects making use of the novel instrumentation to address challenges specific to their own localities, with a particular focus on issues such as agriculture and climate change. The project will deliberately challenge people to work in a highly interdisciplinary way and collaborate with other researchers well outside their immediate field of expertise. Impacts are expected not only in technology development but also from the field trials to be carried out with the novel instruments. The project will also lead to capability building and upskilling of significant numbers of early career researchers at universities and organisations across several Africa countries. The project builds on existing strong collaborations between the University of York in the UK and three Universities in South Africa: University of Pretoria (UP), University of the Western Cape (UWC) and the University of Zululand (UZ). Indeed, this new project will, in part, exploit earlier STFC investments (Funder Award Reference ST/S003118/1) that built the Modern African Nuclear DEtector LAboratory (MANDELA) at the two historically disadvantaged universities, UWC and UZ.
Stability of the South African Power Grid ---A data-driven Statistical Physics-based Approach
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
South Africa (SA) primarily relies on coal-fired power plants for its electricity supply. At least 12% of the population does not have access to power and roughly 10% cannot adequately afford electricity, particularly in rural areas. There is a particular challenge with reliable electricity supply in SA, as currently there is inability to deliver sufficient power according to the country’s demand. This has led to the implementation of rolling blackout load shedding events across the country. Load shedding has marked deleterious societal effects. In 2021, the citizens and industries of SA were afflicted by a lack of power and periodic load shedding for over 48 days of the year. There are also unplanned outages (known as non-technical losses) for parts of the network. During electricity outages, people and households typically use Diesel generators (if they can afford them), others simply remain without power. The use of Diesel generators during load shedding periods has severe detrimental effects, in financial, environmental, and health terms. Diesel generators are also frequently used in other African countries if there is no reliable connection to the power grid. Our project aims to better understand, model, and mitigate the above load shedding situations in SA, working towards sustainable solutions (alternatives to Diesel generators) with no Carbon emissions that can be afforded by all. The overall aim is to model, understand and improve the stability of the African power grid using methods from statistical physics. To model the South African power grid as a whole, we will be using cutting-edge research methods in statistical physics modelling of complex systems, data-driven analysis and machine learning. A central aspect of our work plan will be the analysis of frequency fluctuations in the main grid, the control of microgrids, and the analysis of wind energy statistics, working towards future implementation of zero-emission generators based on wind power, solar panels, and batteries. We will model and analyse the overall demand patterns of electricity consumers in SA in a data-driven way, to finally arrive at practical solutions and concrete mitigation strategies. We aim at solutions that are particularly suited for the poorest in SA. At the same time our approach will contribute to lowering the Carbon footprint of SA in the long-term. The main general objectives of our proposal are as follows: Model and forecast the stability of the SA power grid. Model the fluctuating electricity demand of individual households in a data-driven statistical-physics inspired way. From a complex system point of view, take up the challenge of modelling a system where demand and supply don’t match. Model microgrids that use Diesel generators and/or zero-emission generators during load shedding periods. Measure frequency fluctuations in the grid and feed the data into theoretical statistical-physics based models. Develop statistical physics models that capture the essential features of the dynamics. Using neural nets, predict wind power fluctuations in SA. Prepare the ground for long-term mitigation strategies and a reliable electricity supply for all (in particular the poorest communities in SA) during load shedding periods and beyond, based on wind power, photovoltaic systems, and batteries. Foster new scientific collaborations between SA and the UK, dealing with statistical physics-based modelling of power grids. Work together towards a long-term strategy where power is provided in a reliable way, at the same time reducing the Carbon footprint of SA.
Advanced filters
To search for Programmes in a specific time period, please enter the start and end dates.