Dr Frank Neumann is Senior Lecturer at University of Adelaide's School of Computer Science.
He is working on wind turbine placement optimisation in collaboration with researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr Neumann has developed computer algorithms that maximise the energy generated, given a particular terrain, turbine type, wind direction and area of land.
These are called "evolutionary algorithms" because they are inspired by biological evolution. An evolutionary algorithm is a mathematical process where potential solutions keep being improved a step at a time until the optimum is reached.
Thank you to the University of Melbourne Energy Research Institute,
our Zero Carbon Australia project partners for joining us in bringing
you this event.
Entry: Gold coin donation
Further reading:
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2011/05/05/3207705.htm?site=adelaide
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/news/news45021.html
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/adelaidean/issues/45921/news46041.html