Six of the nation’s research institutions, including Australia’s national science agency Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), united with international researchers to address challenges in clean energy production and storage.
In a joint effort between Australia, the US, Canada, and the UK, two multi-lateral research projects were announced today as part of the National Science Foundation Global Centres in Climate Change and Clean Energy (NSF Global Centres) program.
Acting Chief Executive of CSIRO, Kirsten Rose, said CSIRO is proud to be part of a strong national contribution to solving this critical global challenge.“CSIRO is proud to stand alongside numerous Australian research organisations to combine our shared expertise, strengthening our national response to accelerate the transition to a cleaner, sustainable energy future,” she said.
Two projects earmarked by the multi-national collaboration are currently being steered by Australian innovations.
The Electric Power Innovation for a Carbon-free Society (EPICS) Centre will develop transformative computing, economic strategies, and engineering solutions to enable a completely renewable energy power grid.
The Global Hydrogen Production Technologies (HyPT) Centre will explore three innovative technologies – renewable energy-integrated water electrolysis, methane pyrolysis with valuable solid carbon co-products, and solar-driven water splitting.
The University of Melbourne Chair of Electrical Power Systems and Australian EPICS Centre Principal Investigator, Professor Pierluigi Mancarella, said the Global Centre provides an opportunity to work with major international institutes.
“This Global Centre is an unprecedented opportunity to partner with major international institutes in the US and UK, and harness world-leading research to address some of the most pressing scientific challenges,” she said.
“Most of which are based on power electronic interfaces, to identifying reliable and resilient investment paths across the whole energy system in the presence of deep, long-term planning uncertainty.”