2019 energy outreach

The Institute has a major focus to disseminate information on ANU energy change research through national and international outreach activities including engaging with government, industry, academia and the general public. From presentations to governments, linking with industry on research projects, and sharing our experise with the public through the media and our flagship events, the Institute aims to help understand, explain, and shape the energy transition underway.

We collaborate and play key leadership roles internationally. We have memoranda of understanding with the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), CIEMAT (the Spanish renewable energy agency), the Industrial Technology Research Institute of Taiwan (ITRI) and Ecole Polytechnique (Orsay) in France. The ECI is also a member of the Australia-Indonesia Centre (AIC) and the Australia-Germany Energy Transition Hub.

Below is a selection of outreach activities conducted by ECI members in 2019.

International engagement

Ms Zartaj Gul, Minister of State for Climate Change, National Assembly of Pakistan toured the ANU Solar Thermal and Solar Photovoltaic facilities (above). She was in Australia as a participant of the Australian Government Special Visits Program, which identifies individuals who are likely to be future leaders in their countries. ECI members included Professor Wojciech Lipinski, Dr Igor Skryabin, Dr John Pye and Dr Matthew Stocks.

Professor Ken Baldwin met a delegation from Singapore hosted by CSIRO in Sydney to discuss opportunities for Australia and Singapore to engage in the hydrogen economy. In addition, Dr Emma Aisbett met Professor Andrew Wee, Vice-President for University and Global Relations from the University of Singapore, to discuss collaboration in energy research associated with the Grand Challenge.

In conjunction with the Australian Academy of Science Dr Igor Skryabin, Professor Kylie Catchpole, Dr Hongjun Chen and Dr Joe Coventry met visiting researchers from Indonesia and Malaysia. The visitors were briefed on ANU research in hydrogen, photovoltaics, and solar thermal, and toured ANU laboratories.

The Insitute hosted a high-level delegation from Tsinghua University, China, for discussions on climate and energy issues of importance to both countries.

Associate Professor Matthew Hole was instrumental in organising two fusion energy events:

The First International Tokamak Physics Activity meeting outside of the ITER partner countries. ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is the world’s largest fusion experiment and is under construction in the South of France.

A workshop on the application of computational mathematics to plasma physics (below). The event was supported by the Australian Nuclear Science and Engineering, the Simons Foundation Collaboration on Hidden Symmetries and Fusions Energy, the Australian Research Council and the Mathematical Sciences Institute, ANU. This workshop included speakers from Germany, the USA and Japan.

 

National engagement

Professor Ken Baldwin and Professor Kylie Catchpole (pictured below) assisted with the delivery and development of the Science at the Shine Dome 2019 Symposium, Power Up Australia, the sustainable way, organised by the Australian Academy of Science. The symposium provided an important update regarding Australia’s future sustainable energy needs.

Professor Sylvie Thiebaux and Dr Paul Scott presented at an industry symposium to discuss the completion of the award-winning CONSORT Bruny Island Battery Trial project. Among the attendees were representatives of ARENA, the Australian Energy Market Operator, the Australian Energy Market Commission, the CSIRO, energy companies and universities.

MOUs and memberships

We have memoranda of understanding with the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Italian Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), CIEMAT (the Spanish renewable energy agency), the Industrial Technology Research Institute of Taiwan (ITRI) and Ecole Polytechnique (Orsay) in France.

The ECI is also a member of the Australia-Indonesia Centre (AIC), the Australia-Germany Energy Transition Hub, and the ACT Renewables Hub.