MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 2020 - MONASH ENERGY INSTITUTE - Monash University
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CONTENTS 2020 is a year like no other in recent history. Over the summer, bushfires engulfed many parts of Australia, only to be followed by COVID-19. On the one hand, the bushfires filled our skies with smoke, causing the air quality to reach unprecedented poor quality, while also mass releasing CO2 from the burning of over 12.6 million hectares of bushland. The fire- affected areas concurrently experienced major electricity blackouts and reliability issues, requiring the use 1 Welcome of expensive backup power to provide essential services. Meanwhile, the confinement of people at home during COVID-19 saw the empty streets in most global cities result in pollution levels plummeting, yielding 3 About us blue skies and fresh air in many countries for the first time in years. Concurrently, the average household energy usage spiked causing major concerns about ongoing energy affordability, while oil markets 4 Our leadership team crashed due to geopolitical conflict to provide the cheapest petrol prices in over a decade. 6 Initiatives At face value, this scenario is chaotic. It presents a series of events that could not have been readily predicted. Nonetheless, it provides a timely reminder of the intrinsic volatility that people are exposed to 12 Research during major world crises. In such events, access to energy, whether it is in the form of electricity or a fuel, is an essential service to ensure the wellbeing of our people and continuing operation of our businesses, transport and industry sectors. However, not all energy vectors are created equal. The intrinsic link 20 ARC Centres between energy, health, environment and society, suggests that these must be considered in unison. For that reason, developing a global energy system that can respond to unfolding uncertainties, while also 22 Facilities decarbonising our energy vectors is one of the greatest challenges that we as a humanity face. 25 Energy researchers Researchers from across Monash University are working to solve this challenge. The Australian Research Council funded Centres of Excellence in Exciton Science (ACEx), Future Low-Energy Electronic Technologies (FLEET) and Electromaterial Science (ACES), and the ARC Research Hub for Energy- efficient Separation (EESEP) demonstrate our world leading capabilities in fundamental research and technical innovation. Meanwhile, the Emerging Technologies Research Lab brings to view our strength in social, cultural and experiential dimensions of design, use and futures in energy. Altogether, our energy community comprises over 170 experts from across Monash University. The Monash Energy Institute was established to build on this community and its strengths to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable energy future through impactful interdisciplinary research and education programs. The Institute has technical expertise across five thematic areas: materials and devices, energy resources, smart energy systems, markets and policy, and consumers. We are focussed on building research depth across each of these, while developing interdisciplinary programs and strong global partnerships to enable impact from our research. This is demonstrated through the numerous energy activities that we have enabled, including the Net Zero Initiative, Grid Innovation Hub, and the Woodside Monash Energy Partnership. The Monash Energy Profile introduces the Monash energy ecosystem, showcasing flagship programs and initiatives, while introducing our researchers who are passionately working to create a more sustainable energy future. Professor Jacek J. Jasieniak Director, Monash Energy Institute 2 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 1
ABOUT THE MONASH ENERGY INSTITUTE The Monash Energy Institute brings top minds in energy together to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable energy future through impactful interdisciplinary research and education programs for Monash University and its trusted partners. Monash Energy Institute builds on a community of over 170 researchers actively working in the broad field of energy and the Monash University’s world leading capabilities in areas such as economics, energy materials, and data science to deliver local and global impact. Monash Energy Institute has enabled the development of several key interdisciplinary initiatives including the United Nations Momentum for Change award winning Net Zero Initiative, the Grid Innovation Hub, RACE for 2030, and the Woodside Monash Energy Partnership. Trusted industry partnerships underpin Monash Energy Institute’s vision to bring people together to solve global energy problems. We welcome opportunities to discuss partnership pathways for interdisciplinary research, engagement with our vibrant student community, and professional development for industry professionals. 2 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 3
MONASH ENERGY INSTITUTE LEADERSHIP TEAM Professor Jacek Jasieniak Shreejan Pandey Professor Sarah Pink Director, Monash Energy Institute General Manager Associate Director Faculty of Engineering Monash Energy Institute Co-Theme Leader of Consumers Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture Faculty of Information Technology Associate Professor Yolande Strengers Professor Mainak Majumder Associate Professor Ariel Liebman Associate Director Associate Director Associate Director Co-Theme Leader of Consumers Theme Leader of Materials and Devices Theme Leader of Smart Energy Systems Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture Faculty of Engineering Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Information Technology Scott Ferraro Dr Roger Dargaville Associate Professor Guillaume Roger Buildings and Property Associate Director Associate Director Program Director Net Zero Initiative Theme Leader of Energy Resources Theme Leader of Markets and Policy Faculty of Engineering Faculty of Business and Economics 4 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 5
INITIATIVES NET ZERO INITIATIVE GRID INNOVATION HUB Monash was the first Australian university to commit The Grid Innovation Hub at Monash University is fostering to an energy reduction target and we’re proud to partnerships between industry and Monash University to be a leader in taking action on climate change by undertake high quality interdisciplinary research to address transitioning to a 100% renewably powered future, increasingly complex challenges faced by the Australian removing carbon emissions from our Australian energy sector. campuses by 2030. Our strategy encompasses five key pillars: energy efficiency measures, campus The program brings together industry, innovators, and electrification, deployment of on-site and off-site researchers to explore the following overarching questions renewable energy, building Net Zero ready buildings in the following three key areas. and an onsite sustainable Microgrid, and addressing our residual emissions through offsetting. National Energy Systems How can the system be planned for economic efficiency, Net Zero Precincts reliability and security on the way towards 100% An ambitious opportunity to develop a research, renewables? education and training program using the Net Zero Initiative and Monash Technology Precinct How do you (we) manage the operation of the bulk energy as a living lab to generate transformative solutions system with large penetration of variable renewables and accelerating the decarbonisation of our securely? urban energy systems. We will develop and test a coordinated transition approach for decarbonising Regional and Local Energy Systems our cities starting at the precinct level through smart energy systems, net zero mobility and How do you (we) integrate new digital technologies, small liveable built environments. The Net Zero Precincts scale storage while absorbing large amounts for rooftop program will utilise interdisciplinary research to solar energy with existing investment? support industry transformation that brings together Monash’s capabilities across technological, financial, What is the mix of grid-side and customer side behavioural and policy changes. technologies needed in the distribution grid and how do you formulate policies and markets to economically adapt these grids to the rapid investments by customers in 2018 Momentum for Change Lighthouse award storage and distrubuted energy resources (DER)? In 2015, at COP21, countries had to agree on the Paris Agreement guidelines for a fair and equitable Customers and their Energy Systems transition to a low carbon economy powered by renewable energy technologies. Monash was How can the electricity sector work collaboratively with awarded the Momentum for Change award in customers as they become empowered prosumers 2018 recognising our sustainability leadership enabled by the distributed energy revolution? status. The Net Zero Initiative is focusing on UN Sustainable Development Goal 7 (Affordable and What is the effect of customer choice and empowerment? Clean Energy), SDG11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG12 (Responsible Consumption For more information visit and Production) and SDG13 (Climate Action) and monash.edu/energy-institute/grid-innovation-hub SDG17 (Partnerships for the Goals). A living laboratory At the Monash Clayton campus, researchers are already tracking energy use behaviours of various stakeholders, learning how to optimise energy use and further reduce energy consumption through new dynamic control technologies and real time distributed energy-use visualisation systems. For more information visit monash.edu/net-zero-initiative 6 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 7
INITIATIVES RELIABLE AFFORDABLE CLEAN ENERGY WOODSIDE MONASH ENERGY PARTNERSHIP (RACE) FOR 2030 Woodside and Monash University have joined forces to develop innovative responses to real-world challenges Reliable Affordable Clean Energy (RACE) for 2030 is through a long-term research partnership. Launched in funded by the Australian Government Cooperative July 2019, the Woodside Monash Energy Partnership is a Research Centre (CRC) Program and will be led by natural extension of a successful relationship that began the University of Technology Sydney. It is the largest with Woodside FutureLab at Monash in 2016. CRC bid in the history of the CRC program. As a major research partnership between Monash Two of the grand challenges facing humans today University and Woodside Energy to progress energy are mitigating climate change and eradicating solutions for a lower carbon future, the research and poverty. One of the United Nations’ Sustainable development initiatives are aligned to the United Nations Development Goals is to ensure access to Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy leadership and novel technologies in the hydrogen value for all. RACE for 2030 CRC, record-breaking chain and carbon abatement. investment by the Federal Government, is an opportunity for our Monash researchers to work To deliver on the aspirations of the Woodside Monash on various energy-driven challenges to help the Energy Partnership, the research objectives are structured transition to a more sustainable future. into three focused research themes: New Energy Technologies, Carbon Capture, Conversion and Utilisation, A cross-disciplinary partnership between the and Energy Leadership. Faculty of Information Technology (IT), Faculty of Engineering, Monash Business School, the Spanning fundamental technical and non-technical Monash Grid Innovation Hub, Monash Sustainable research all the way through to pilot and demonstration Development Institute and the Monash Energy projects, the research objectives will deliver solutions for Institute, Monash University will be the lead Victorian a lower carbon ecosystem that is competitive with current research institution for the CRC, facilitating relevant markets, scalable for bulk energy transport, value-adding connections for partnering organisations and through the creation of carbon products, and able to industry to amplify Monash’s research impact in the integrate with energy policies to enable a successful energy sector. transition. Monash University will also play a crucial role in the By bringing together leading researchers and industry RACE for Networks research program, which is one from across Monash, and beyond, into a collaboration of the four research pillars of the CRC program, with Woodside expertise, the Woodside Monash Energy giving Monash a leading role in driving over $40 Partnership fosters an innovative approach to collaborative million of funding for energy networks related problem solving that will accelerate the energy transition. research projects. For more information visit For more information visit monash.edu/woodside racefor2030.net.au 8 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 9
INITIATIVES MONASH MICROGRID Monash is developing a Microgrid at the Clayton campus. The microgrid will receive and store energy from various renewable energy sources. A precinct scale microgrid platform is being developed as part of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) funded Smart Energy City project. This platform will enable control of distributed energy resources, including a minimum of 1 MW of solar panels, 20 buildings, electric vehicle charging stations and 1 MWh of energy storage. These assets will be monitored in real-time, optimised to ensure efficient and reliable supply of electricity and connected to a transactive market which will allow each building to buy and sell electricity, and optimise energy use in response to pricing signals. The microgrid will enable control of when and how to use our energy, to effectively reduce demand and strain on the network during peak times. It will also help stabilise the wider grid, making it more resilient. This will benefit the broader community, especially during extreme weather events. 10 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 11
RESEARCH MATERIALS AND DEVICES Graphene is an exceptional two-dimensional material with superior electronic conductivity, flexibility and Monash University is a global leader in energy conversion strength, which may as well be the material of the materials and devices. future. Researchers from the ARC Research Hub on Graphene Enabled Industry Transformation are working Our researchers are working on a diversity of materials on graphene-based technologies and products can be which are sustainable and game changers in how we applied in many sectors including renewable energy, generate, store and use energy. These have developed biomedical, transport, construction, environmental in the key areas outlined below and are currently being remediation, defence and space industries – linking demonstrated through major research initiatives supported Monash University to the future that graphene will built. by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and industry. Electroactive materials Next-generation solar cells: Light and energy Research conducted at the ARC Centre of Excellence in interconversion materials Electromaterials (ACES) includes creating and optimising new materials for use in next-generation devices for Monash University has been working in the area of light energy applications, while considering the ethical and and energy interconversion materials including next- public policy implications of these technologies. ACES generation solar cells for over two decades. Our focus research teams are striving to construct complex 3D in this area of research has been on printable solar cell structures in which the spatial distribution of the functional technologies. Developing printable solar cells that possess elements can be controlled with implications in new comparable efficiencies and stabilities to that offered by processes for hydrogen and ammonia production. silicon, will provide a cost-effective solution to meet the world’s increasing power demands. Researchers at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science (ACEx) are Next-generation ultra-low energy technologies: investigating the possibilities of transforming light into Atomically thin and low dimensional materials energy and energy into light. In collaboration with industry, Led by Monash University, Australian and international academics are involved in innovative research to improve investigators at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Future solar energy technology, lighting and security systems. Low-Energy Electronics Technologies (FLEET) are working at the boundaries of what is possible in condensed matter Batteries and energy storage physics and nanotechnology to develop a new generation Drawing from over a decade of research on catalysts, of ultralow power devices. Research in topological ionic liquids, membranes and carbon-based materials, we materials, exciton superfluids, and light-transformed have developed a leading position in synthesis and scale- materials aims to create systems in which electrical up of energy storage materials and their technologies. current can flow with near-zero resistance. This will be The energy storage program at Monash University has at made possible by synthesising novel atomically-thin its heart developing next-generation batteries that could materials and developing nano-fabrication techniques to power the future: lithium-sulphur, silicon, and magnesium incorporate these materials into device structures. systems. We prioritise practical viability for our energy storage technologies by looking at sustainable source Energy-efficient separation processes of active materials, meeting the industrial criteria of Research conducted at the ARC Research Hub for Energy- scalability, and avenues of recycling and repurposing of efficient Separation aims to develop advanced separation used batteries and end-of-life solar cells. materials, innovative products and smart processes to reduce the energy consumption of separation processes Monash University’s graphene supercapacitor research which underpin Australian industry. The intended research has been transformative to the global and local energy outcomes will allow most of the Australian industry to communities, in which major breakthroughs have led to become more energy-efficient and cost-competitive in a high impact academic publications, foundational IP, and global economy. Other projects in this area include the the establishment of spin-offs such as SupraG Energy and development of multifunctional nanoparticle membranes, Ionic Industries. with a view to design intelligent membranes with multifunctionalities (ultrafast filtration and smart sensing) for use in energy and environmental industries. 12 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 13
RESEARCH SMART ENERGY SYSTEMS Sensor Networks Our research expertise spans areas including radio- Transport Cognitive buildings frequency identification (RFID), smart antennas for We are experimenting with research, design and mobile and satellite communications, electromagnetic The transport sector makes up close to a third of our energy consumption. The uncertainty in future oil implementation techniques in our Clayton campus to bring bandgap structure assisted radio frequency (RF) devices, a new level of intelligence and decision making capability and various forms of antennas. Our capability extends production and the long term need to transition away from carbon-emitting fuel sources has suggested that an to service occupants in buildings. This ‘living laboratory’ into processing data obtained from sensor networks approach enables our team to collect available data and user to visualise and interact with energy networks and alternative source to fuel our transport needs is imminent. feedback to enhance facilities and security management, applications. and to create comfortable spaces for students and staff Monash has one of the largest and broadest capabilities in transport infrastructure research in the world. Our while drastically reducing energy consumption. Artificial Intelligence and Optimisation leading capabilities are railway engineering and public The AI-based Discrete Optimisation research group is transport. We also have leading expertise in intelligent Cybersecurity, Cryptocurrency and Blockchain working on both targeted and generic solving techniques transport systems, traffic systems, road safety, industrial Monash research in cybersecurity, cryptocurrency and to address complex discrete optimisation problems, design in vehicles, transport modelling, light-weight blockchain has been supported by the Australian Research with the view to making optimisation technologies more metals for automotive and aerospace applications, Council (ARC), Data 61 and industry partners. Our widely accessible, across a range of applications. In logistics and supply chains, and aerodynamic testing of mission is to develop solutions to the security, privacy, particular, our team is focused on research that helps vehicles in our wind tunnel. reliability, trust, and performance issues of different system users (a) model and solve these problems more easily, (b) environments. Our cybersecurity lab at Monash University interrogate the system regarding the provided solution, Energy access has strong collaboration between academics, industries and (c) interactively re-optimise based on additional user and governments, both locally and internationally. Our information. In this way, it has a ‘human-in-the-loop’ Globally, close to 3 billion people are without access to clean cooking facilities and close to 1 billion without key areas of research include cryptography, blockchain, approach to Discrete Optimisation that makes our team cryptocurrency technology, big data security, privacy quite unique. electricity. The issue affects Indigenous communities in Australia and communities in emerging economies enhanced technology, trusted computing, IoT security, around the world. Our energy access group is working biometric security, and network security. Machine Learning to accelerate the uptake of sustainable energy Machine learning is the science behind big data, data access through international interdisciplinary research Energy Data Visualisation and Immersive Analytics mining, data science, and artificial intelligence. It enables partnerships between researchers and private, public, Our energy visualisation and immersive analysis research systems to learn from data, identify patterns, and make and not-for-profit organisations. Our capabilities include groups are interested in helping people to understand decisions with minimal human intervention. Over the governance, energy technologies, optimised grids, complex, interlinked data through visualisation. Our work last 10 years Machine Learning has grown to become visualisation of energy systems, participatory methods of to date has focused on the problem of finding high-quality a fundamental technology driving innovations: Self- engagement, and market systems for energy access. layout for network diagrams and human interaction with driving cars, Siri the iPhone personal assistant, Netflix technologies. Our group has been working with large movie recommendations, cancer diagnosis, discovery of interactive surfaces and augmented and virtual reality – to physics’ laws, and scientific progress. Our team covers help people perform data analysis. Association discovery, Bayesian methods, causal models, classification, deep learning, forecasting, images, natural language analytics, online learning and learning from non- stationary distributions, semi-supervised models, spatio- temporal, text and time series analytics. 14 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 15
RESEARCH MARKETS AND POLICY CONSUMERS • Policy • Emerging technologies • Regulation • Energy futures • Economics • Demand response • Transition • Decision making • Peer-to-peer trading and sharing Australian Electricity Market Initiative (AEMI) • Energy access and affordability, social justice AEMI aims at informing policymakers, assisting them in The world is facing an increasingly uncertain energy policy formulation and evaluating policy proposals using future, ushered in by climate change, population growth, rigorous economics analysis. decentralised power generation, new digitally-enabled lifestyles, and emerging technologies. In this context of AEMI works on uncertainty, it is urgent that research led by the social • market design sciences, design and behavioural sciences plays a central • the regulation of transmission and distribution assets role in formulating new approaches to understanding and • the industrial organisation of the electricity sector intervening in our energy futures. This means producing • the impact of new and emerging technologies such new knowledge and understandings of the socio- as renewables and large-scale storage. technical relations through which energy will be consumed in the future, and developing methods to ensure that our AEMI intersects with the Monash Energy Institute by energy futures are equitable, sustainable and support the working in some interdisciplinary manner with electrical growth of human health and wellbeing. engineers, computer scientists and storage specialists to better understand the physical characteristics of these technologies and design more appropriate pricing Emerging Technologies Research Lab mechanisms. We bring together social science and design research and intervention, through the work of the Energy Futures research programme in the Emerging Technologies Research Lab. The Future Grid Homes project identified residential consumer engagement strategies to encourage participation in demand-management and the adoption of emerging technologies related to the electricity grid. The Digital Energy Futures project develops new methodologies to create new energy future scenarios drawing on socio-technical concepts and theories to inform policy and planning. BehaviourWorks Our collaboration with BehaviourWorks enables us to connect behaviour change experts with practitioners, translate research evidence into practice, and foster business, and economic and social change, for a better energy future. 16 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 17
RESEARCH ENERGY RESOURCES Wind energy and fluid dynamics Gasification Understanding fluid flow can help us harness the power Research in this area includes the development of of wind energy via wind turbines, and also reduce energy catalytic gasification technologies for low-rank coal and losses associated with air movement around and in biomass, as well as gasification technologies for the the wake of gas turbines. Efficiency gains can also be use of low-rank coal char and biochar. In addition, the had in the transport sector, especially relating to heavy gasification of lignites and biomass, and the gasification vehicles. In countries like Australia where much freight is and pyrolysis of wastes for fuels and energy production transported by truck over very large distances, reducing are being investigated. drag can make significant fuel savings and dramatically reduce carbon emissions. Geothermal energy The extraction of heat from deep earth has been a Bio-conversion promising technology, but so far has proved too inefficient Bio-conversion can offer a broad range of renewable, to ne economically viable. Most approaches use water low-carbon energy services such as transport fuel like as the working fluid – heat is absorbed into the water biodiesel and bioethanol, and also biomass or biogas for when large quantities are pumped through the geothermal combustion in power stations for generating electricity. resource; but overall recovery of heat is low and significant In these processes, it is even possible to sequestering amounts water are not recovered. Current research is carbon dioxide, making bioenergy a net carbon sink. We investigating the use of CO2 as an alternative to water. have developed capabilities in second-generation biofuels with feedstocks based on municipal waste, microalgae Mining and biomass. Core expertise in this area includes catalytic conversion for fuels production and discovering/designing While mining for fossil fuels will be phased out, mining enzymes for specific and fast reactions as isolated bio- remains a critical industry for sourcing the raw materials catalysts. needed for the world’s economy, even for the materials to build the renewable energy infrastructure required to decarbonise the energy system. Research in mining Hydrogen includes investigating the potential to retrieve critical The uncertainty in future oil production and the long minerals from Australia’s base and precious metal mines term need to transition away from carbon-emitting fuel and mineral resources. Critical minerals are economically sources has sparked a global interest in a hydrogen- important and assessed as being at risk of supply fuelled economy. Our researchers have a long history in disruption, which would lead to significant economic, hydrogen production through electrolysis, photochemical environmental and/or social impacts. These minerals water splitting and brown coal gasification. In addition to are required for a range of applications including in hydrogen, Monash has a developing area of research in the production of renewable energy (e.g. rare earths, ammonia production. Ammonia can be considered as a tellurium). suitable carrier of hydrogen, as well as having a variety of important agricultural uses. CO2 capture, storage, and use Coal has long been the main energy source driving the social and economic development of Australia and meeting the energy needs of a growing world economy. However, when use for electricity generation, coal is a major carbon dioxide emissions source. We are working on drastically cutting the emissions from coal power stations by investigating improved methods for including advanced de-watering technologies, gasification processes, carbon capture technologies (both pre- and post-combustion), and chemical looping processes. 18 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 19
ARC CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE ACEX ACES FLEET The Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science (ACEx) At the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials The ARC Centre of Excellence in Future Low-Energy is funded by the Australian Research Council to bring Science (ACES), we turn our fundamental knowledge Electronics Technologies (FLEET) is developing electronic together researchers and industry to discover new ways of cutting-edge materials into the next generation of devices that operate at ultra-low energy, enabling to source and use energy. ‘smart devices’ for the benefit of the community. But revolutionary new technologies to drive future electronics what exactly does that mean? We think of a smart device and computing, while meeting society’s demand for We are a collaboration of the best researchers in Australia as a game-changing application, utilising the advanced reduced energy consumption. at the University of Melbourne, Monash University, RMIT, materials we make in our laboratories to create new health University of NSW and the University of Sydney. We work and energy solutions that improve people’s lives. FLEET is linking a highly interdisciplinary team of high- with our Industry Partners – Reserve Bank of Australia, profile Australian and international researchers in atomic CSIRO, Melbourne Centre of Nanofabrication and the Our Centre of Excellence incorporates collaborators from physics, condensed matter physics, materials science, Department of Defence: Defence Science & Technology across Australia and the world, known for their expertise electronics, nanofabrication, and atomically thin materials. Group – to transform our research into practice. in advanced materials and device fabrication. ACES is generating options for the future, with our researchers With over $40M investment from the ARC and We research better ways to manipulate the way light creating new knowledge to deal with some of the great contributing organisations, FLEET is poised to make energy is absorbed, transported and transformed in challenges of the 21st century. significant global impact in the electronics and energy advanced molecular materials to find innovative solutions sectors. By building strategic and strong partnerships with for renewable energy in solar energy conversion, energy- For more information visit Australian and international industry, research institutions efficient lighting and displays, and security labelling and electromaterials.edu.au and government, FLEET aims to build capacity for optical sensor platforms for defence. We are aiming for advanced electronics research in Australia and train the a future where all types of light transform into renewable workforce for the next generation of electronic materials energy. researchers and future semiconductor industry. For more information visit For more information visit excitonscience.com fleet.org.au 20 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 21
FACILITIES RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY FUTURE CONTROL ROOM The Renewable Energy Laboratory is a custom-built facility The Future Control Room (FCR) is a co-creation between the for the development of printed, thin-film solar cells from lab Monash Energy Institute, Grid Innovation Hub (GIH), the Faculty of to pre-commercial sizes. The facility integrates closely with IT, the Faculty of Engineering, and MIVP. CSIRO, the Australian Synchrotron, and Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication. CAVE2™ SOLAR FUELS LABORATORY The Monash CAVE2™ is an immersive hybrid 2D and 3D virtual reality environment. It allows researchers to visualise, manipulate The Solar Fuels Laboratory is focused on developing new and comprehend data such as engineering models and multi- materials that can generate hydrogen from water and be used in dimensional images across a range of size scales and simulations. next-generation fuel cells. The laboratory is supported by state- of-the-art facilities capable of synthesising, characterising and testing novel and existing photo-catalytic materials. MONASH CENTRE FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING (MCAM) DEEP EARTH ENERGY RESEARCH LABORATORY MCAM has world-leading expertise in all the light metals and houses the world’s latest equipment for 3D printing of This laboratory is investigating new techniques for extraction of components from metallic powders. deep earth energy resources using one of the world’s largest high-pressure, high-temperature testing chambers. MONASH WIND TUNNEL FACILITY (MWTF) LOW EMISSION COAL TECHNOLOGIES Open to industry partners, researchers and students, MWTF is LABORATORY the largest wind tunnel in the southern hemisphere. The facility enables aerodynamic and wind noise research and development. This laboratory is equipped to investigate improved methods for producing energy from brown coal through coal drying, coal gasification, production of concentrated CO2 streams, and simultaneous capture of CO2 and production of hydrogen. MONASH CENTRE FOR ELECTRON MICROSCOPY (MCEM) MCEM provides a world-leading suite of advanced electron microscopy techniques that can determine the composition, structure and bonding of materials down to the atomic scale. Such facilities underpin the development of new energy materials and devices. For more information visit monash.edu/energy-institute/facilities 22 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE
ENERGY RESEARCHERS AT MONASH This list is a selection of researchers’ profiles, which aims to showcase the breadth of capabilities in the field of energy at Monash University, based on the information available at the time of publication. Profiles are broadly grouped in areas of end use application including consumers, energy resources, fuels, markets and policy, materials and devices, and smart energy systems. 24 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 25
CONSUMERS Abby Wild Professor Daniel Prajogo Dr Darren Sharp Professor Diego Ramirez-lovering Professor Erte Xiao Associate Professor Gillian Oliver MONASH SUSTAINABLE FACULTY OF BUSINESS & ECONOMICS MONASH SUSTAINABLE FACULTY OF ART, FACULTY OF BUSINESS & ECONOMICS FACULTY OF DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BEHAVIOURWORKS AUSTRALIA ARCHITECTURE HUMAN CENTRED COMPUTING (HCC) E: daniel.prajogo@monash.edu E: darren.sharp@monash.edu E: erte.xiao@monash.edu E: abby.wild@monash.edu E: diego.ramirez@monash.edu E: gillian.oliver@monash.edu Abby Wild has a diverse career in Professor Daniel Prajogo research Dr Darren Sharp is a Research Professor Diego Ramirez-lovering’s Professor Erte Xiao’s research applies Associate Professor Gillian Oliver research and consulting that has interest areas are mainly focused on Fellow at the Monash Sustainable research examines the contributory experimental methods to understand leads the Digital Equity research and spanned the US, the UK, Singapore quality, operations, supply chain, and Development Institute where he is role that design, and design thinking how incentives and social norms teaching group. Her research interests and Australia, Abby has conducted innovation management. He has over Research Coordinator of the Net can play in addressing the significant influence economic behavior. Before centre on information culture, the research, program evaluation and 100 publications, including journal Zero Precincts program and Chief challenges facing contemporary joining Monash University, she was an influences of values and behaviours communications work across a range articles, conference papers, edited Investigator of the Water-Energy- urban environments, climate change, assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon on the ways that information is of projects and clients. She has a research books, book chapters, and Food Nexus project. Darren is a resource limitations and rapid University and a post-doctoral fellow managed in organisational settings. strong working practice of quantitative industry reports. He was listed as sustainability transitions researcher population growth with a key focus at the University of Pennsylvania. She is co-author of Records and qualitative methods and one of the top 25 SCM scholars in interested in urban experimentation, on the Global South and through Management and Information Culture: extensive experience with surveys, Asia by a research paper published grassroots innovation and the sharing a lens of planetary health. Diego is Expertise Tackling the People Problem (Facet, interviewing and facilitating focus in International Journal of Production economy. He co-led a living lab in the director of the Informal Cities Behavioural/experimental, applied 2014) and Digital Curation, 2nd ed groups. Abby has an undergraduate Economics. In his research, he has Melbourne that used action research Lab (ICL). The Lab undertakes micro (ALA, 2016) and Co-editor in Chief of degree in neuroscience and history built collaborations with international to empower local residents to design-based research exploring the Archival Science. from Harvard (USA). She obtained academics, and industry associations reduce their carbon emissions at an conditions of informality in developing an M.Phil. in Criminological Research in Australia which have funded the individual, household and community cities with specific focus on the Expertise at Cambridge University (UK). Abby research projects, including Joint level. Darren’s research speaks to Asia-Pacific. ICL research – designed Organisational and social informatics, returned to Cambridge on a Gates Accreditation System of Australia and the possibilities of social learning, and conducted in collaboration with information culture, values and Scholarship for her PhD, which she is New Zealand (JAS-ANZ) and Institute institutional arrangements, community government and industry – strives behaviours currently completing. for Safety, Compensation, and agency and new urban imaginaries for impact, purposefully targeting Recovery Research (ISCRR). to drive the transformation of cities implementation at the intersection of Expertise towards sustainability. academic research and international Social inclusion, social connectedness Expertise development. and social disadvantage, prison Quality management, operations and Expertise sociology, narrative criminology and supply chain management, innovation Transition management, sustainability Expertise religious life in prisons, feminist theory, management, strategic management transitions, urban experimentation, Informal settlements, urban design, biophilic design, justice architecture grassroots innovation, the sharing affordable housing economy, living labs, action research, community economies 26 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 27
CONSUMERS Dr Jathan Sadowski Dr Jim Curtis Dr Julia Meis-Harris Dr Kari Dahlgren Dr Larissa Nicholls Dr Larry Stillman FACULTY OF MONASH SUSTAINABLE MONASH SUSTAINABLE FACULTY OF FACULTY OF FACULTY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HUMAN CENTRED COMPUTING (HCC) BEHAVIOURWORKS AUSTRALIA BEHAVIOURWORKS AUSTRALIA HUMAN CENTRED COMPUTING (HCC) HUMAN CENTRED COMPUTING (HCC) HUMAN CENTRED COMPUTING (HCC) E: Jathan.Sadowski@monash.edu E: james.curtis@monash.edu E: julia.meis@monash.edu E: kari.dahlgren@monash.edu E: larissa.nicholls@monash.edu E: larry.stillman@monash.edu Dr Jathan Sadowski is a research Dr Jim Curtis’ research focuses Dr Julia Meis-Harris’ research interests Dr Kari Dahlgren is a Research Dr Larissa Nicholls’ human- Dr Larry Stillman’s research interests fellow in the Emerging Technologies on gaining an intimate, theoretical, lie in the area of environmental and Fellow in the Emerging Technologies computer interaction research include community informatics and Research Lab. His work focuses and applied understanding of the social psychology, environmentally Research Lab working on the Digital includes smart home, distributed development informatics in urban on the political economy and influences impacting on the behaviour sustainable behaviour and climate Energy Futures Project. Kari is a social electricity generation, and other digital or rural settings in Australia and the social impacts of digital systems. of a range of target audiences, change, and consumer behaviour and anthropologist and ethnographer technologies. Her applied research Global South. He has conducted He is interested in understanding leading and collaborating on teams the influence of economic inequality interested in the social and ethical projects involve in-home ethnographic research with the Council for Scientific the interests and imperatives that across over 80 projects. Jim has on prejudice toward immigrants. aspects of energy production and research to explore interactions and Industrial Research, South Africa, influence how technologies are acquired an intimate understanding During her PhD she worked on consumption in Australia. between energy (technologies, usage, on the development of internet kiosks designed and why they are used. of how the public sector interacts various behaviour change projects pricing, communications) and social, for poor urban and rural communities with research, working with multiple in cooperation with BWA as well as Expertise physical and financial wellbeing. in Africa, and has been closed Expertise government partners in Victoria and other entities, such as the review of Energy Futures, digital technologies, Larissa specialises in bringing involved with the PROTIC project Smart technology, digital technology, New South Wales. He has witnessed innovative P-Turn intersections for mining, ethnography deeper understandings of household with Oxfam in Bangladesh since automation, data and society, political and experienced the different ways VicRoads and a review of energy use practices and concerns into Australia’s 2014. This project is concerned with economy, inequality, urban geography, that research can be applied to inform and sustainable housing practices for ongoing policy debates about the social well-being of marginalised social theory program design and policy shifts, the NSW Office of Environment and energy affordability, sustainability communities (farmers, fisherfolk, and is committed to applying these Heritage. She is particularly interested and reliability. The impacts of energy the urban underclass) and their use learnings. in the drivers of various environmental policy and emerging technologies of mobile technology for income and pro-social behaviours that impact for vulnerable and disadvantaged generation and community wellbeing Expertise everyday life. households are a key research focus. in response to grand environmental Behaviour change, psychology, Her industry research supports and economic challenges. He environment and sustainability, Expertise consumer advocacy and energy favours qualitative and engaged environment, policy, management Consumer behaviour change, organisation decision-making towards social-technical research, and the consumer psychology, inequality better outcomes for households. transmission of research knowledge to local partners. Expertise Energy futures, demand-side Expertise mangement, smart home, smart Community and development grid, digital sociology, digital informatics, tools for change in technologies, emerging technologies, ngos, information and knowledge disadvantaged and diversity management, qualitative methodologies 28 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 29
CONSUMERS Associate Professor Peter Bragge Dr Rob Brimblecombe Professor Sarah Pink Dr Shirui Pan Dr Xin Ma Associate Professor Yolande Strengers MONASH SUSTAINABLE MONASH CLIMATE CHANGE FACULTY OF ART, FACULTY OF FACULTY OF BUSINESS & ECONOMICS DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE COMMUNICATION RESEARCH HUB DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT FACULTY OF BEHAVIOURWORKS AUSTRALIA ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES LAB DATA SCIENCE AND AI INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY E: xin.ma@monash.edu HUMAN CENTRED COMPUTING (HCC) E: peter.bragge@monash.edu E: rob.brimblecombe@monash.edu E: sarah.pink@monash.edu E: shirui.pan@monash.edu E: yolande.strengers@monash.edu Associate Professor Peter Bragge Dr Rob Brimblecombe leads Professor Sarah Pink is the Director of Dr Shirui Pan received a PhD degree Dr Xin Ma’s research interests Associate Professor Yolande specialises in translating research the University’s Engineering and the Emerging Technologies Research in data science from UTS, NSW, include sustainable operations Strengers is a digital sociologist and evidence into practice and policy to Sustainability team, including the Lab at Monash. She is a world Australia. He then worked as a management, energy management, human-computer interaction scholar address challenges faced in health development and delivery of the leading Design Anthropologist, known Research Fellow (from Aug 2015 to revenue management, game theory, investigating the sustainability and and sustainable development. This Net Zero Emissions Initiative and for her development of innovative June 2018) at the Centre for Artificial and health care management. gender effects of digital, emerging involves identifying, appraising operational Circular Economy digital, visual and sensory research Intelligence (CAI), School of Software, His publications have appeared and smart technologies. At Monash, and cataloguing research Strategy. Over the last ten years he and dissemination methodologies, UTS. Prior to Monash, Shirui Pan in journals such as Decision she leads the energy futures theme in evidence, exploring the practice has directed the University’s Energy which she engages in interdisciplinary was a Lecturer and a Chancellor’s Sciences, European Journal of the Emerging Technologies Research context through consultation with management and procurement projects with design, engineering Postdoc Research Fellow at University Operational Research, International Lab, which undertakes critical practitioners and policymakers, and activities, lectured in building science and creative practice disciplines to of Technology Sydney (UTS). To Journal of Production Economics, interdisciplinary and international consulting on intervention design and renewable energy systems, engage with contemporary issues date, Dr Pan has published over 50 International Journal of Production research into the social, cultural and and implementation. As Director of supervised applied research projects and challenges. She has over 20 research papers in top-tier journals Research, Computers & Operations experiential dimensions of the design, Health Programs for BehaviourWorks in sustainable development and years experiences of working with and conferences, including the IEEE Research, Journal of Cleaner use and futures of new and emerging Australia, Peter manages partnerships co-authored the book ‘Positive academic and industry research Transactions on Neural Networks Production, and IEEE Transactions technologies. Yolande works with with a number of government and Energy Homes’. He has a PhD in partners internationally and frequently and Learning Systems (TNNLS), IEEE on Engineering Management. Before qualitative and digital ethnographic other agencies. Peter also leads Photo-electrolysis (solar hydrogen) gives keynote and public lectures in Transactions on Knowledge and Data joining Monash he was Lecturer of methods, theories of social practice Monash Sustainable Development and before taking up his position academic and business environments Engineering (TKDE), IEEE Transactions Engineering Management (Education and techno-feminism to understand Institute’s collaboration with McMaster a Monash, completed a Fulbright internationally. She has published on Cybernetics (TCYB), ICDE, AAAI, and Research) at the College of how people use new technologies. University in Canada to build Social Fellowship at Princeton University numerous academic books, peer IJCAI, ICDM, SDM, PAKDD. Engineering, and Mathematics and Systems Evidence – the world’s and a postgraduate fellowship and referred journal articles and book Physical Sciences at University of Expertise largest evidence resource for the Monash University, with publications chapters. Expertise Exeter. Sustainability and gender effects Sustainable Development Goals. in leading peer reviewed journals. Machine learning and energy time of digital, emerging and smart Expertise series forecasting Expertise technologies Expertise Expertise Emerging intelligent technologies, Energy and low-carbon management, Evidence-based policy and practice, Photo-electrolysis, renewable energy automation, data, digital futures, supply chain and sustainable behaviour change systems, building science safety and design for wellbeing operations management, pricing and revenue management 30 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 31
ENERGY RESOURCES Professor Abdelmalek Bouazza Associate Professor Professor Alan Chaffee Dr Alexandr N Simonov Associate Professor Dr Asadul Haque Akshat Tanksale Andrew Hoadley FACULTY OF ENGINEERING FACULTY OF SCIENCE FACULTY OF SCIENCE FACULTY OF ENGINEERING CIVIL ENGINEERING FACULTY OF ENGINEERING SCHOOL OF CHEMISTRY SCHOOL OF CHEMISTRY FACULTY OF ENGINEERING CIVIL ENGINEERING CHEMICAL ENGINEERING CHEMICAL ENGINEERING E: malek.bouazza@monash.edu E: alan.chaffee@monash.edu E: alexandr.simonov@monash.edu E: asadul.haque@monash.edu E: akshat.tanksale@monash.edu E: andrew.hoadley@monash.edu Professor Abdelmalek Bouazza Associate Professor Akshat Tanksale Professor Alan Chaffee’s research Dr Alexandr Simonov leads a Solar Associate Professor Andrew Hoadley Dr Asadul Haque has been has an international reputation leads the Catalysis for Green embraces investigating ways of Fuels group who undertake research is passionate about designing conducting research in two major for research in geosynthetics and Chemicals group where his interest more efficient uses of coal and how in the sustainable synthesis of green processing plants for better areas: critical infrastructure and environmental geotechnics. His is in the field of heterogeneous carbon dioxide emissions can be best fuels – hydrogen and ammonia, environmental performance. He is carbon-sequestration. His work on research has been recognised by a catalysis for conversion of CO2 and controlled. He is also investigating from renewables. The group brings particularly interested in assisting biochar carbon sequestration in soils number of awards including, recently, biomass into fuels and chemicals developing renewable fuels to together specialists in chemistry, with the reduction in carbon footprint and protecting infrastructure in acid the 2018 International Geosynthetics using nanomaterials. He has recently replace coal and the concern about materials science and engineering of chemical and energy systems sulphate soils (ASS) are of significant Society Award. Professor Bouazza been appointed the Theme Leader for environmental consequences of using who aim to design high-performance through better integration and the contributions. He is the recipient is very prominent in technical and the Carbon Capture, Conversion and coal. Victoria has an abundance of electromaterials for emerging use of renewable energy. He is also of many industry and national professional society activities and Utilisation Theme of the Woodside brown coal and with the support of photovoltaic and electrocatalytic an active researcher in the fields of competitive grants and has published serves on a number of international Monash Energy Partnership. a Research Leader Fellowship from applications and understand the dewatering and steam drying, and more than 85 papers. Dr Haque technical committees. Currently, He believes that innovating new Brown Coal Innovation Australia, Alan mechanisms of their operation. One related to these areas, he is interested worked as the Director of Teaching he is the Chair of the International processes and designing novel is seeking new uses for this ‘massive of key features of their research in the upgrading of waste materials, of Civil Engineering (2014-2015) Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical heterogeneous catalysts at the resource’ and improved ways of is the development of the in situ industrial ecology and sustainability. and provided leadership to develop Engineering (ISSMGE) Technical nanoscale is the key for developing dealing with it. This includes obtaining and operando methods for the He is an active member of the quality learning and teaching practices Committee TC 215 on Environmental low carbon emission alternative fuels chemicals from coal, and finding characterisation of electromaterials in Education Special Interest Group of through development of new policies Geotechnics and the Secretary and chemicals. Recent achievements methods of extracting the moisture action. The group actively interacts the Institution of Chemical Engineers. and procedures. He is the program of ISSMGE TC308 on Energy from A/Prof Tanksale’s research that don’t themselves use high levels with the emerging and established leader of the off-campus master Geotechnics. group include conversion of CO2 into of energy. Australian companies within the Expertise of infrastructure engineering and diesel range liquid fuels using novel renewable energy sector. Carbon capture and utilisation, management program at Monash. Expertise metal organic framework catalysts. Expertise dewatering processes, multi-objective Geothermal systems Using this technology CO2 and green Lignite-water interactions, mechanical Expertise optimisation, process plant design Expertise H2 from water electrolysis can be thermal expression Electrocatalysis, electromaterials, and renewable energy integration Geo-materials, X-ray, CT imaging, combined to make renewable fuels photovoltaics, renewable hydrogen, carbon sequestration with zero net carbon emission. renewable ammonia Expertise Biofuels, catalysis, hydrogen production and storage 32 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 33
ENERGY RESOURCES Associate Professor Dr Daniel Edgington-Mitchell Graham Palmer Professor Gregory Sheard Dr Ha Hong Bui Professor Hugh Blackburn Chris Greening FACULTY OF ENGINEERING FACULTY OF ENGINEERING FACULTY OF ENGINEERING FACULTY OF ENGINEERING FACULTY OF ENGINEERING SCHOOL OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE CIVIL ENGINEERING MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE MICROBIOLOGY ENGINEERING ENGINEERING ENGINEERING ENGINEERING E: ha.bui@monash.edu E: chris.greening@monash.edu E: daniel.mitchell@monash.edu E: graham.palmer@monash.edu E: greg.sheard@monash.edu E: hugh.blackburn@monash.edu Associate Professor Chris Greening Dr Daniel Edgington-Mitchell works Dr Graham Palmer is a researcher Professor Greg Sheard leads a Dr Ha Bui’s major research interests Professor Hugh Blackburn’s principal uses his understanding of microbial as a researcher in the Laboratory for with an industry background as research team specialising in high- are in the areas of computational research area is the physics of energetics to tackle key problems Turbulence Research in Aerospace an engineer and researcher in order computational methods for the mechanics and material modelling unsteady flows and associated in sustainable development and and Combustion. He received his manufacturing, HVAC and electronics. simulation and analysis of fluid flow with particular focus on large computational methods. He is a planetary health. Following an undergraduate degrees in Mechanical He has published in the area of and heat transfer. His work seeks to deformation and failure of Fellow of the Institution of Engineers undergraduate in Molecular and and Aerospace Engineering from biophysical economics, renewable explain how instability and turbulence geomaterials. He leads the Monash Australia and of the Australasian Cellular Biochemistry (University of Monash University in 2005. During energy, life-cycle analysis, and develop from smooth flows – so Computational Geomechanics (MCG) Fluid Mechanics Society. He holds Oxford, 2010), he completed a PhD his PhD, he undertook graduate energy-economic modelling. Graham critical to mixing and heat transport Lab. He worked as a Research Fellow a BE from UniSA and a PhD from focused on hydrogen metabolism in research in the High Temperature obtained his PhD in the area of – and the modifying roles played at the Department of Civil Engineering Monash, in the area of bluff body fluid mycobacteria (University of Otago, Gas Dynamics Laboratory at Stanford energy-return-on-investment (EROI). by buoyancy and electromagnetic at Ritsumeikan University. His mechanics. Prior to commencing 2014). His group researches the University under the auspices of His current research interests include forces on these phenomena. Current research focused on the development his PhD at Monash he worked as energetic processes that allow a Fulbright Fellowship from 2008- the future roles of energy storage interests include horizontal heat of advanced numerical methods to a consulting engineer for Kinhill bacteria to regulate greenhouse 2009. He was awarded his PhD from systems. transport in natural convection flows model large deformation and flow Engineers, and CSIRO where he gas cycling, maintain biodiversity in Monash University in 2013. modeling global ocean currents, and failure of geomaterials. carried out both fundamental and extreme environments, and cause Expertise the destabilisation of liquid metal flows applied research in fluid dynamics. infectious diseases. A key focus is Expertise Energy storage and conversion, under strong magnetic fields for viable Expertise hydrogen and methane metabolism. Aeroacoustics, fluid mechanics, high hydrogen production and storage heat extraction from future magnetic Computational mechanics, material Expertise He has published in leading journals speed propulsion, jet noise confinement fusion reactors. modelling with particular focus on Physics of unsteady flows and including Nature, and has been large deformation and failure of associated computational methods awarded fellowships from the CSIRO, Expertise geomaterials ARC, and NHMRC. Fluid mechanics, natural convection, heat transfer, magnetohydrodynamics, Expertise MHDQuasi-2D flows, flow stability, Bioenergetics, biohydrogen, microbial linear stability analysis, transient biochemistry, microbial genetics, growth, rotating flows, swirling flows, microbial ecology, greenhouse gases polar vortex instability, wake flows 34 MONASH ENERGY PROFILE MONASH ENERGY PROFILE 35
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