Solar-driven massive hydrogen production from biomass and biomass/coal mixtures by supercritical water gasification. Cheap and massive hydrogen production from renewable resources is one of the key challenges to achieve a hydrogen economy that promises to ultimately solve critical problems, such as energy depletion and climate change. This project exactly falls into this research and development priority and will benefit Australian economy and environment.
Electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide to formic acid. This project aims to develop economical and scalable carbon dioxide electrochemical technologies to convert carbon dioxide in blast furnace flue gas to formic acid as a value-added product in steel-making plants. The project expects to develop new electrochemical catalysts, to optimise the structure of electrodes and ultimately improve carbon dioxide conversion efficiency and reaction selectivity towards formic acid. The expected outco ....Electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide to formic acid. This project aims to develop economical and scalable carbon dioxide electrochemical technologies to convert carbon dioxide in blast furnace flue gas to formic acid as a value-added product in steel-making plants. The project expects to develop new electrochemical catalysts, to optimise the structure of electrodes and ultimately improve carbon dioxide conversion efficiency and reaction selectivity towards formic acid. The expected outcomes of this project will provide an efficient and economically viable electrochemical technology to convert carbon dioxide to a valuable product such as formic acid or syngas, with the potential to significantly reduce the emission of carbon dioxide from steel-making processes and coal-fired power plants.Read moreRead less
Synthetic natural gas and biochar from biomass for energy services in remote communities and soil carbon sequestration. Resources, industry and rural communities, the backbone of Australian economy, are confronted by unprecedented challenges of carbon pollution reduction, land conservation and eco-sustainability to combat global climate change. This exciting, highly integrated and multidisciplinary project will develop a scientific basis and technological options for the resources industry and r ....Synthetic natural gas and biochar from biomass for energy services in remote communities and soil carbon sequestration. Resources, industry and rural communities, the backbone of Australian economy, are confronted by unprecedented challenges of carbon pollution reduction, land conservation and eco-sustainability to combat global climate change. This exciting, highly integrated and multidisciplinary project will develop a scientific basis and technological options for the resources industry and remote communities to respond to these challenges. The outcomes of this research will enable the deployment of renewable biomass energy technology, bio-char for carbon storage, and affect the restoration of marginal lands and salinity levels in an environmentally and economically sustainable way, thus contributing to the development of an environmentally sustainable Australia.Read moreRead less
Multiscale geomechanical modelling of basin-scale CO2 storage. This project aims to develop innovative geomechanical models that will provide rapid assessments of the potential for reservoir deformation, including induced seismicity, during geological storage of CO2. The main expected outcome is a multiscale modelling approach that will help to identify storage locations at low risk for deformation and CO2 leakage in regions of little existing geomechanical data. The project will elucidate the .... Multiscale geomechanical modelling of basin-scale CO2 storage. This project aims to develop innovative geomechanical models that will provide rapid assessments of the potential for reservoir deformation, including induced seismicity, during geological storage of CO2. The main expected outcome is a multiscale modelling approach that will help to identify storage locations at low risk for deformation and CO2 leakage in regions of little existing geomechanical data. The project will elucidate the technical and commercial viability of CO2 storage in Australia’s Cooper-Eromanga basins and provide broad economic and environmental benefits by reducing the geomechanical uncertainties that provide a barrier to the global need to upscale carbon capture and storage.Read moreRead less
Developing a novel carbon negative fertiliser . Food security is vital to support our growing population. However, our increasing reliance on intensive farming systems necessitates increased fertiliser use, leading to increased water pollution and soil degradation - threatening both the Australian environment and food security. Increasing carbon storage capacity by soil and decreasing fertiliser use are two of the primary pathways for restoring the bio-support capacity of soils and reducing farm ....Developing a novel carbon negative fertiliser . Food security is vital to support our growing population. However, our increasing reliance on intensive farming systems necessitates increased fertiliser use, leading to increased water pollution and soil degradation - threatening both the Australian environment and food security. Increasing carbon storage capacity by soil and decreasing fertiliser use are two of the primary pathways for restoring the bio-support capacity of soils and reducing farming footprints. This innovative and first-of-its-kind project aims to develop a cost-effective, carbon negative fertiliser that reduces fertiliser inputs and increases soil carbon storageRead moreRead less
A novel approach for chemical looping gasification of municipal solid waste. Conventional methods of municipal solid waste disposal, such as landfill and incineration, face strong community opposition because of their adverse environmental impacts. The proposed gasification process with its features, such as low energy demand, inexpensive manufacture, and simplicity, will offer an effective and alternative solution to the problem of municipal solid waste disposal. If deployed across the country, ....A novel approach for chemical looping gasification of municipal solid waste. Conventional methods of municipal solid waste disposal, such as landfill and incineration, face strong community opposition because of their adverse environmental impacts. The proposed gasification process with its features, such as low energy demand, inexpensive manufacture, and simplicity, will offer an effective and alternative solution to the problem of municipal solid waste disposal. If deployed across the country, the volume reduction of waste will be 5 million tonnes per year. The corresponding reduction in greenhouse gases will be 15 Mega tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent or 2.7 per cent of the net national emissions. About 9 Terra Watt hours of electricity (3 per cent of the national demand) can also be produced, generating $700 million per annum.Read moreRead less
Urban biochar: towards prescriptive biochar use for maximum economic productivity and sustainability benefits in urban environments. This project will develop a life cycle assessment of waste management options for green waste and biosolids based on a clear understanding of productivity benefits of urban biochar application to high value production systems.
Anticipating closure of bauxite refineries in Western Australia: the water quality implications of a proposed new design in residue storage areas. Refining bauxite is a major industrial activity in Australia, with economic benefits and a high potential for environmental impact. Many bauxite refineries are sited in rural areas. Community interests are given high priority in developing strategies for long-term storage of residue. These community interests include minimal impact on farmland, water, ....Anticipating closure of bauxite refineries in Western Australia: the water quality implications of a proposed new design in residue storage areas. Refining bauxite is a major industrial activity in Australia, with economic benefits and a high potential for environmental impact. Many bauxite refineries are sited in rural areas. Community interests are given high priority in developing strategies for long-term storage of residue. These community interests include minimal impact on farmland, water, health and natural ecosystems. Some of the refinery residue can be re-used in applications such as road construction, thus reducing the need to find other materials for this purpose. This project will investigate new residue management practices which could lead to better ways of establishing a sustainable vegetation cover and avoiding the impact of drainage water on the environment.Read moreRead less
Below-ground processes: filling the missing gap in predicting the response of grain production to elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) in southern Australia. Climate change is expected to have major impacts on the Australian grains industry, which is worth $7 billion annually. Although increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) are expected to initially increase plant productivity, the realisation of these productivity benefits is expected to be limited by water and/or nutrient deficiencies. Given o ....Below-ground processes: filling the missing gap in predicting the response of grain production to elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) in southern Australia. Climate change is expected to have major impacts on the Australian grains industry, which is worth $7 billion annually. Although increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) are expected to initially increase plant productivity, the realisation of these productivity benefits is expected to be limited by water and/or nutrient deficiencies. Given our low rainfall and infertile soils, there is considerable uncertainty about the applicability of overseas data used to model how Australian grain systems will respond to climate change (especially elevated CO2). This project will lead to better predictions of the impact of climate change on Australian grain systems so that appropriate adaptation responses can be developed by government and industry.Read moreRead less
Phytoextraction approaches for mitigating heavy metal release from unlined and loosely capped rural landfills. Australian rural landfills are used for storing hazardous wastes which contain toxic metals. Impermeable clay caps are often utilized to encapsulate these wastes and prevent release of pollutants into the environment. The integrity of these caps is crucial and requires constant care. The project aims to develop novel approaches which will improve substantially the long-term environmenta ....Phytoextraction approaches for mitigating heavy metal release from unlined and loosely capped rural landfills. Australian rural landfills are used for storing hazardous wastes which contain toxic metals. Impermeable clay caps are often utilized to encapsulate these wastes and prevent release of pollutants into the environment. The integrity of these caps is crucial and requires constant care. The project aims to develop novel approaches which will improve substantially the long-term environmental safety of rural landfills and deliver additional economic benefits. These approaches involve the use of high-value tree crops and plants capable of extracting toxic metals. Utilization of these plants will create a valuable resource on an otherwise derelict area and this will be of considerable local/regional benefit and national significance.Read moreRead less