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
ARC Centre of Excellence for Carbon Science and Innovation. ARC Centre of Excellence for Carbon Science and Innovation. This Centre aims to develop carbon-based catalysts for clean energy, CO2 capture, and green chemistry to reduce emissions. The Centre expects to use pioneering data-guided atomic-precision synthesis and multiscale analysis to transform fundamental science of carbon materials. Expected outcomes of this Centre will benefit new technologies for energy, environmental, and green che ....ARC Centre of Excellence for Carbon Science and Innovation. ARC Centre of Excellence for Carbon Science and Innovation. This Centre aims to develop carbon-based catalysts for clean energy, CO2 capture, and green chemistry to reduce emissions. The Centre expects to use pioneering data-guided atomic-precision synthesis and multiscale analysis to transform fundamental science of carbon materials. Expected outcomes of this Centre will benefit new technologies for energy, environmental, and green chemical industries by utilising abundant sunlight, seawater, and waste feedstocks. This should provide significant benefits, through industry collaborations, our new world-leading capacity will train a next generation of game changers to empower emerging carbon industries to solve grand socio-economic challenges, ultimately meeting zero-carbon emissions targets.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR180100005
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,225,000.00
Summary
Remediation of PFAS contaminated soil using soil washing and immobilisation. This project aims to assess the applicability of soil washing and immobilisation as cost-effective techniques for the remediation of per- and poly-fluroalkyl substance (PFAS) contaminated Australian soils. The project expects to establish the efficacy of the remediation of a range of PFASs, including many polyfluorinated precursors of perfluorinated, chemically-persistent legacy pollutants which are of concern. The proj ....Remediation of PFAS contaminated soil using soil washing and immobilisation. This project aims to assess the applicability of soil washing and immobilisation as cost-effective techniques for the remediation of per- and poly-fluroalkyl substance (PFAS) contaminated Australian soils. The project expects to establish the efficacy of the remediation of a range of PFASs, including many polyfluorinated precursors of perfluorinated, chemically-persistent legacy pollutants which are of concern. The project will provide a scientific basis for understanding the benefits and limitations associated with soil washing and immobilisation techniques and a more comprehensive understanding of future liabilities associated with formation of PFASs from precursors remaining in remediated soils. Collaboration with stakeholders will ensure benefits are captured both commercially and environmentally, as well as removing a potential and on-going health threat to communities exposed to these contaminants.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100053
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$358,031.00
Summary
A national facility for the analysis of pyrogenic carbon. This project aims to develop a national facility for pyrogenic carbon analysis. Pyrogenic carbon is a poorly constrained, slow-cycling terrestrial carbon pool with significant carbon sequestration potential. The project expects to expand the newly developed hydrogen pyrolysis analytical capability to provide high throughput, robust measurement of the abundance and isotope composition of pyrogenic carbon in soils and sediments. This will p ....A national facility for the analysis of pyrogenic carbon. This project aims to develop a national facility for pyrogenic carbon analysis. Pyrogenic carbon is a poorly constrained, slow-cycling terrestrial carbon pool with significant carbon sequestration potential. The project expects to expand the newly developed hydrogen pyrolysis analytical capability to provide high throughput, robust measurement of the abundance and isotope composition of pyrogenic carbon in soils and sediments. This will provide significant benefit, such as the ability to make significant advances in areas as diverse as geochronology, archaeology, palaeoecology, soil science geomorphology and carbon cycle/sequestration science.Read moreRead less
Unravelling soil carbon response to warming in fire-affected ecosystems. This project aims to reveal the continental pattern of soil carbon (C) response to warming in fire-affected ecosystems across Australia and to unravel the biogeochemical mechanisms underlying fire’s role in shaping the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration. Fire has modified over 40% of the Earth’s land surface and wildfire frequency is predicted to increase under global warming. This project expects to generate new k ....Unravelling soil carbon response to warming in fire-affected ecosystems. This project aims to reveal the continental pattern of soil carbon (C) response to warming in fire-affected ecosystems across Australia and to unravel the biogeochemical mechanisms underlying fire’s role in shaping the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration. Fire has modified over 40% of the Earth’s land surface and wildfire frequency is predicted to increase under global warming. This project expects to generate new knowledge on how fire influences soil-to-atmosphere C fluxes in a warmer climate using a multi-disciplinary approach. Expected outcomes include an enhanced capacity to predict the terrestrial ecosystem-to-atmosphere C fluxes and their feedbacks to climate under increasing frequency of fire using Earth-system models. Read moreRead less
Optimal management of coastal ecosystems for blue carbon sequestration. Optimal management of coastal ecosystems for blue carbon sequestration. This project aims to develop decision tools to predict how different management plans could affect the persistence of coastal ecosystems and their capacity to sequester carbon. Coastal ‘blue carbon’ ecosystems (seagrasses, saltmarshes, mangroves) are among Earth’s most efficient carbon sinks, but coastal development and climate change threaten their capa ....Optimal management of coastal ecosystems for blue carbon sequestration. Optimal management of coastal ecosystems for blue carbon sequestration. This project aims to develop decision tools to predict how different management plans could affect the persistence of coastal ecosystems and their capacity to sequester carbon. Coastal ‘blue carbon’ ecosystems (seagrasses, saltmarshes, mangroves) are among Earth’s most efficient carbon sinks, but coastal development and climate change threaten their capacity to sequester carbon. Resource managers urgently need guidance to manage coasts to minimise carbon losses and maximise gains. This project is expected to develop knowledge of how to manage blue carbon ecosystems to achieve maximum carbon sequestration capacity, and to put Australia at the forefront of international efforts to incorporate coastal carbon within carbon dioxide mitigation strategies.Read moreRead less
Resolving the role of kelp in blue carbon cycles to enable management. We aim to uncover how kelp forests contribute to carbon storage, biodiversity enhancement and nutrient mitigation in Australia. We will combine mapping and modelling to identify local variation in kelp carbon stocks and sequestration potential and verify kelp carbon export to deep ocean sinks through genetic tracing in seawater and sediments. Co-benefits will be identified through nutrient experiments and reef surveys. We wil ....Resolving the role of kelp in blue carbon cycles to enable management. We aim to uncover how kelp forests contribute to carbon storage, biodiversity enhancement and nutrient mitigation in Australia. We will combine mapping and modelling to identify local variation in kelp carbon stocks and sequestration potential and verify kelp carbon export to deep ocean sinks through genetic tracing in seawater and sediments. Co-benefits will be identified through nutrient experiments and reef surveys. We will also assess the risk that calcification and production of halogenic gas within the kelp forest could offset its climate mitigation potential. Project outcomes will enable management to consider kelp ecosystem services broadly and optimize our capacity to meet current emission reduction and biodiversity commitments.Read moreRead less
Formation and stabilisation of coastal blue carbon. Blue carbon is organic carbon stored within coastal vegetated ecosystems. This project will examine the composition, formation and dynamics of blue carbon in a range of coastal ecosystems. Combining advanced analytical chemistry with environmental microbiology, we will discover how blue carbon is stabilised and destabilised, a critical factor in nature-based climate change mitigation strategies. Further, we will gain a quantitative understandin ....Formation and stabilisation of coastal blue carbon. Blue carbon is organic carbon stored within coastal vegetated ecosystems. This project will examine the composition, formation and dynamics of blue carbon in a range of coastal ecosystems. Combining advanced analytical chemistry with environmental microbiology, we will discover how blue carbon is stabilised and destabilised, a critical factor in nature-based climate change mitigation strategies. Further, we will gain a quantitative understanding of blue carbon contributions to carbon cycling, providing enhanced modeling and prediction of climate-cycle feedbacks in response to biotic and environmental change. This research will significantly benefit Australia’s effective management of coastal vegetated ecosystems for maximum carbon offsets.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH220100012
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,000,000.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Carbon Utilisation and Recycling. This Research Hub aims to develop technologies to transform carbon dioxide emissions from our energy and manufacturing sectors into valuable products and create pathways to market to drive industry transformation. This hub aims to achieve this by developing novel electro, thermo, and biochemical methods for converting CO2 from sectors that cannot easily avoid emissions and a technological pathway for CO2 recycling. The outcomes of this Hub a ....ARC Research Hub for Carbon Utilisation and Recycling. This Research Hub aims to develop technologies to transform carbon dioxide emissions from our energy and manufacturing sectors into valuable products and create pathways to market to drive industry transformation. This hub aims to achieve this by developing novel electro, thermo, and biochemical methods for converting CO2 from sectors that cannot easily avoid emissions and a technological pathway for CO2 recycling. The outcomes of this Hub are likely to be transformative for industry, the economy, and society in moving the fate of CO2 from pollutant to feedstock. The benefits to Australia are intended to be the stimulation of a new industry, a skilled workforce for this emerging industry and a contribution to meeting CO2 reduction targets.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100098
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$600,000.00
Summary
Advanced facility for next generation sustainable energy, biomedical & nano-imaging optical fibre technologies. Remote optical fibre technologies are the way forward for effective and safe monitoring of many industries, and will play a big part in the sustainability of Australia's core oil, gas and alternative energy sectors. They are equally important to health industry applications, particularly in medical and imaging technologies. This facility brings together world-class Australian expertise ....Advanced facility for next generation sustainable energy, biomedical & nano-imaging optical fibre technologies. Remote optical fibre technologies are the way forward for effective and safe monitoring of many industries, and will play a big part in the sustainability of Australia's core oil, gas and alternative energy sectors. They are equally important to health industry applications, particularly in medical and imaging technologies. This facility brings together world-class Australian expertise—from across nine universities—in advanced structured optical fibres, complex fibre diagnostic systems, nanoscale imaging, and environment monitoring, to design and implement the next generation of technologies that will reduce the impact of climate change through reduced energy consumption and vastly improved health diagnostics.Read moreRead less