Design of hollow nanoparticles of titania for the sustainable production of hydrogen from water using sunlight. Hydrogen is a clean and non-polluting fuel that is the natural and sustainable replacement for greenhouse gas emitting fossil fuels. Because of its abundant sunlight and vast titanium reserves (the world's largest) Australia is especially well-placed to develop the technology of producing hydrogen directly from water and sunlight using a titanium dioxide photo-anode. This research, whi ....Design of hollow nanoparticles of titania for the sustainable production of hydrogen from water using sunlight. Hydrogen is a clean and non-polluting fuel that is the natural and sustainable replacement for greenhouse gas emitting fossil fuels. Because of its abundant sunlight and vast titanium reserves (the world's largest) Australia is especially well-placed to develop the technology of producing hydrogen directly from water and sunlight using a titanium dioxide photo-anode. This research, which consists of computational and experimental parts, is focused on laying the scientific foundation for that technology to be commercially viable. The national and community benefits are the availability of an inexpensive, limitless and clean fuel, reduction in reliance on energy imports, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and resultant global warming.Read moreRead less
Computational design of titanium dioxide-based ceramics for the renewable energy technology platform: Solar-Hydrogen. Hydrogen is a clean non-polluting fuel. Production of hydrogen (Solar-Hydrogen) directly from water and sunlight is a very appealing renewable energy technology. The key requirement to allow this technology to be adopted is finding an electrically suitable material. This research program takes an innovative approach by combining state of the art computational techniques to engine ....Computational design of titanium dioxide-based ceramics for the renewable energy technology platform: Solar-Hydrogen. Hydrogen is a clean non-polluting fuel. Production of hydrogen (Solar-Hydrogen) directly from water and sunlight is a very appealing renewable energy technology. The key requirement to allow this technology to be adopted is finding an electrically suitable material. This research program takes an innovative approach by combining state of the art computational techniques to engineer advanced ceramics having sophisticated electrical signatures. These ceramics will be synthesized in a partner experimental program to gauge their efficiencies for hydrogen production. The program will provide the foundation for a renewable energy technology that will provide clean energy and energy independence for Australia.Read moreRead less
Supercritical Highly-Integrated and Modular, Continuous Solid-Catalysed Biodiesel Production from Plant and Animal Feedstocks. We propose to revolutionise biodiesel production by creating a new reactor type and associated process that allows the production of 160,000 tonnes of biodiesel a year in a supercritical reactor volume of one cubic metre after scale-up. In this project, we propose to design the appropriate catalysts and pilot plant to study our ideas which should lead to a highly effici ....Supercritical Highly-Integrated and Modular, Continuous Solid-Catalysed Biodiesel Production from Plant and Animal Feedstocks. We propose to revolutionise biodiesel production by creating a new reactor type and associated process that allows the production of 160,000 tonnes of biodiesel a year in a supercritical reactor volume of one cubic metre after scale-up. In this project, we propose to design the appropriate catalysts and pilot plant to study our ideas which should lead to a highly efficient and sustainable system that offers a real alternative to current mineral oil-based technologies.Read moreRead less
Medium voltage DC: Enabling active, flexible and efficient power networks. Medium voltage DC (MVDC) systems promise to offer the required flexibility in next generation active electricity networks to enable higher renewable energy integration, take advantage of more readily available energy storage, and manifest simpler control and operation. The intended outcome of the Project is to address the challenge of developing MVDC networks via an integrated and cohesive approach, from the initial desig ....Medium voltage DC: Enabling active, flexible and efficient power networks. Medium voltage DC (MVDC) systems promise to offer the required flexibility in next generation active electricity networks to enable higher renewable energy integration, take advantage of more readily available energy storage, and manifest simpler control and operation. The intended outcome of the Project is to address the challenge of developing MVDC networks via an integrated and cohesive approach, from the initial design of the individual power electronics converters, right up to network design and "system of systems" implementation. The outcomes of the Project will provide clear pathways and solutions for new topologies, facilitating Australia’s and the world’s transition to next generation electricity infrastructure.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC210100021
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,000,000.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre in Energy Technologies for Future Grids. The proposed Future Grids Training Centre will advance Australia’s transition to a clean energy future. It will address the complex and challenging issues currently limiting the growth of renewable energy through innovations that facilitate widespread integration of these resources into electricity grids while maintaining grid stability. The Centre will deliver the next generation of industry leaders and specialists in future grid tech ....ARC Training Centre in Energy Technologies for Future Grids. The proposed Future Grids Training Centre will advance Australia’s transition to a clean energy future. It will address the complex and challenging issues currently limiting the growth of renewable energy through innovations that facilitate widespread integration of these resources into electricity grids while maintaining grid stability. The Centre will deliver the next generation of industry leaders and specialists in future grid technologies for renewable energy generation, transmission and distribution, supported by renewable hydrogen energy storage and market driven customer responsiveness enabled by new information and communications technologies, to provide a more sustainable, reliable, secure and affordable electricity system.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220101277
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$427,600.00
Summary
Temporal-Spatial Data Analytics for Stochastic Power System Stability. The modern power system is evolving towards a renewable-energy dominated, digitalized "data-intensive" system, where enormous data are measured in multiple timescales, different locations, and in diverse structures. This project will develop a novel data-driven framework for power system stability analysis. This project will deliver new knowledge about instability phenomena and mechanism of power systems with high-level renew ....Temporal-Spatial Data Analytics for Stochastic Power System Stability. The modern power system is evolving towards a renewable-energy dominated, digitalized "data-intensive" system, where enormous data are measured in multiple timescales, different locations, and in diverse structures. This project will develop a novel data-driven framework for power system stability analysis. This project will deliver new knowledge about instability phenomena and mechanism of power systems with high-level renewable energies, faster-than-real-time system instability risk detection, and rule-based stability control. These research outcomes will form the basis of an innovative theoretical foundation to guide new technologies for power utilities for stability assessment and enhancement in the digitalized era.Read moreRead less
Hydrogen storage materials for energy conversion applications. For a clean environment, the ideal synthetic fuel is hydrogen because it is lightweight, highly abundant and its oxidation product (water) is environmentally benign. However, the effective storage of hydrogen remains a scientific challenge. This project aims to develop innovative materials with high hydrogen storage capacity and long cycle life, including new composite hydrides, catalysed metal hydrides and various nanotubes. The exp ....Hydrogen storage materials for energy conversion applications. For a clean environment, the ideal synthetic fuel is hydrogen because it is lightweight, highly abundant and its oxidation product (water) is environmentally benign. However, the effective storage of hydrogen remains a scientific challenge. This project aims to develop innovative materials with high hydrogen storage capacity and long cycle life, including new composite hydrides, catalysed metal hydrides and various nanotubes. The expected outcome is the achievement of high reversible hydrogen storage capacity to meet all the demands required for energy conversion applications, in particular, for hydrogen storage/fuel-cell vehicular applications.Read moreRead less
Advanced Nanostructured Ceramic Composites for Ultracapacitors. The global climate changes and the related disastrous events such as heat flows, bushfires, and flooding will endanger the Australian population and our natural environment. The implementation of effective devices and technologies to reduce our carbon footprint is a priority task. The project addresses the issue by development of new ultracapacitor materials for next generation green energy storage devices through engineering and im ....Advanced Nanostructured Ceramic Composites for Ultracapacitors. The global climate changes and the related disastrous events such as heat flows, bushfires, and flooding will endanger the Australian population and our natural environment. The implementation of effective devices and technologies to reduce our carbon footprint is a priority task. The project addresses the issue by development of new ultracapacitor materials for next generation green energy storage devices through engineering and implementation of advanced nanoceramics and nanocomposites created by innovative nanotechnologies. The project will also contribute to other national research priorities such as materials and frontier technologies, reduction of atmospheric pollution, and decrease in the energy dependence of our country on oil.Read moreRead less
Transforming Microgrid to Virtual Power Plant –ICT Frameworks,Tools,Control. The project aims to enhance large scale renewable penetrations to national power grid by advancing control, optimization, and ancillary services of Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), considering different disruptive events including recent South Australian blackout. This project expects to create new control, frame communication architecture, develop plug and play type IoT enabled grid interfacing inverter, and optimize resou ....Transforming Microgrid to Virtual Power Plant –ICT Frameworks,Tools,Control. The project aims to enhance large scale renewable penetrations to national power grid by advancing control, optimization, and ancillary services of Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), considering different disruptive events including recent South Australian blackout. This project expects to create new control, frame communication architecture, develop plug and play type IoT enabled grid interfacing inverter, and optimize resource management for distributed VPPs. The anticipated benefits from this institutional level collaborations are that VPPs help in enhancing national power grid operations during normal and disruptive conditions when more renewables are connected and also secure benefits of consumers, prosumers, and grid operators.Read moreRead less
The Effects of Pyrolysis Conditions on Combustion and Gasification Reactivities of Biomass Chars and the Quality of Their Ash. Considerable efforts are being made to minimise the environmental impacts of fossil fuels by utilising renewable energy sources like biomass. Many of the challenges associated with the thermal conversion of biomass relate to its char characteristics. The aim of this project is to gain a fundamental understanding about the impact of reaction conditions during the pyrolyti ....The Effects of Pyrolysis Conditions on Combustion and Gasification Reactivities of Biomass Chars and the Quality of Their Ash. Considerable efforts are being made to minimise the environmental impacts of fossil fuels by utilising renewable energy sources like biomass. Many of the challenges associated with the thermal conversion of biomass relate to its char characteristics. The aim of this project is to gain a fundamental understanding about the impact of reaction conditions during the pyrolytic stage on the structural and compositional transformations of the resultant char, its combustion and gasification reactivities, and the release of inorganic matter and ash formation. This holistic and integrated approach should reveal the underlying science necessary to support existing and future biomass use.Read moreRead less