Australian National University Receives Funding Boost for Renewable Energy Research

The Canberra Times reported that the Australian National University will enact an international research program to improve methods of renewable energy storage under a new $8 million partnership with the ACT government.

Brian Schmidt, Australian National University Vice-Chancellor thanked the ACT government for contributing up to $5 million to support the research program, which would help to establish Australian research leadership in the assimilation of battery material technology with electricity network storage.

He also said that the funding will enable more work from the ANU Energy Change Institute, and will coordinate the research program in building a critical mass of research in the area to focus on the commercialisation of new techniques and technologies.

The ECI is composed of more than 200 staff and PhD students and is supported by more than $100 million in infrastructure and facilities.

Professor Schmidt also said the university will support the program with $3 million in cash and in-kind contributions, which will include $2 million for a new laboratory infrastructure to support battery storage and integration research.

Director of the ANU ECI, Professor Ken Baldwin, also welcomed the announcement and said the new program would feed into existing energy research at the Australian National University and in the ACT. He also said that the government’s funding will help produce big economic benefits for the ACT. It will enhance local industry capability and competitiveness, enticing innovative energy companies to the ACT and building the ACT’s reputation as a worldwide leader in renewable energy and storage.

ACT Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, Simon Corbell, stated that the development of the program showed that the government’s renewable energy initiatives continue to provide benefits for the renewable energy sector.

Click here to read the full story on Canberra Times

Featured Image Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center