New research centre to explore delivery of affordable, reliable and sustainable energy

Finding new and better ways to deliver affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy to regional and remote communities is a key aim of the Centre for New Energy Transition Research (CfNETR) launched today at Federation University Australia in Ballarat.

CfNETR has been established using $2.4 million from the Federal Government’s Regional Research Collaboration Program and will respond to the critical need for research, training, and skills development in the new energy sector.

This need is particularly urgent in regional Australia, where legacy modes of power generation are being joined by widely distributed forms of new energy generation, transmission, and storage.

CfNETR will leverage expertise from across Federation and work with the community, industry, and government to advance net zero carbon initiatives for 2050 and achieve a 100 per cent renewable-powered economy.

CfNETR will focus on four research streams:

• Microgrids and Renewables – Focussing on enabling technologies for smart control of microgrids, and innovative solutions for renewable energy integration.
• Future Grid and Community Energy – Focussing on future energy needs such as smart grid management and security, and the resilience of the power network.
• Future Fuel and Hydrogen – Focussing on addressing future fuel needs such as low-emission fuel production and storage and capture technologies.
• Net Zero Carbon Initiatives – Focussing on net zero projects such as optimising water and energy use and minimising human impacts.

The Interim Director of CfNETR is Professor Syed Islam, an internationally renowned researcher in the field of Renewable Energy Technologies who is listed in Stanford University’s top two per cent scientists in the world.