Future Fuels CRC to underpin nation's transition to cleaner energy
Media releaseDeakin University has welcomed its inclusion in a new Co-operative Research Centre that will support the development of technology, skills and infrastructure to deliver affordable, reliable and clean future energy.
Deakin will be one of six universities involved in the $91 million Future Fuels Co-operative Research Centre (CRC), announced today by Assistant Minister for Science, Jobs and Innovation Senator the Hon Zed Seselja.
The Federal Government is establishing the centre to enable Australia's multibillion dollar energy industry to transition to clean fuels, benefitting the country’s electricity, transport, agriculture, mining, building and industrial sectors.
It will establish a partnership between more than 50 companies, six universities, the energy market operator and two regulators.
Deakin Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Peter Hodgson said the University would contribute significantly to the new centre, building on its existing involvement in the Energy Pipelines CRC.
"We will add new dimensions to this work, particularly in two of the new CRC's priority areas: Network Lifecycle Management and Future Fuel Technologies, Systems and Markets," Professor Hodgson said.
"Researchers at our Institute for Frontier Materials, School of Engineering, and through Deakin Energy, are undertaking world-leading research in pipeline maintenance and durability, corrosion, metals and steels, as well as in energy storage and renewable energy system development.
"Our pipeline research has focussed on coating, testing and understanding corrosion behaviour and has achieved fundamental understandings to support Australia’s oil and gas industries."
Professor Hodgson said Deakin researchers were also accelerating the prototyping and commercialisation of energy storage technologies.
"In addition, we are working with some of the world's leading companies, including AusNet Services, to establish platforms for developing renewable energy systems and enhancing the interface between critical energy generation, storage and delivery components," he said.
"The announcement is great news for Geelong, which is a base for a significant part of Deakin's research, as we expect there will be spin-offs for local industry development in the future."
