University researchers to help lead new ARC Centre of Excellence for Renewable Fuels

A University of Melbourne team will lead one of three research themes in the new $72m ARC Centre of Excellence for Renewable Fuels, announced this week.

Led by the University of Wollongong, the Centre will focus on innovating next-generation, renewable fuels such as green hydrogen and ammonia, to help Australia become a global leader in clean energy exports. It will exploit fundamental science to help transform Australia from a major fossil fuel exporter to the world’s largest exporter of renewable energy, with global decarbonisation impact, while also training the next-generation workforce.

Three experts from the School of Mechanical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology (FEIT) will be Chief Investigators. Professor Michael Brear (CI) will be research theme leader, working alongside CIs Professor Richard Sandberg and Associate Professor Yi Yang, and Associate Professor Mohsen Talei, Dr Melissa Kozul and Dr Dominic Davis.

The research themes – Make It, Process It and Integrate It – will tackle the challenge from large-scale production and processing to economic competitiveness, safety and community engagement, to policy and regulation.

Professor Brear will lead the third theme ‘Integrate It – supporting a successful renewable fuel transition,’ which will focus on integration of economic competitiveness, renewable electricity, safety and social license. The University team will work across two Themes, mainly on renewable fuel processing, use and safety.

“For a truly sustainable transition, we must balance economic, social and environmental goals,” Prof Brear said. “This theme will help ensure Australia’s renewable fuel industry meets expectations by integrating complementary research across several key areas. Our team brings a wealth of expertise in combustion, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics and energy systems to this project.”

The Centre will receive $35m ARC funding and over $37m in cash / in-kind contributions from partner organisations.