The world needs to reach zero greenhouse gas emissions well before 2050 to mitigate the most serious effects of climate change. Fossil fuels cause 80% of emissions. Renewable energy from solar and wind is now cheaper than fossil energy, and constitutes 80% of global net generation capacity additions (and 99% in Australia). Our research groups work to improve renewable energy technology, further reduce costs, and substitute clean energy for fossil fuels in every market niche.
We conduct hour-by-hour modelling of energy systems over decades to work out the optimum mix of renewables and storage, for cities, states and nations.
We analyse mass storage, such as off-river pumped hydro and batteries, in relation to solar & wind generation and transmission.
We develop high resolution national and global maps of optimum solar and wind sites, taking account of the solar and wind resource, transmission and environmental and social constraints.
We model resilience of energy systems in the face of challenges from floods, droughts, cyclones, global warming, earthquakes, war, terrorists, pandemics and trade disputes.
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People
Andrew Blakers
Emeritus Professor
andrew.blakers@anu.edu.au
Engineering Building (32), E224
Kylie Catchpole
Professor
Deputy Director, School of Engineering
kylie.catchpole@anu.edu.au
Engineering Building (32), E232
Cheng Cheng
Senior Research Officer
Cheng.Cheng1@anu.edu.au
Bin Lu
Research Fellow
bin.lu@anu.edu.au
Engineering Building (32), E225