Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100628
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$368,446.00
Summary
Machine vision techniques for solar power forecasting and generation. This project aims to advance the research in short-term solar power forecasting and optimise the generation process using machine vision techniques. This project will use cameras to capture images of sky and mirror surfaces of heliostats. The scientific novelties are the exploration of geometry-aware feature representations for solar power prediction and building three-dimensional models of mirror surfaces of heliostats to opt ....Machine vision techniques for solar power forecasting and generation. This project aims to advance the research in short-term solar power forecasting and optimise the generation process using machine vision techniques. This project will use cameras to capture images of sky and mirror surfaces of heliostats. The scientific novelties are the exploration of geometry-aware feature representations for solar power prediction and building three-dimensional models of mirror surfaces of heliostats to optimise the solar power generation process. The outcome is a working prototype to boost the solar power forecasting accuracy and a three-dimensional reconstruction system to be helpful for the solar power generation. These outcomes will highly benefit the short-term solar power forecasting, generation and electricity grid management systems.Read moreRead less
SenShaMart: A Trusted Internet of Things Marketplace for Sensor Sharing. This project aims to devise a novel Internet of Things (IoT) sensor sharing marketplace that permits IoT applications to discover, integrate, and pay for any IoT sensor data that is made available by other parties. The project will devise highly-scalable sensor classification, query processing, and transactions solutions and incorporate them in a pair of novel blockchains that work in tandem to securely manage all the infor ....SenShaMart: A Trusted Internet of Things Marketplace for Sensor Sharing. This project aims to devise a novel Internet of Things (IoT) sensor sharing marketplace that permits IoT applications to discover, integrate, and pay for any IoT sensor data that is made available by other parties. The project will devise highly-scalable sensor classification, query processing, and transactions solutions and incorporate them in a pair of novel blockchains that work in tandem to securely manage all the information and contracts needed by IoT applications to discover, integrate, pay, and use sensors provided by another parties. These IoT advancements will provide significant economic, environmental, and social benefits via making low-cost and immediate sensing available across the world.Read moreRead less
Reliable and Seamless Service Provisioning in Mobile Edge Computing . This project aims to develop enabling technologies to provide reliable and seamless services in mobile edge computing environments. This project will develop advanced algorithms with performance guarantees and efficient mechanisms for such service provisioning. The project expects to lay theoretical foundations and generate new knowledge for the provisioning of reliability-aware and mobility-aware services in mobile edge compu ....Reliable and Seamless Service Provisioning in Mobile Edge Computing . This project aims to develop enabling technologies to provide reliable and seamless services in mobile edge computing environments. This project will develop advanced algorithms with performance guarantees and efficient mechanisms for such service provisioning. The project expects to lay theoretical foundations and generate new knowledge for the provisioning of reliability-aware and mobility-aware services in mobile edge computing. The expected outcome of the project is a set of solutions to the myriad of services relying on mobile edge computing including e-Health, autonomous vehicles, and Internet of Things. This project will develop key fundamental technologies to improve Australia’s standing in the international research community.
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International Travel Bursary - Elspeth Macdonald's (Scottish Fishermen's Federation) Experience With Spatial Management And The Renewable Energy Sector
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$29,700.00
Summary
Elspeth Macdonald, the CEO of Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF), is a key advocate for the fishing industry and has critical knowledge and experience with the spatial squeeze and the emerging offshore renewable energy sector. As such, WAFIC and the South Australian Northern Zone Rock Lobster Fishermen’s’ Association recognises an opportunity for the fishing industry and government representatives to share and learn from Scotland’s experiences. Through this exchange of knowledge, we hope to g ....Elspeth Macdonald, the CEO of Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF), is a key advocate for the fishing industry and has critical knowledge and experience with the spatial squeeze and the emerging offshore renewable energy sector. As such, WAFIC and the South Australian Northern Zone Rock Lobster Fishermen’s’ Association recognises an opportunity for the fishing industry and government representatives to share and learn from Scotland’s experiences. Through this exchange of knowledge, we hope to guide the development of Australian policy frameworks that encourage co-existence with commercial fisheries.
Tentatively, we are planning for Mrs Macdonald to arrive in Perth to attend high-level State Ministerial and State and Commonwealth Government meetings, before travelling to Adelaide to be a keynote speaker at the Rock Lobster Trans-Tasman Conference arranged by the South Australian Northern Zone Rock Lobster Fishermen’s’ Association and then attend a National Coordination Ocean Access Committee meeting coordinated by Seafood Industry Australia. Other potential opportunities may also be identified and discussed in the months leading up to Mrs Macdonald’s arrival. Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH180100020
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,058,152.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Integrated Energy Storage Solutions. The ARC Research Hub for Integrated Energy Storage Solutions aims to develop advanced energy storage technologies, including printed batteries, structural supercapacitors, innovative fuel cells and power-to-gas systems. It plans to integrate these storage solutions with existing energy networks and applications using novel storage monitoring, control and optimisation technologies. The Hub is expected to generate new knowledge in storage t ....ARC Research Hub for Integrated Energy Storage Solutions. The ARC Research Hub for Integrated Energy Storage Solutions aims to develop advanced energy storage technologies, including printed batteries, structural supercapacitors, innovative fuel cells and power-to-gas systems. It plans to integrate these storage solutions with existing energy networks and applications using novel storage monitoring, control and optimisation technologies. The Hub is expected to generate new knowledge in storage technology manufacturing, control and management. Expected outcomes include cheaper and more effective storage devices and better storage integration solutions, supporting renewables, reducing carbon emissions, and improving efficiency in the energy sector. Resulting benefits include a more sustainable, secure, reliable and economically efficient energy supply. This Hub will contribute to improving the economic efficiency of Australia’s energy sector.Read moreRead less
Transforming Microgrid to Virtual Power Plant –ICT Frameworks,Tools,Control. The project aims to enhance large scale renewable penetrations to national power grid by advancing control, optimization, and ancillary services of Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), considering different disruptive events including recent South Australian blackout. This project expects to create new control, frame communication architecture, develop plug and play type IoT enabled grid interfacing inverter, and optimize resou ....Transforming Microgrid to Virtual Power Plant –ICT Frameworks,Tools,Control. The project aims to enhance large scale renewable penetrations to national power grid by advancing control, optimization, and ancillary services of Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), considering different disruptive events including recent South Australian blackout. This project expects to create new control, frame communication architecture, develop plug and play type IoT enabled grid interfacing inverter, and optimize resource management for distributed VPPs. The anticipated benefits from this institutional level collaborations are that VPPs help in enhancing national power grid operations during normal and disruptive conditions when more renewables are connected and also secure benefits of consumers, prosumers, and grid operators.Read moreRead less
Building Australia's Electric Vehicle Fast Charging Infrastructure. This project aims to enhance the resilience, safety, and efficiency of electricity grids operated with fast-charging Electric Vehicles (EVs) by developing new control and optimisation frameworks. This project expects to develop new robust controllers for EV fast-charging infrastructure operated in coordination with wind and solar generated electricity. Expected project outcomes include enabling fast-charge EV infrastructure to b ....Building Australia's Electric Vehicle Fast Charging Infrastructure. This project aims to enhance the resilience, safety, and efficiency of electricity grids operated with fast-charging Electric Vehicles (EVs) by developing new control and optimisation frameworks. This project expects to develop new robust controllers for EV fast-charging infrastructure operated in coordination with wind and solar generated electricity. Expected project outcomes include enabling fast-charge EV infrastructure to be developed and deployed in Australia by the industry partner SwitchDin. Expected benefits including enabling significant reduction in carbon emissions from the transportation sector, accelerating the energy transition to renewables, and placing Australian industry at the forefront of EV grid integration technology.Read moreRead less
Futures Of Seafood. Wild. Aquaculture. Recreational. Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islanders
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$3,043,500.00
Summary
“Futures of Seafood” is an 18th month multi-disciplinary study co-designed with industry and government. It will draw from existing data, complementary work underway or concluded, and importantly will involve a suite our outputs that can be used by a variety of stakeholders in formats that are fit for purpose.
The study will provide a contemporary description on the state of play of Australia’s seafood system, the supply chain, markets and its reach into communities. It will identify a ....“Futures of Seafood” is an 18th month multi-disciplinary study co-designed with industry and government. It will draw from existing data, complementary work underway or concluded, and importantly will involve a suite our outputs that can be used by a variety of stakeholders in formats that are fit for purpose.
The study will provide a contemporary description on the state of play of Australia’s seafood system, the supply chain, markets and its reach into communities. It will identify and report on trends, insights, forecasts and cumulative impacts that are impacting (positive and negative) the industry. It will include the first in-depth spatial and descriptive profile of the seafood industry by sector and jurisdiction through spatial mapping and productivity reporting since Marine Matters in 2003. Beyond seafood, it will also identify, describe and map other ocean uses (new, emerging and transitioning), including assumptions about current growth plans / policies / rights completed / taken up, looking towards 2040.
Drawing from information collated, the study will include scenario modelling to model and scrutinise the cumulative impacts of these trends and produce associated impact reporting against productivity and sustainability (social, economic, environmental and governance) metrics for a series of ten scenarios.
It will synthesise the study findings, as well as curate across other studies underway or completed, to develop a series of industry-specific assets (reports, tools, frameworks and systems) that aim to improve knowledge and support ongoing participation in the ocean estate policy conversation. This includes supporting priority contemporary frameworks to support transitions to future states and de-risking industry/sectors.
‘Futures of Seafood’ will support a shared understanding of the potential pathways and opportunities that lie ahead for Australia’s seafood stakeholders during this time of rapid change and transformation. It will furthermore provide a foundation for industry, Government and policy makers to make better decisions, navigate changes, and ensure industry and stakeholders are well-equipped to adapt and hopefully flourish in a dynamic environment.
This study and its intended outputs are consistent with and seeks to promote action against local, national, and global strategic initiatives, including those of the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, the Biodiversity Framework within the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Paris Declaration, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and associated Forward Faster Initiative.
WORK PACKAGE SUMMARY
In short, this is a novel study that describes, maps and models the spatial, economic and social impacts of Government targets and decisions, provides evidence-based insights and charts a course for Australia’s futures of seafood alongside other ocean uses for the coming 10-15 years.
It will be delivered through a series of four work packages. These are founded on an enduring data collation platform, undertaken by a series of expert commissions and overseen and supported by a strong and inclusive governance framework.
Work Package 1: State of Play • Identify data system to support mapping and describing the current state of the industries/sectors – i.e. locations, GVP, employment, production, jurisdiction input/output. • Identify social and economic values i.e. contribution to regional communities, nutrition + value of supply chain. • Deliver a contemporary description on the building blocks and state of play of Australia's ocean food system, its supply chain and markets alongside the other uses of the ocean estate. • Investigate and report the trends, forecasts and cumulative impacts (positive and negative) on Australia's seafood industry. i.e. Nutritional security; spatial squeeze; working in a changing climate i.e. resilience, adaptation, emergency response; Industry transitions i.e. decarbonisation; Jurisdiction i.e. policy/strategy, production v consumption; Workforce + training; Nature based solutions & investment, sustainable food systems i.e. ESG and sustainability
Work Package 2: Future Estate • Map and overlay impacts of new and emerging transitioning industries in the ocean estate. • Identify and describe the trends, forecasts and cumulative impacts affecting the seafood industry. • Map/measure/describe the implications of trends, forecasts and cumulative impacts of these industries and impacts (positive and negative) on Australia's seafood industry. • Describe other uses of the ocean estate.
Work Package 3: Scenario Modelling • Design and develop tool to test future state scenarios for commercial, recreational and indigenous fishing. • Undertake a series of impact scenario examples: i.e. spatial squeeze/crowded ocean, a changing climate, a regulatory reset, sector case studies and cumulative pressures. • Use the scenarios to deliver impact reporting on productivity, nutrition and sustainability metrics to include: spatial mapping, heat maps, regulatory options, socio-economic attributes, community sentiment, nutrition, consumer and market impacts and opportunities.
Work Package 4: Synthesis • Synthesis of research from WPs into a complete report and communications assets. • Develop a Futures of Seafood Roadmap to navigate the likely impacts of the futures scenarios.
Governance Framework • This collaboration will bring together leaders from industry sectors and government portfolios of agriculture, energy and environment. • A strong and inclusive governance model is proposed to capture the breadth of stakeholders and ensure oversight of the study, strategic relevance and timely input from data and information contributors. • Oversight Committee • Industry + Community Advisory Committee • Government Advisory Committee • WP Technical Teams + Data Management & Communications Teams • Terms of Reference for each committee with be established.
Project Management • This will be supported by a mature project administration system, drawing from the Blue Economy project management system, a governance model and also an independent project evaluator to undertake assurance and integrity of program logic and models.
Objectives: 1. Provide a contemporary description on the state of play of Australia’s seafood system, the supply chain, markets and its reach into communities. 2. Identify the trends, insights, forecasts and cumulative impacts that are impacting (positive and negative) Australia's seafood industry. 3. Provide an in-depth spatial and descriptive profile of the seafood industry by sector and jurisdiction through spatial mapping and productivity reporting. 4. Identify, describe and map other ocean uses (new, emerging and transitioning), including assumptions about current growth plans / policies / rights completed / taken up, looking towards 2040. 5. Develop scenario modelling tools to model these trends and produce associated impact reporting against productivity and sustainability (social, economic, environmental and governance) metrics. 6. Synthesise the research and available to develop industry-specific assets (tools, frameworks and systems) that improve knowledge and support ongoing participation in the ocean estate policy conversation. 7. Progress priority contemporary frameworks to support transitions to future states and de-risking industry/sectors. Read moreRead less
Thermal transport in multi-phase flows for concentrating solar applications. This project seeks to advance the field of heat transfer in high-temperature systems involving liquid metals, with emphasis on energy storage and solar power technologies. The concept couples a tubular sodium boiler with a sodium chloride phase-change storage system for continuous energy supply. Sodium chloride is low cost and has a melting temperature suitable for a wide range of industrial processes. The project plans ....Thermal transport in multi-phase flows for concentrating solar applications. This project seeks to advance the field of heat transfer in high-temperature systems involving liquid metals, with emphasis on energy storage and solar power technologies. The concept couples a tubular sodium boiler with a sodium chloride phase-change storage system for continuous energy supply. Sodium chloride is low cost and has a melting temperature suitable for a wide range of industrial processes. The project plans to address the challenge of sodium stability in highly irradiated tubes by investigating mass, momentum, energy and radiative transport in liquid metals. It is intended that this will inform the design and testing of novel sodium boilers to provide stable and isothermal process heat for continuous or on-demand production of power, chemical fuels and commodities.Read moreRead less
Hydrogen generation by subsurface iron mineral transformations. Aim
The aim of this project is to elucidate key factors responsible for natural hydrogen generation in Australian subsurface environments.
Significance
Large amounts of this valuable resource are produced naturally with estimates of production rates of this “gold” hydrogen at least 100 times the annual demand for this critical resource.
Expected Outcomes
Based on improved understanding of the source of natural hydrogen, predictive ....Hydrogen generation by subsurface iron mineral transformations. Aim
The aim of this project is to elucidate key factors responsible for natural hydrogen generation in Australian subsurface environments.
Significance
Large amounts of this valuable resource are produced naturally with estimates of production rates of this “gold” hydrogen at least 100 times the annual demand for this critical resource.
Expected Outcomes
Based on improved understanding of the source of natural hydrogen, predictive tools will be developed that will assist in assessing the viability in Australia of hydrogen exploration and engineered retrieval.
Benefits
Ready access to naturally produced hydrogen could enable Australia to replace hydrogen that is currently generated via the use of unabated hydrocarbons.Read moreRead less