AOEG is also very excited to announce another two new members; the University of Adelaide (UA) represented by Professor Ben Cazzolato, School of Mechanical Engineering, and the University of Queensland (UQ) represented Remo Cossu, School of Civil Engineering.
University of Adelaide (UA)
Since 2012, UA has undertaken significant work to benefit Australia’s ocean energy sector. Collaborating across five schools in the university and building upon expertise in fluid mechanics, dynamics, robotics and control, mathematical modelling and optimisation, the team has focused on ways to reduce the Levelised Cost of Energy (LCoE) for wave energy devices. Their work has resulted in improved efficiency by up to 300% and reduced the LCoE by 50%.
Within the last six months, UA has further deepened its engagement in the ocean energy sector through acceptance of a significant grant – the Australia-China Science Research Fund whose aim is to establish a Joint Research Centre to work with Chinese partners – led by Shanghai Jiao Tong University – in partnership with three other Australian universities, the CSIRO and Carnegie Clean Energy.
University of Queensland (UQ)
UQ is participating in initiatives supporting ocean renewable energy and is now contributing significantly to Australia’s tidal and wave ocean energy sector. In 2017 AMC-UTAS, UQ, and the CSIRO and were awarded a three-year ARENA Advancing Renewables Program $5.84M project (referred to as the AUSTEn Project) – alongside research collaborators Bangor University (UK) and Acadia University (Canada), and industry collaborators MAKO Tidal Turbines and SIMEC-Atlantis Energy – to extend Australia’s knowledge of its tidal resources.
UQ is also involved in the recently funded Blue Economy CRC to advance Australia’s expertise in high value seafood production and significant untapped ocean energy resources. The Blue Economy CRC aims to position Australia as an early-adopter and world leader in this 21st century approach to sustainable food and energy production offshore, and secure it for significant economic, employment and environmental advantage.
AOEG thanks the the University of Adelaide and the University of Queensland for their support and looks forward to long and prosperous collaborations with them.