Alliances

CSIRO Energy Technology takes abstract concepts about energy generation and efficiency into the real world and makes them work. To do this, we need committed industry partners, government support through policy and regular dialogue with the foremost thinkers in the area.

We draw upon the breadth of expertise within CSIRO and from research and industry personnel around the world.

We actively seek joint venture partnerships in the following areas.

• Collaborative Research Centres (CRCs)
• Commercial Ventures 
• The Centre for Distributed Energy and Power (CenDEP) 
• CSIRO Energy Transformed Flagship 
• Government Alliances 
• Industry Associations

CRCs
We participate in the Cooperative Research Centre: the CRC for Coal in Sustainable Development.

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Commercial ventures
We have good relationships with many companies and have aided the commercialisation of several technologies within them.

We have had particular success in developing products with cap-XX (supercapacitors), UCC Energy Pty Ltd (ultra clean coal) and Sietronics (software).

cap-XX
We worked with cap-XX to develop super capacitors that will be used in mobile computing and hand-held telecommunications devices.

The term super capacitor describes very high surface area carbon capacitors that hold a high charge that can be released quickly.

Our role in the cap-XX project was to develop a new carbon based super capacitor capable of delivering very high power. We helped cap-xx develop separators, electrodes, electrolyte, coating technologies and packaging.

The technology is now commercially available from cap-XX.

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UCC Energy Pty Ltd
In collaboration with White Mining/UCC Energy Pty Ld and Japan's power generation industry, we are developing an ultra pure coal.

Known as ultra clean coal (UCC), this chemically cleaned coal based product is practically ash-free. It is an alternative to natural gas and petroleum fuels for high efficiency generators. UCC can also be used in gas turbine combined cycle power generators.

A $15M pilot scale UCC operation is currently in progress in NSW's Hunter Valley. Tonnage quantities of coal from this plant are being assessed for a variety of applications - including gas turbine combined-cycle trials in Japan.

Sietronics
We developed software (Siroquant) that identifies minerals and inorganic compounds in geological and industrial products. Siroquant is being marketed by our commercial partner Sietronics.

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CenDEP
The Centre for Distributed Energy and Power (CenDEP) is an alliance of organisations, joining with CSIRO to help put distributed energy on the map in Australia.

CenDEP works with technology developers and users to evaluate the cost, environmental impact and applicability to various market situations of distributed generation systems. CenDEP also seeks to influence policy and regulatory controls.

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CSIRO Energy Transformed Flagship
Among CSIRO's highest priorities are a series of Flagship Programs to address urgent national issues. Energy Technology's involvement is intrinsic to the success of the Energy Transformed Flagship program.

By 2020, the Energy Transformed Flagship aims to:

• Double the efficiency by which fuel is used for energy
• Halve energy losses in end-use processes
• Double fuel efficiency and expand the use of gas (including hydrogen) in vehicles

The achievement of these goals will halve greenhouse gas emissions from stationery energy and transport, halve urban air pollution, establish new technology and service businesses and initiate the hydrogen economy.

The Flagship will access large numbers of contributors from around the world.

Visit the Energy Transformed Flagship website

Email: John Wright

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Government Alliances
CSIRO engages in regular dialogue with State and Federal Governments, energy agencies (such as NSW's Sustainable Energy Development Authority) and regulatory authorities (such as the EPA). We regard it as our resonsibility to keep decision makers informed of critical issues that will impact on health, the environment or the economy.

Industry Associations
We are active members of many industry associations, including:

• The Sustainable Energy Business Council of Australia
• The Australian Gas Association
• The Gas Cooling Task Force
• Bioenergy Australia
• The Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP)
• The Australian Coal Preparation Society
• The Energy Users Association of Australia
• The World Energy Council
• The Australian Institute of Energy
• The Energy Supply Association of Australia

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