Australia’s economy depends on reliable and cost competitive energy. Energy is also the major contributor to our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. The CSIRO Energy Centre is conducting research to address the challenge of maintaining energy security and affordability while reducing negative environmental, economic and social impacts.
The Energy Centre’s goal is to deliver science and technology options by 2020 that will enhance Australia’s economic competitiveness and regional energy security; enable Australia to transition to a lower emissions energy future; unlock $100 billion of in-situ value from our energy resources, and contribute 32 mega tonnes per annum of greenhouse gas abatements by 2030.
Themes to progress the goals include:
• Developing distributed generation and efficient options model.
• Uptake of enhanced mining technologies and transfer of coal preparation technologies to mines.
• Patent solvent technologies and membrane and solid adsorbent technologies.
• Pilot-scale demonstration of synfuel production from natural gas and stored solar heat.
The Energy Centre has achieved a world-first by producing supercritical steam (very high temperature and pressure steam) from solar energy alone. Today’s most efficient steam turbines require supercritical steam to produce electricity. This is yet another step towards lower cost renewable energy.
Another important study measured the implications of the 5-Star Energy Efficiency Standard for residential buildings. CSIRO found that 5-star homes consume up to 56 per cent less energy for heating compared to 3.5 to 4-star homes (depending on the city). This work helps homeowners and builders better understand how the energy efficient star ratings work and what its actual costs and benefits are.
http://www.csiro.au/en/About/Our-impact