Partnerships and Sponsors

Wind Energy Research Proposal Offered

Companies and organisations involved in the wind energy industry are invited to support a proposed IMER three-year research project.

Wind turbines organised in wind farms have been deployed globally in significant and increasing quantities as a cost-effective way of generating electricity from renewable energy sources. Wind energy is likely to be the major contributor in meeting the Australian Government's renewable energy target of 20% of total energy generation by 2020.

The University of Adelaide, through IMER, is seeking support for a research project designed to assist both the wind energy industry and communities near to wind farms. IMER's project will investigate the inter-relationship between noise characteristics of wind farms, community engagement models and human health assessments in a unique multi-disciplinary approach.

The objective of the project is to provide quantitative information about the link between noise and its perception and impact on humans in an Australian context, offering best practice guidelines to community engagement.

The research team, led by Project Leader Anthony Zander, and other investigators, is currently revising a draft Expression of Interest, based on feedback received from stakeholders.

This will form the development of a bid for funding from the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy (ACRE) Emerging Renewables Program.
For further information, contact IMER Manager Jordan Parham or Anthony Zander.

Some of our Industry Partnerships:

Adelaide Airport - Our Inaugural Platinum

Adelaide Airport Limited (AAL) has become the inaugural Platinum Partner of CET, in a three-year relationship worth $A750,000.

The partnership between Adelaide Airport Limited (AAL) and the Centre for Energy Technology (CET) has been established to develop clean energy solutions to reduce the carbon footprint of AAL and to contribute towards a sustainable environment more generally. The AAL-CET partnership has established a number of projects that are well underway to meet these objectives.

To map the energy consumption of AAL's main airport terminal building, we are developing a transient, thermodynamic model of the energy flows through the building. This model will be used not only to predict the operational conditions and energy consumption of the building, but more importantly, to identify key areas where energy consumption, especially of the air conditioning system, can be reduced. The model is scheduled to be operational by the first quarter of 2012, which include completion of a sensitivity analysis, and will then undergo further refinement and validation through the year. This model is synergistic with other proposed AAL-aligned projects. It will be used both to optimise performance with the existing HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) plant and to assess the potential benefits of a number of potential changes to the HVAC plant. A cost-benefit analysis will then be used to prioritise the range of potential methods to reduce energy consumption.

Company Launched to Commercialise Research on Green Fuels from Algae

An Australian company has been established to produce commercial qualities of clean ‘green' fuels from algae following insights from CET researchers

Muradel Pty Ltd is a joint venture between Adelaide Research and Innovation Pty Ltd, the commercial development company of the University of Adelaide, Murdoch University, and commercial partner SQC Pty Ltd.

The University of Adelaide's Dr David Lewis from the School of Chemical Engineering and Murdoch University's Professor Michael Borowitzka are world leaders in the development of biofuels from micro-algae. Their work has already led to the establishment of a $A3.3 million algae pilot plant in
Western Australia.

The new company brings to commercial reality a large-scale business that leverages the natural advantage of the Australian environment, producing algae for renewable fuel and co-products from
the biomass. The research has proven it is possible to grow large quantities of algae for commercial biofuel purposes. The University of Adelaide team is contributing engineering expertise in algal processing.