Energy
Overview
20 per cent renewable energy use by 2020
Australia has the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions in the world, and the state of Queensland has set a target to achieve at least 20 per cent renewable energy use by 2020.
To achieve this, significant changes in energy infrastructure, conversion, storage, and demand-side management will be required.
Top-ranked Australian university
QUT is the top-ranked Australian university for power engineering by research income from the Australian Research Council (ARC), and is a leading institution in the field of energy research including 3rd generation photovoltaic devices, fuel cells, distribution systems and efficiency.
$11 million in energy-specific research
We host a leading Australian group in research funding for building energy use and energy efficiency, and have received more than $11 million in energy-specific research funding in the past three years for individual and collaborative research with international institutions and industry partners to achieve high penetration of renewable energies such as solar, thermal and wind into the energy grid for domestic and commercial use.
Experts in field of electrical power engineering
Our researchers are experts in field of electrical power engineering and work with students on projects ranging from converter technology for renewable energy use in local domestic supply or commercial power grids, to stand-alone hybrid power systems for rural communities using combinations of tri-generation technologies, biofuel and batteries.
Current energy research areas
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Integrated energy systems and modelling: enabling the integration of renewable energy and energy converter technologies into the electricity network, and into efficient buildings and industrial energy systems.
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Energy Delivery: incorporating areas of electricity network technology, including smart grid developments, demand side management, use of hydrogen as an energy carrier and co-generation.
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Renewable energy technologies: applying nanotechnology to dye-sensitised solar cells and organic photovoltaics, using biofuels in engines, and developing hydrogen generation and solar thermal technologies.
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Power converters: investigating innovative control techniques for inverters and multi-level converters to improve quality of supply and reduce losses.
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Energy efficiency: exploring innovative building design and implementation for energy efficiency, low embodied energy building materials, building technologies and building systems integration.
People
Energy staff profiles
Research degree enquiries
Science and Engineering research office
- Phone: 3138 4783
- Int. phone: +61 7 3138 4783
- Email: sef.research@qut.edu.au
Commercial research enquiries
Science and Engineering Faculty - Commercial Research and Corporate Education
- Phone: 3138 9948
- Int. phone: +61 7 3138 9948
- Email: sef.industryenquiry@qut.edu.au
Partnership enquiries
Science and Engineering - Partnerships
- Phone: 3138 7693
- Int. phone: +61 7 3138 7693
- Email: sef.industryenquiry@qut.edu.au
