Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic has recently toured Edith Cowan University’s (ECU) School of Engineering, Centre for Sustainable Energy and Resources.
Minister Husic expressed keen interest in ECU’s pioneering developments, including hydrogen reactors for energy generation, wind turbines, and 3D technologies, the university said in a news release.
Professor Paulo de Souza, executive dean of the School of Engineering, voiced his excitement about ECU’s recognition for its excellence in research and education focused on energy transition, especially in battery technologies, hydrogen science, and advanced manufacturing.
“We aim at being an education powerhouse, forming engineers to assist Australian business, Government, and communities to provide a sustainable energy security based in innovation and creativity,”
Professor de Souza remarked, “We are focused on assisting business in solving one of the most pressing Australian problems: a transition to a renewable energy-based and decarbonised future.”
Joining Minister Husic were Federal Member for Pearce Tracey Roberts MP and City of Joondalup Chief Executive Officer James Pearson.
The tour was led by ECU Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Arshad Omari and included insights from the School of Engineering team, featuring Professor Stefan Iglauer, ECU’s leader in hydrogen research.
“We are developing new hydrogen production (biomass conversion and water electrolysis) and hydrogen storage (adsorption storage and geo-storage) technologies, to enable a full-scale hydrogen economy,”Professor Iglauer explained.
He continued, “Furthermore, we have a lot of experience with carbon capture and storage, in Australia and indeed worldwide.”
During the tour, Minister Husic visited ECU’s Advanced Manufacturing Lab, one of Western Australia’s leading facilities in 3D printing technologies and advanced additive manufacturing.
Associate Professor Alex Rassau demonstrated the capabilities of the GE Additive Concept Laser SLM Metal 3D printer, which is at the forefront of the field.
In the Renewable Energy Lab, Dr Asma Aziz showcased ongoing research aimed at driving sustainable energy solutions and addressing challenges in modern energy systems, including Battery Energy Storage systems and Electric Vehicles.
According to ECU, its Centre for Sustainable Energy and Resources is dedicated to cutting-edge research in sustainable energy production and decarbonisation.
The Centre tackles challenging questions such as the viability of gas hydrates as a cleaner and vast energy resource and their potential environmental impacts.
The School of Engineering invites industry enquiries for solutions or collaborations in these critical research areas.
