Energy

coronor on the sun's surface

As Australia navigates a path to a cleaner energy future, hydrogen could benefit our domestic energy supply by overcoming intermittency and transportability problems linked to energy from the sun or wind. CSIRO, in consultation with industry and government, has just launched a National Hydrogen Roadmap as a ‘blueprint for the development of a hydrogen industry in Australia’.

The economics of distributed energy has put Australia at the forefront of redesigning the electricity sector before most of the rest of the world. Just ask the residents of Yarrabilba.

hand with glowing globe

Australians go through more than 6,000 petajoules of energy every year to keep everything from their phones to their factories running. It’s a nice number for pub trivia, but if you’re a policy maker, researcher, or investor in our nation’s future energy demands, you’ll need something better than a back-of-the-envelope calculation. CSIRO’s Energy Use Data Model could soon come in handy.

power towers at sunset

In the new world order of mixed-source energy, trusty baseload power is often misunderstood. It's not just a question of what baseload can do for renewables, but what renewables can do for baseload power.

car engine

You’ll have heard the usual arguments against electric cars – limited range, too few recharging stations around to make them worthwhile, and the problem of battery disposal. On the other hand, say proponents, electric vehicles offer the prospect of ‘zero emissions’ driving.

harvesters in canola field

Accounting for emissions savings in producing biofuels compared to fossil fuels is about to get harder. Australia's got an interest in proving the worth of canola.

aerial photo of country town where methane levels are being tested

Understanding potential greenhouse gas impacts of the coal seam gas industry can help inform future decisions, including better understanding of methane.

Batteries that can self-sustain are needed for long-term animal tracking as well as shipping and logistics.

solar panels

Solar-powered homes with battery storage can save money with a new system that decides when to store or draw energy from the solar panels, the battery and the grid.