Australia’s Most Advanced Energy Transition Hub Launched by Siemens and Swinburne

Australia’s Most Advanced Energy Transition Hub Launched by Siemens and Swinburne

(IN BRIEF) Siemens and Swinburne University of Technology have jointly launched the Energy Transition Hub at Swinburne’s Melbourne campus, marking the most advanced facility of its kind in Australia. Valued at $5.2 million, the hub combines Siemens’ digital energy technology with Swinburne’s research and teaching expertise, allowing students, educators, and industry professionals to access the future energy grid laboratory. The facility boasts a digital twin of Australia’s energy market, enabling commercial research teams to simulate innovative solutions and the integration of diverse energy sources into the grid. Additionally, the hub supports initiatives for efficiency, supply, storage, transport, and usage improvements in Australia’s quest for ambitious carbon reduction targets. Collaborative projects will include research, development, and commercialization efforts, short courses for industry professionals, and integrating Siemens software and industry experience into engineering technology courses. The hub’s launch follows Siemens and Swinburne’s partnership on the AI for Net Zero project, focusing on responsible AI adoption and accelerating renewable energy adoption for net-zero targets.

(PRESS RELEASE) ZUG, 6-Nov-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Siemens AG (ETR: SIE), a German multinational conglomerate and Europe’s largest industrial manufacturing company, and Swinburne University of Technology have unveiled Australia’s most advanced Energy Transition Hub at Swinburne’s Hawthorn campus in Melbourne. Valued at $5.2 million, this collaborative project leverages Siemens’ cutting-edge digital energy technology and Swinburne’s technical, research, and teaching capabilities. The Energy Transition Hub is a forward-looking energy grid laboratory accessible to students, faculty, and industry experts. It incorporates a digital twin of Australia’s energy market, enabling commercial research teams to conduct simulations of novel solutions, particularly in managing the integration of diverse energy sources into the grid.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Professor Karen Hapgood, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration’s potential to address Australia’s ambitious carbon reduction targets. “We are incredibly excited about this new collaboration with Siemens, who has partnered with Swinburne over many years to share in our vision of people and technology working together to build a better world.

“Australia’s ambitious carbon reduction targets need a multipronged approach by industry, research and government. The new Siemens Swinburne Energy Transition Hub will be working on new technologies to improve efficiency, supply, integration, storage, transport and use, as well as how we can improve existing technologies and frameworks. We need change fast, and the Siemens-Swinburne team will focus on taking ideas to market – where they can make the most impact as quickly as possible.”

The hub provides users with access to digital twins of energy grids, enabling them to map scenarios, explore new discoveries, develop inventive hypotheses, and test their findings. By employing Siemens Xcelerator, an innovative open digital business platform and marketplace, researchers, students, and industry stakeholders can work on greener, more efficient future energy systems.

Peter Halliday, CEO and Chairman of Siemens Australia and New Zealand, emphasized the significance of industry-academia collaboration in addressing pressing issues such as the energy transition. “Collaboration between industry and academia is critical to driving better outcomes on key topics of national importance such as the energy transition. I’m proud of what the Siemens and Swinburne teams have achieved at the Energy Transition Hub, creating a best-of-its-kind for industry. The race to tackle climate change is real and of utmost importance. Australia’s contribution to global emissions is just over 1%. As industry and as a society, we should be focusing on reducing our emissions beyond the 1%, using digitalization as the key lever to drive long-term sustainability. The Hub is a great example of how the best minds can collaborate to help shape the future.”

In addition to its research and commercialization efforts, the hub will offer short courses tailored to industry professionals. It will also enrich Swinburne’s engineering technology courses by integrating Siemens software and real-world industry experiences.

This announcement follows Siemens and Swinburne’s recent collaboration on the AI for Net Zero project, which focuses on responsible AI adoption and promotes ethical practices within the energy sector. This collaboration aims to expedite the adoption of renewable energy sources to achieve net-zero targets.

The Energy Transition Hub incorporates microgrid technologies, including SICAM A8000 and SIPROTEC5 devices for control and protection. The planning stations feature Siemens PSS® software, a widely adopted platform by utilities and independent system operators, including AEMO and grid operators.

For further information on Siemens Smart Infrastructure, please visit Siemens Smart Infrastructure.

Siemens Smart Infrastructure (SI) is shaping the market for intelligent, adaptive infrastructure for today and the future. It addresses the pressing challenges of urbanization and climate change by connecting energy systems, buildings and industries. SI provides customers with a comprehensive end-to-end portfolio from a single source – with products, systems, solutions and services from the point of power generation all the way to consumption. With an increasingly digitalized ecosystem, it helps customers thrive and communities progress while contributing toward protecting the planet. Siemens Smart Infrastructure has its global headquarters in Zug, Switzerland. As of September 30, 2022, the business had around 72,700 employees worldwide.

Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a technology company focused on industry, infrastructure, transport, and healthcare. From more resource-efficient factories, resilient supply chains, and smarter buildings and grids, to cleaner and more comfortable transportation as well as advanced healthcare, the company creates technology with purpose adding real value for customers. By combining the real and the digital worlds, Siemens empowers its customers to transform their industries and markets, helping them to transform the everyday for billions of people. Siemens also owns a majority stake in the publicly listed company Siemens Healthineers, a globally leading medical technology provider shaping the future of healthcare. In addition, Siemens holds a minority stake in Siemens Energy, a global leader in the transmission and generation of electrical power.
In fiscal 2022, which ended on September 30, 2022, the Siemens Group generated revenue of €72.0 billion and net income of €4.4 billion. As of September 30, 2022, the company employed around 311,000 people worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.

Media contacts:

Krupa Uthappa
Siemens AG
+61 427 601 578
krupa.uthappa@siemens.com

Lena Carlson
Siemens Smart Infrastructure
lena.carlson@siemens.com

SOURCE: Siemens