April 7, 2019
This week kicks off the first of a number of industry engagement meetings we will be holding around the country.
Today, Mary Hackett, FEnEx Chair Elect, Professor Eric May, Professor Michael Johns and Bernadette Spinks provided an extensive overview of the purpose of FEnEx, the research themes and the reasons for creating a collaborative industry-research vehicle to work on unanswered energy export questions.
The event was attended by 35 people from 19 organisations. Representatives from Curtin University and the University of Adelaide joined the gathering to provide further detail about the unique R&D capabilities being assembled as part of the Future Energy Exports CRC, which also includes Queensland University of Technology and the University of Melbourne. Professor May gave an overview of why the Future Energy Exports CRC was needed to advance both Australia’s established LNG industry and nascent hydrogen industry, how the CRC would be structured and the role that the LNG Futures Facility announced by Premier McGowan on Tuesday would play within the CRC.
Prof Mike Johns talked about the current research plan, which has 3 programs:
- Highly efficient LNG Value chains – using a world-first small scale LNG test plant designed for industrial-scale technology demonstration, the CRC will target optimising LNG operations, maintenance, efficiency and safety through improved technology. The intent is to specifically address throughput, efficiency, reliability, gas quality and product limitations.
- Growing Australia’s Hydrogen Export Industry – research supply chain capability to advance storage, transport, distribution and usage of Hydrogen in Australia while fostering a new export industry. Develop a pathway to transition from steam methane reformed hydrogen to cost-effective green hydrogen at scale and understand the opportunities to leverage and adapt the LNG industry to support these future energy exports.
- Unlocking Resource Value via Interoperable Digital Technologies – further enable remote operations, advanced digital monitoring and advanced analytics through superior communication and interoperability between different technologies and systems.
Useful feedback from industry partners was received from industry representatives including Horizon Power, Woodside, FMG, Mitsui, Lloyds Register and others.
Bernadette Spinks from CIS in Melbourne, then gave an overview of the CRC program and the next steps in the process:
- Organisations that want a deeper understanding of the research plan, to contact Professor Eric May or Professor Michael Johns
- Interested organisations can contact Professor Eric May, Jill Stajduhar or the Institutional Lead from their State. Regular updates and key documents are provided via our website www.fenex.org.au/resources