FEATURE – Materials for Clean Energy Production - Ceramic

is pivotal in this transition.

Existing technologies are poised to reduce emissions by 52% by 2030 from levels reached at the start of this decade.

Researchers remain focussed on commercialising existing, and developing new technology to manage the risks into the 2040s and beyond.

Governments and businesses will play a critical role in this transformation, according to CSIRO’s Executive Director—Environment, Energy and Resources Dr Peter Mayfield.

“Pressure is mounting for business to speed up its efforts towards net zero and lead the way for the rest of the country. How to move faster to deliver a cleaner, sustainable and strong economy is the question on every business leader’s mind.”

“This work will help business find a rapid and achievable pathway to net zero appropriate to their sector –guiding investment to mitigate climate change, reinventing industries of old, and creating new jobs in emerging industries,” he said.

However, there are also immense opportunities for Australians to take part in the renewables journey, and help the nation steer towards net-zero emissions.

Materials Science Bringing Renewables to Life

Australian scientists are focussing their attention on modern technology and innovations in materials science to help power the nation into the future.

Ceramics are one way in which materials scientists and Australians alike can take advantage of the clean energy revolution.

These materials are known for their crystalline and glass-like nature, and offer a suite of benefits.

For example, they are resistant towards corrosion and wear, which means they have long-term benefits in a variety of applications, including:

• Batteries

• Smart glass

• Solar cells

• Nuclear power plants

• Carbon storage capture

• Thermoelectrics

• Turbines

Ceramics play a central role in the production of silicon-based photovoltaic cells, which take the energy from light and convert it into electricity to power our lives.

Australia is at the forefront of photovoltaic technology, which is specifically used in the solar panels used to power homes, offices, and buildings.

In fact, Australia is a global leader in taking advantage of the sun’s power to minimise energy costs and help tackle the impacts of a changing climate.

A 2022 Roy Morgan analysis found onein-three (32.3%) Australian homes have a solar energy system in use. South Australia and Western Australia are leading the way with their ownership of these systems, reaching 44.5 and 43% respectively.

Kane Thornton is the Chief Executive at the Clean Energy Council, who said Australians taking up solar energy continues to grow.

"Rooftop solar is playing a massive role in decarbonising the Australian energy grid and putting us on the path to 82% renewable energy by 2030.”

“While much of the political and big policy debates are taking place for other renewable energy industries - all of which are vitally important - rooftop solar has been doing and continues to do a lot of the heavy lifting.”

In the third quarter of 2023, a record 813MW of rooftop solar was installed on Australian homes. It puts the country on a path to powering an additional 700,000 homes.

“The challenge is now to maintain this pace right through to 2030. Low-cost renewable power and energy storage will ultimately ease cost-of-living pressures and help set up Australia for a more prosperous future with greater energy security,” Mr Thornton said.

Australia’s Energy Transformation Challenges

Over the past decade, battery storage technology has changed dramatically. Today, there are vast benefits for capturing and storing electrical energy for later use.

It offers greater flexibility for households and businesses who may not receive enough sunlight during the cooler months. As such, storage solutions relying on ceramics like batteries can store excess energy for later use.

Load flexibility is a critical part of this. This means a power system can shift its electricity production or usage based on demand and other variables like the weather.

Dr John McKibbin said load flexibility could be the key for households and businesses getting cheaper electricity.

“This just means adjusting energy use to match supply. So, running appliances and charging devices when there’s more power in the grid. When we do that, we’re effectively running these devices as a giant virtual battery for the power system."

Dr McKibbin is the Energy Networks Leader at CSIRO, who is leading the team tasked with collaborating for sustainable energy using materials like ceramics.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) believes solar and wind capacity in the national grid will triple by 2023.

Meanwhile, rooftop solar capacity is expected to double, and storage capacity will increase by a factor of six.

CSIRO has developed the Global Power Systems Transformation initiative, which brings together a consortium of researchers and industry to boost Australia’s resilience and stability in the grid.

Unlike European countries, Australia lacks the density of grid interconnectedness. The Eastern seaboard operates as a single line with limited interconnectivity.

Australia can learn from European governments and agencies who are making strides in this space. The Global Power Systems Transformation plan leans on the expertise of AEMO, educational institutions, and leaders from across industry.

“There’s a big need for global collaboration if we’re to achieve these goals. It’s crucial to overcoming hurdles and making the most of international research and development,” Dr McKibbin said.

But the growing number of Australians feeding power back into the network from their rooftop solar is pushing the system’s limits.

“The existing network was not designed for such a large share of power to be generated by customers,” Dr McKibbin said.