Queensland and China to collaborate on energy storage research

A University of Queensland (UQ) research project to develop better batteries for renewable energy has received funding thanks to a joint Queensland–China scheme.

The Queensland Government and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) jointly helm the Queensland-Chinese Academy of Sciences (Q-CAS) Collaborative Science Fund, which provides individual grants up to $250,000 over two years for Queensland and Chinese researchers to undertake innovative research and development projects.

Professor Debra Bernhardt from UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and Professor Dan Wang from CAS’s Institute Of Process Engineering will lead the energy storage research to develop a new generation of lithium-ion batteries, with Professor Bernhardt claiming that current home energy storage battery systems are plagued by inefficiency and cost drawbacks.

“Our research is looking to lithium-rich cathode materials,” she said.

“These offer greater energy density than traditional cathode materials; however, they need further improvement to become commercially viable. That’s where our research comes in.”

Queensland Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy Leeanne Enoch said the battery research aims for a cost-effective solar battery with improved off-grid electricity storage capability and a longer lifespan.

“This is the Holy Grail of current energy storage research — coming up with a high-performance, cost-effective battery that could be used to store solar electricity,” she said.

“This could have huge implications for driving down household energy bills, providing people with greater energy self-sufficiency as well as its potential to revolutionise the car industry by making electric vehicles more affordable.”

A second research project received a grant to develop crop yield prediction systems using satellite data and biophysical crop modelling systems. The project will be led by the UQ-based Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation and the Beijing-based Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth.