Established in 2024, the ANU Centre for Energy Systems (ACES) is a leading research hub at the Australian National University. It brings together the ANU Battery Storage and Grid Integration Program (BSGIP), the ANU 100 Percent Renewable Energy Group (RE100) and other energy-focused research groups within the ANU School of Engineering.
ACES combines world leading expertise in pumped hydro energy storage and battery energy storage with a strong focus on integrating these technologies into real-world energy systems. With a mission to advance the energy transition through applied research and collaborative innovation, we work closely with industry partners, government agencies, regulators, NGOs and community and consumer groups.
ACES brings together leading researchers from a range of disciplines including engineering, physics, chemistry, computing and the social sciences. Our researchers engage in transdisciplinary research, that is the integration of separate branches of expertise to extend fields of knowledge in the domain of energy transition.
Critical areas of energy transition that the Centre has led research, internationally and nationally into include tools to guide renewable energy project site selection, vehicle-to grid technology, neighbourhood-scale batteries, microgrids in the Australian context, pumped hydro energy storage, multi-energy system modelling, the electrification of transport, socio-techno-economic analysis, perovskite and tandem solar cell development and green hydrogen.
Diversity and equity are foundations upon which ACES was built, to this end, the Centre is co-led by two exceptional female leaders, Professor Kylie Catchpole FAA FTSE and Associate Professor Heather Logie. The Centre is comprised of a team of researchers, professional staff and higher degree students with diverse industry, gender and cultural backgrounds.
Recognition and impact
ACES is home to some of Australia’s most celebrated clean energy researchers and award-winning projects. Recent achievements include:
- Election of Professors Andrew Blakers and Kylie Catchpole to Fellowship of the Australian Academy of Science (2024)
- Dr Bjorn Sturmberg awarded ACT Scientist of the Year (2024) and ACT Young Tall Poppy Science Award (2022)
- Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, 2024 (Blakers and collaborators)
- Engineers Australia Canberra Excellence Project Award for evolve – smart software for electricity system orchestration, 2022 (Blackhall and team)
- Engineers Australia Canberra, Highly Commended Award for pioneering work on Community Energy Models (Associate Professor Marnie Shaw) 2022
- Eureka Prize for Environmental Research for Pumped Hydro Atlases and 100% renewable energy systems 2018 (Blakers and team)