Woodside, Monash Uni to Focus on Low-Carbon Transition in Oz

Woodside Energy and Melbourne-based Monash University have joined forces to develop a ‘living laboratory’ and long-term research partnership to support Australia’s low-carbon energy transition, Woodside said July 4.

Woodside will contribute A$16.5mn (US$11.6mn) to the construction of the Woodside Building for Technology and Design, in the Monash Technology precinct, which houses Australia’s largest concentration of research institutions and leading engineering companies. The building is due for completion in early 2020.

Through the partnership, Monash and Woodside will explore the possibilities of hydrogen and of carbon abatement, with a focus on materials, electro-chemical and thermal chemical research, Woodside said.

Woodside and Monash will also jointly invest more than A$40mn in the ongoing research partnership over the next seven years. The Woodside Building for Technology and Design and Woodside Monash Energy Partnership will build on the foundation FutureLab collaboration, established by Woodside at Monash in 2015, the company said.

Monash University's vice-chancellor, Margaret Gardner, said the new building and the growth of the Woodside-Monash Energy Partnership would greatly improve Australia’s capacity to find new solutions in sustainable energy technology, and that it would quickly build a reputation as a leading centre for innovation.