Grind'n the Grid

Dr. Judith Landsberg has had firsthand experience at meeting the needs and challenges of changing an energy landscape. She initially worked on implementing renewable energy in Bermuda, advocating a move from fossil fuels. A key highlight, which involved establishing an UN-endorsed environmental education program in Bermuda’s schools. This was a successfully developed program that continues to this day. Dr. Landsberg then moved to Melbourne where she led the City of Melbourne’s Low Carbon Future team that worked to develop a world first power purchase partnership with 14 diverse organisation.  

With all the knowledge that she gained from these renewable energy positions, Dr Landsberg then moved to the Bureau of Meteorology working as the project manager for the Energy Sector Climate Information Project. In this position she has seen the benefits and need for the energy sector to utilise meteorological information for its benefit. Tune in to this podcast, to find out more about how our knowledge of weather is shaping the energy industry. With Australia’s recent extreme weather conditions, significant floods and bushfires, improved knowledge and understanding is critical to ensure that we build renewable energy supplies with longevity.

 If you have any questions for Judith please send them to [email protected] and we can forward them on.

Check out a recent paper that Dr. Landsberg worked on, which looks into the impact of temperature on renewable energy generation:

• “Temperature impacts on utility-scale solar photovoltaic and wind power generation output over Australia under RCP 8.5”-Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, 2020

Dr. Jill Cainey exemplifies how the weather sector is having an impact on the development of the energy sector. Dr. Cainey completed her Ph.D in atmospheric science, then worked in atmospheric science and meteorology. She continued to develop her career in different fields, before finally using that invaluable experience to help develop the renewable energy sector.

Tune in to this episode of Grind’n the Grid to hear more about how Dr. Cainey progressed from working in the meteorology to the energy sector. Hear about her first experiences of how the weather science is integrating and benefiting the development of energy, and what this will become in the future. If you are not discreetly studying a field related to energy, but you are interested in working in the energy industry, then you have to listen to Jill’s career journey for inspiration!

If you have any questions for Dr. Jill Cainey please feel free to send us an email at [email protected] and we will then forward this to her.

*Update, the battery we discussed in this interview has been installed at Mallacoota

*We would also like to thanks YEPS (Young Energy Professional) for helping us arrange this interview

Forecasting is not just about predicting the weather. It can be used to predict how certain systems will respond and function in the future. In this episode of Grind’n the Grid we talk with Dr. Christoph Bergmeir, a senior lecturer at Monash University, about this area. Dr. Bergmeir works in computer science and machine learning, developing forecasting models that will aid in predicting changes in the Energy Market.

In this episode we gain insight from Dr. Bergmeir, about what forecasting means with respect to the energy industry. We discuss Dr. Bergmeir’s current research and how developing forecasting models are assisting and being applied in Australia’s energy market.

If you have any questions for Dr. Bergmeir, please send them to [email protected] and we can forward them on to him.

Read some more of Dr. Bergmeir’s work.

Weather has a strong impact on our supplies of renewable electricity. Better understanding the weather can help us shape how we develop our renewable electricity supplies and better understand when these supplies will be impacted. In this Grind’n the Grid Episode, we speak with Dr. Hannah Bloomfield from the University of Reading, about her research in the field of meteorology. Dr. Bloomfield is currently postdoctoral researcher at the University of Reading and she has worked on research that looked how the climate affected changes in the power system of Great Britain. In this episode, we explore her research and how developments in meteorology are now impacting and being used for the growth of renewable energy. Dr. Bloomfield provides insight into how it is important, and the benefits of gaining a better understanding of weather, so that we can work to establish more stable renewable energy supplies . As a young researcher, Dr. Bloomfield also provides an insight into how she got interested in this field and how graduating students can get involved.

If you have any questions for Hannah, please send them to [email protected] and we will forward them onto her.

Check out some of Hannah’s work:

• “Quantifying the sensitivity of European power systems to energy scenarios and climate change projections”-Renewable Energy, 2021

• “The changing sensitivity of power systems to meteorological drivers: a case study of Great Britain”-Environmental Research Letters, 2018

• “Quantifying the increasing sensitivity of power systems to climate variability”-Environmental Research Letters, 2016

*We would like to thank YEPS (Young Energy Professional) for their assistance in organising this interview

With several investigations into the feasibility of nuclear currently underway in Australia, we thought it would be the perfect time for us to break down the current state of nuclear energy. This two part episode will first focus on the ethical concerns surrounding nuclear, and the new energy technology that is promising to alleviate all of those concerns. Join Rachel, Jane, and Alex who have a lighthearted chat about their opinions on the technology.

This episode was recorded on the 1st of September, 2020

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Grind’n the Grid is hosted by the Monash Energy Club for MOJO News.

Hosts for this episode are: Alexander Taylor-Bartels, Jane Knight, Rachel McIsaac

Researchers were: Lisa-Jane Oldfield, and Marilyn Rechtmann.

MOJO News: https://www.mojonews.com.au/

Monash Energy Club: https://monashenergy.org

Grind’n the Grid Instagram: @Grindn_the_grid

Grind’n the Grid Facebook: facebook.com/grindnthegrid

Our music is Finding Me, by Eveningland. © Creative Commons License.

SOUNDBYTES:

Air pollution causes 40,000 premature deaths in S. Korea each year: Greenpeace Arirang News 

Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster: News Report from April 28, 1986 ABC News

Coalition push for nuclear power | Nine News Australia 9 News Australia 

Cutting edge reactors to completely reshape the way people think about nuclear | Sustainable Energy Total 

Illinois And Nevada Are Fighting Over Where To Store Nuclear Waste VICE News 

Labor commits to target of zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 | 7.30 ABC News (Australia) 

New Zealand: Protest at Major’s Refusal to Condemn Nuclear Tests AP Archive 

Small Modular Reactors. Are they now unavoidable? Just Have a Think 

Thorium - The Future of Energy? ColdFusion 

ARTICLES:

As nuclear waste piles up, scientists seek the best long-term storage solutions Chemical and Engineering news

Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)

Australia's Uranium | Uranium Mining in Australia World Nuclear Association

Comparing Nuclear Accident Risks with Those from Other Energy Sources Nuclear Energy Agency Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development

Delobole Solar Price comparison to nuclear with solar farm Good Energy UK

Developing the First Ever Facility for the Safe Disposal of Spent Fuel Olkiluoto Storage Facility International Atomic Energy Agency 

Energy density University of Calgary

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 Subdivision E Australian Government

It’s time to rethink Australia’s ban on nuclear power Quick history on Nuclear in Australia Minerals Council of Australia 

Illinois Energy Professor Youtube Channel High quality nuclear lectures. Useful for understanding future energy technology, nuclear economics, and safety.

Life-cycle energy densities and land-take requirements of various power generators: A UK perspective Cheng & Hammond 2017

NSW, Uranium Mining and Nuclear Facilities (Prohibitions) Repeal Bill 2019 Parliament of New South Wales

Nuclear Power Today | Nuclear Energy World Nuclear Association

Nuclear reprocessing dangerous and dirty Reprocessing and nuclear weapons Council of concerned scientists 

Plutonium, Nuclear Power, and Nuclear Weapons Issues in science and technology 

Radioactive waste repository & store for Australia World Nuclear Association

Renewables vs. Nuclear: Do We Need More Nuclear Power? Renewable Energy World

Science Meets VC Podcast Dr Mark Ho from ANSTO

THE ULTIMATE FAST FACTS GUIDE TO NUCLEAR ENERGY US Department of Energy 

This new technology could save the troubled nuclear power industry The Guardian

Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation Canadian Micro Modular Reactor company

Why Doesn't U.S. Recycle Nuclear Fuel? Forbes

Swapping coal for renewable energy always generates a heated discussion, but what's less talked about is the impact of such a transition on its sizeable workforce. So this week we talk about coal jobs and why the conversation around the coal industry's jobs are so important politically, environmentally and personally.

We hear from Geoff Dyke, Secretary for the CFMEU Mining and Energy Division's Victorian branch, to get an insider's perspective on the industry, including how workers from the decommissioned Hazelwood Power Station are still making the transition. The CFMEU is one of Australia’s largest unions and represents the miners and energy workers in coal.

This episode was recorded on the 11th of July, 2020

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Grind’n the Grid is hosted by the Monash Energy Club for MOJO News.

Hosts for this episode are: Alexander Taylor-Bartels and Jane Knight

Researchers were: Rachel McIsaac, L-J Oldfield, and Marilyn Rechtmann.

MOJO News: https://www.mojonews.com.au/

Monash Energy Club: https://monashenergy.org

Grind’n the Grid Instagram: @Grindn_the_grid

Grind’n the Grid Facebook: facebook.com/grindnthegrid 

Our music is Finding Me, by Eveningland. © Creative Commons License.

Articles referred to in this episode

China to avoid coal from Australia in new trade threat -Sydney Morning Herald

Are there really 54,000 people employed in thermal coal mining? -RMIT ABC Fact Check

ABC Q&A Climate Solutions - Info from Marijn Wilder (Chair of ARENA) and Alan Finkel’s support for Australian manufacturing and hydrogen production

The changing global market for coal Stats around Australia’s export of coal (mostly to Japan) -Reserve Bank of Australia

In Queensland's coal heartland, some locals are leaving mining jobs to work in renewables Isaac Regional Council Mayor - employment discrepancies between renewables and coal -ABC News

How Germany closed its coal industry without sacking a single miner -Sunday Morning Herald

Coal mines can be closed without destroying livelihoods – here's how - The conversation

Collie at the Crossroads -Beyond Zero Emissions

What happens to an Australian coal town as the country turns to renewable energy? - SBS News

Japan to build up to 22 new coal power plants despite climate emergency - The Independent 

Latrobe Valley positive two years after Hazelwood power station closure - Stats about Hazelwood and the Latrobe Valley coal industry -ABC News

Soundbites

China places 'unofficial ban on Australian coal' -Sky News Australia

Why Australia’s booming renewable energy industry has started hitting hurdles | Four Corners - ABC News In-depth

What happens when a town’s major industry shuts down? -Insight SBS

Other

CFMEU, Mining and Energy 

-Geoff Dyke, Secretary of CFMEU Mining and Energy, Victoria

The Monash Energy Club and MOJO News is introducing podcast Grind’n the Grid, where we'll discuss energy and environment news, policy, and breakthroughs.

Our debut episode breaks down the oil war; why you were paying 85 cents a litre for petrol; the benefit the oil crisis has had on the environment - and whether those benefits will last.

Disclaimer: This was recorded on May 2. Oil prices have increased back to $25-$30 a barrel in the time since.

Correction: We said air quality in India improved by 35% on the first day of lockdown. Rather this was an improvement over three days. The Air Quality Index improved from 115 to 75, as quoted by the ABC.

Grind’n the Grid is hosted by the Monash Energy Club for MOJO News. Find them on Facebook and Instagram.