Queensland and Japanese universities to continue renewables research
Queensland Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick welcomed the extension of an important research partnership on the opening day of his trade mission to Japan and Europe. The University of Queensland (UQ) and The University of Tokyo have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to expand on 25 years of collaborative research.
The MOU has increasingly broadened its scope towards Queensland’s renewable energy industries, particularly hydrogen and biofuel. The extended MOU signed on Friday will initially focus on collaboration between The University of Tokyo’s Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST) and UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN).
The collaboration is expected to lead to larger-scale research, demonstration and social implementation projects.
RCAST is led by Professor Masakazu Sugiyama, who himself has made a significant contribution to the development of Queensland’s hydrogen industry. Sugiyama was appointed as Queensland hydrogen envoy to Japan in 2019.
“Queensland is transitioning to a new-power super grid to reach 80% renewable energy by 2035,” Dick said. “This important research partnership provides invaluable support to reach our renewable energy goals.
“Expanding the scope of the MOU to bioengineering and nanotechnology will further advance the state’s capabilities to process new sustainable fuel sources.”
“As Queensland rapidly accelerates its transition towards a low-carbon economy, the need to identify and harness sustainable energy sources is paramount,” said UQ Associate Professor Esteban Marcellin Saldana. “For example, we have an opportunity to change the way we’re producing fuels and chemicals to lesson our dependence on finite fossil fuel resources.
“At the AIBN, our activity exploring the role of synthetic biology in advancing the biomanufacturing sector is just one of the many areas in which we look forward to collaborating with RCAST.”
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