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Latest Sustainable Development Goals Progress Report
Monash Progress Report 2022
Monash Progress Report 2022 – Goal 7

Monash Progress Report 2022 – Goal 7

Monash University Progress Report 2022 on the Sustainable Development Goals

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

Research

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2022 Publications Performance View

Number of Monash Research Outputs: 252

Mean Field Weighted Citation Impact of Monash Outputs: 1.53

3 Year Rolling Mean FWCI of Monash Outputs: 1.94

Energy Futures View

Climate change, peak demand, the rise of distributed energy sources and digital-enabled lifestyles are leading to increasingly uncertain energy futures. In response to this, the Energy Futures Program in the cross-faculty Emerging Technologies Research Lab is developing non-predictive methodologies and speculations for future energy demand, to help guide policy and planning in the energy sector. Drawing on socio-technical concepts and theories the program is building future scenarios, principles and strategies of understanding, forecasting and intervening in emerging and possible energy futures.

The research team’s applied work collaborates with energy partners, including electricity distributors, consumer advocacy organisations and peak bodies such as Energy Consumers Australia. Through its research, the Program is helping to show how emerging technologies can contribute towards affordable, equitable and sustainable energy futures.

Energy Future

Other SDGs:

Enzymatic Biodiesel Production View

Monash University Malaysia School of Engineering researchers have demonstrated the possibility of developing an efficient, cost effective and sustainable process to produce biodiesel from waste oil using enzymes. The process uses a low-cost and commercial liquid lipase produced from genetically modified aspergillus oryzae, a mould used in food making. The output power from the enzymatic-produced biodiesel and its blends were comparable with that of the commercial petro-diesel B10. Furthermore, carbon monoxide emissions for the purified biodiesel was found to be the lowest among tested fuels. The findings from this work provide an opportunity to improve process economics and sustainability of biodiesel production.

Other SDGs:

Bacterial Energy Extraction from Atmospheric Hydrogen View

Groundbreaking research by Monash microbiologists in the Biomedicine Discovery Institute has revealed that an enzyme made by a bacterium common in soil is capable of producing electricity from thin air. The research, published in Nature, showed that the enzyme Huc works as a hydrogen gas scavenger, and unlike all other known enzymes and chemical catalysts, it can consume the gas below atmospheric levels. In this way the enzyme functions like a natural battery, making a small electrical current from air or added hydrogen.

Among a variety of other potential applications, the finding opens the way to create small super-clean and sustainable energy sources that make electricity from air or low concentrations of hydrogen.

Other SDGs:

AI for Clean Energy and Sustainability View

Low-carbon resources could potentially add $13 billion to GDP and save Australians $6 billion in power bills by 2040. At the same time, digital technologies are reshaping the energy sector, making production and consumption more efficient and reliable. The wide adoption of these devices is also enabling greater connectivity between operations, businesses and customers.

The Faculty of IT is leveraging these advances by leading a CSIRO-funded Next Generation Graduates Program on AI for Clean Energy and Sustainability. A multi-disciplinary cohort of PhD, masters and honours students at Monash and RMIT are participating in the program to explore innovative technologies to help drive the transition toward clean power in areas including energy and demand forecasting, AI optimisation for systems and consumer energy management.

AI and Sustainability

Blockchain-based Peer-to-Peer Energy Trading View

With advances in solar energy generation and distribution, buildings may generate more solar energy than they consume and sell the excess to other buildings. Conversely, they can buy electricity from others, ultimately reducing fossil fuel usage. This leads to the idea of peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading, where energy is traded without an intermediary at an agreed price. In South East Asia, P2P energy trading is a nascent technology, only implemented in Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. A multidisciplinary team led by the School of Engineering at Monash University Malaysia are developing algorithms to enhance energy usage, minimising transmission loss and optimal pricing. This project also strives to create an optimal pricing mechanism and trading platform, making a positive contribution to P2P technology.

Solar Fuel Generation via Artificial Photosynthesis View

Amid depletion of oil and gas reserves, surging fuel prices, global warming and other environmental concerns, the search is accelerating for viable alternatives to fossil fuels.

Monash University Malaysia’s School of Engineering is driving this endeavour through research on solar-derived fuels, or solar fuels, with the aim to develop products that are compatible with our energy infrastructure today. Inspired by natural photosynthesis, the research teams have made significant advances to unravel the full potential of Photo-Driven Catalysis, the process in which solar energy is harnessed to knit together energy-rich products such as hydrogen (via water splitting), methane (via CO2/H2O conversion) and ammonia (via artificial N2 fixation).

Other SDGs:

Education

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Unit Statistics and Highlights View

In 2022, 79 units directly related to SDG7 were offered across Monash University, with a total enrolment of 5,383 individual students.

The units highlighted below are a small sample of the units at Monash relating to affordable and clean energy:

ATS1052: Interdisciplinary collaboration in a global world
BEX3150: Sustainability practice and organisations
RSE3141: Solar energy

Monash Business School Sustainable Futures Challenge View

The Monash Business School Sustainable Futures Challenge (SFC) is a bespoke learning program developed in partnership with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), research consultancy InceptLabs and the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) to engage students in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

For the inaugural challenge in 2022, student teams tackled SDG 7 to help deliver energy transitions for the Asia-Pacific region. During the intensive 10-day program, multidisciplinary teams collaborated to undertake independent research, create stakeholder analyses, and find holistic solutions to the problem. The Resilient Energy and Cybersecurity Technologies Toolkit (REACTT) Toolkit – a knowledge toolbox to provide policy advice to governments on the risk management component of energy transformation – was named best overall solution by UNESCAP.

Other SDGs:

Engagement

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Just Transitions in Australia View

Monash Sustainable Development Institute, in partnership with the Monash Emerging Technologies Research Lab and Royal Holloway University of London, published “Just Transitions in Australia: Moving towards low carbon lives across policy, industry and practice”. The report outlines how Australia can move equitably towards zero carbon emissions by overcoming socio-economic, location, scale and technology challenges, and offers governments, industry bodies, and civil society a set of principles for how Australia can shape transitions to decarbonisation across sectors. The British Academy (which funded the project) published an executive summary and policy synthesis. The team also delivered three public webinars to promote understanding of just transitions. The report received significant local and international print and audio media interest.

Other SDGs:

Policies to Accelerate Australia's EV Uptake View

Climateworks Centre launched the report “Accelerating EV uptake: Policies to realise Australia's electric vehicle potential”, setting policy priorities in six areas to inform a future national electric vehicle (EV) strategy. The report was released ahead of the 2022 National Electric Vehicle Summit, as part of a chorus urging for fuel efficiency standards. At the Summit, federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, announced that the government would consider fuel efficiency standards as part of a national electric vehicle strategy.

Other SDGs:

Climateworks Centre Activities Driving Net Zero Action in Australia View

To support net zero transitions in Australia, Climateworks Centre published its second climate policy survey, “Government climate action: Leading policies and programs in Australia”, which tracks policy progress towards decarbonisation of all sectors for state, territory and federal governments around Australia.

The Net Zero Momentum Tracker Team also worked with the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors to produce the report, “Chasing 1.5°C, The ASX200 – on the right trajectory?”, which found a growing number of companies with increased scope and ambitious commitments, and a leading minority who have set their targets in line with 1.5 degrees Celsius.

World Alliance of Universities on Carbon Neutrality with SEU View

Monash is a member of the World Alliance of Universities on Carbon Neutrality, co-founded by our Monash-Suzhou partner Southeast University and the University of Birmingham. The World Alliance of Universities on Carbon Neutrality forms an international partnership of institutions with research strengths in this field – aiming to deliver science, engineering and technological solutions to help achieve climate change mitigation targets. The partnership brings together talented academics and students from high-profile global universities to work with industry, business, government, and research sectors towards achieving carbon neutrality.

Zero Emissions Solutions Conference (ZESC) View

Monash collaborated with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and other partners to organise the Zero Emissions Solutions Conference in parallel to COP26 in November 2021. The five day online event brought together 74 global technical experts and world-leading scientists, engineers, and innovators from business, academia, and civil society to share knowledge and showcase solutions to maximise climate commitments in the wake of the Paris Agreement. The conference welcomed over 2,000 participants from 104 countries.

Operations

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Net Zero Initiative View

In 2017, Monash University made a commitment to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2030. Our award winning Net Zero Initiative aims to facilitate the transition to an energy-efficient, renewable energy-powered future by transforming and utilising campus assets to reduce our energy usage and carbon emissions.

Monash embarked on the following activities in 2022 to help realise net zero emissions at its Australian campuses:

Continued implementing the energy efficiency program, with 50,000 LED lighting upgrades completed to date. Stage 2 of the Building Optimisation project continued in 2022.
The thermal precinct electrification strategy is upgrading end-of-life gas-fired domestic hot water systems with high efficiency heat pump technology at the Clayton and Peninsula campuses.
Australia’s first en-route offsite bus charging station was installed at the Clayton campus bus interchange.

Energy Use Intensity View

While total energy use is returning to pre-COVID levels with the full reopening of campus operations, the efficiency of Monash spaces continues to improve. Energy intensity (GJ/m2) increased by 8 per cent from 2021 to 2022, however it is 21 per cent below the 2015 baseline.

Graph of total energy vs energy used and energy intensity

Renewable Energy View

Monash sources its renewable energy from rooftop solar photovoltaics across its four Australian campuses and off-site wind energy from the Murra Warra Wind Farm.

The University has steadily increased its reliance on renewable sources year on year. In 2022, renewable sources generated 62 per cent of the University’s electricity use and 31 per cent of total energy use (gas and electricity).

Monash is switching from gas to all-electric heating and hot water to reach the Net Zero 2030 target.

2015 energy mix

Energy Mix, 2015 v 2022

Net Zero Buildings View

Monash embarked on the following activities in 2022 to help realise net zero emissions at its Australian campuses:

Continued implementing the energy efficiency program, with 50,000 LED lighting upgrades completed to date. Stage 2 of the Building Optimisation project continued in 2022.
The thermal precinct electrification strategy is upgrading end-of-life gas-fired domestic hot water systems with high efficiency heat pump technology at the Clayton and Peninsula campuses.
Australia’s first en-route offsite bus charging station was installed at the Clayton campus bus interchange.