Ariel Liebman

Ariel is Director & co-founder of the Monash Energy Institute and a Professor of Sustainable Energy Systems in the Monash faculty of IT. Ariel’s research focus is on the development and application of new decision support tools for Integrated System Planning for large 100% renewable grids.

In 2019 he co-founded the RACE for 2030 CRC as the first Networks Program leader.

An energy specialist with more than 25 years of experience with 12 years of industry roles in the National Electricity Market Ariel took on several significant projects including as architect of the Microgrid/Net Zero Initiative and lead researcher in the $3 mil ARENA funded Smart Energy City. The Clayton campus infrastructure includes 2MW of solar panels, 20 buildings, electric vehicle charging stations and redT 1MWh storage the co-leadership of the Australia Indonesia Centre Energy Cluster. The last notable project he led was a collaboration with Indonesian and European NGO’s showing that a shift to renewables can cost Indonesia no more than their current coal based plans while reaching 50% renewables by 2030.

He holds a PhD in Quantum Physics from the University of Queensland and a Masters in Physics and BSc from the University of Auckland.