ABOUT US
Australian Carbon Innovation (ACI) became the trading name for Brown Coal Innovation Australia (BCIA) in March 2019. Since its creation by the Victorian government in December 2009, BCIA has successfully and professionally managed R&D projects for low emissions utilisation of lignite on behalf of its funders. The change of trading name to ACI reflects a corporate shift away from power generation and toward the manufacture of high value, low-emissions products. ACI is a not-for-profit company with a mandate to co-invest with stakeholders in carbon innovation (including CO₂ recycle), hydrogen utilisation and emissions reduction technologies
STRATEGIC APPROACH
-
ACI funds and facilitates strategic investments in carbon-based product and process development R&D, providing coordination for the development of new low-emission industries based on abundant but undervalued Australian resources. Funding is sourced from industry, research organisations and governments, and professionally managed as a project portfolio.
-
ACI's mission is to actively support the creation and development of new opportunities in low-emissions carbon-based products and industries, based on upgrading undervalued but abundant carbon resources.
-
ACI facilitates, negotiates and manages shared research and development activities between industry, research and government stakeholders.
-
The ACI team has a proven record of success in the strategic portfolio management of lignite R&D, drawing upon guidance from independent experts. ACI actively manages the development of new high-tech manufacturing technologies for the carbon products of the future.
-
ACI focuses strongly on skills development and the expansion of training opportunities to secure the scientific, engineering and trades expertise needed to develop new low-emissions, high value carbon technologies.
PARTNERSHIPS AND ALLIANCES
Australian Carbon Innovation (ACI) is a not-for-profit member-based private company that does not take an intellectual property position in the projects it manages. It serves as a ‘matchmaker’ between innovative industries, research institutions and research funding providers, drawing together and managing collaborative research partnerships, with a view to creating future wealth for Australia in the form of carbon-based products. The objective is to provide a synergistic outcome for funds invested providing the best possible return for funders.
ACI builds upon and extends the successful track record established by Brown Coal Innovation Australia (BCIA). Over an 8 year period, BCIA professionally managed 60 research projects, leveraging $13.46M research funding to create a $55.8M total portfolio value. This resulted in the training of 16 postgraduate engineers and scientists, and supported development of low-emissions products and technologies based on Victoria’s lignite resource. This experience provides a springboard for ACI to similarly promote a new generation of products and processes based on upgrading a broader suite of abundant Australian carbon resources.
ACI can beneficially draw upon a number of partnerships and strategic alliances to further its mission and benefit its members:
Australian National Low Emission's Coal Research and Development (ANLEC R&D)
ACI serves as the lignite (brown coal) node of ANLEC R&D’s activities. R&D investment opportunities are derived from ACI's funding relationship with ANLEC R&D.
For more information click ANLEC R&D
Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC)
ACI's partnership with CO2CRC enables ACI members to access information developed and provided by CO2CRC.
For more information click CO2CRC
National and Victorian alliances
ACI cultivates strategic linkages between national and Victorian research organisations and key Commonwealth and State Government agencies, to help create new business opportunities and solve challenging industrial problems.
For more information click DJPR and DELWP, CSIRO, Deakin University, Federation University (Gippsland), University of Melbourne, Monash University, RMIT University, Swinburne University
Global CCS Institute (GCCSI)
GCCSI partnership enables ACI to keep up to date with world developments in Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) technology and contribute to the CCS R&D international network.
For more information click GCCSI
Japan Coal Energy Centre (JCOAL)
ACI is the only international member of JCOAL, and the reciprocal membership is fostering linkages between Australian and Japanese researchers and industry participants.
For more information click JCOAL
Lignite Energy Council
ACI's partnership with Lignite Energy Council is helping to explore and exchange R&D information that can help reduce emissions and increase efficiencies of coal and lignite conversion facilities.
For more information click Lignite Energy Council
Committee for Gippsland
The Committee for Gippsland is a positive and influential voice for Gippsland. It is an independent and member driven advocacy organisation for the region, comprising of around 90 organisations across industry, business and community in Gippsland. Sector neutral, the Committee for Gippsland is a not-for-profit, incorporated organisation that takes a whole of region approach to Gippsland.
For more information click Committee for Gippsland
CarbonNet Project
The CarbonNet Project is investigating the potential for establishing a commercial-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) network in Victoria's Latrobe Valley, in which captured CO₂ would be transported via a shared pipeline and injected deep underground into offshore geological storage sites in Bass Strait. ACI is a strong supporter of the development of CCS technology for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from heavy industries in Australia.
For more information click CarbonNet Project
Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain
The Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) is a world-first pilot project to safely and efficiently produce and transport clean hydrogen from Victoria’s Latrobe Valley to Japan. ACI supports the development of low cost CO₂-free hydrogen in Victoria and the flow-on opportunities that will be created locally through this initiative.
For more information click HESC
ACI will continue to create new partnerships and strategic alliances to support its strategic investments in the development of new low-emission carbon-based products and processes. The range of potential linkages encompasses a broad range of sectors, including agriculture, construction, fuels and chemicals, bioplastics, transport, hydrogen production and utilisation, food processing, medical diagnostics, renewable energy and CO₂ capture/recycle.
