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Bjorn Sturmberg

Research Leader, Battery Storage & Grid Integration Program at The Australian National University, Australian National University
Dr Bjorn Sturmberg is a Research Leader in the Battery Storage and Grid Integration Program at The Australian National University, which is designing and implementing the building blocks of our future electricity system.

Dr Sturmberg holds a PhD in physics from The University of Sydney. His PhD work on nanostructures that improve the efficiency of solar cells was awarded a scholarship from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. During this work he developed unique simulation software that he made available open source and that is now used in research groups internationally. He continued his passion for open source science in his postdoctoral appointment at Macquarie University, which delivered an open source package for studying the interaction of high power light waves with sound waves.

Dr Sturmberg is committed to improving energy equity. He spearheaded the multi-award winning Stucco Solar + Storage project, which, in an Australian first, transformed an apartment building into a highly self-sufficient microgrid with solar and storage, and slashed residents bills by over half. He subsequently received a Myer Innovation Fellowship and founded a social enterprise that unlocks solar for rental properties. He is a regular contributer to the public and policy energy discourses.

When transmission lines fell, 16 electric vehicles fed power into the grid

Jul 09, 2024 10:57 am UTC| Business Technology

Electric vehicles are an increasingly common sight on Australian roads. Each one cuts carbon emissions by half compared to fossil fuel vehicles, but increases household electricity use by 50%. This extra electricity...

Electricity prices are rising again. Here's how to ensure renters can cash-in on rooftop solar

May 26, 2023 14:49 pm UTC| Economy

Consumers struggling with cost-of-living pressures were dealt another blow on Thursday, when the Australian Energy Regulator confirmed energy price hikes of up to 25% from July. For the one in three Australian homes...

Climate Change Series

Good news – there's a clean energy gold rush under way

Sep 05, 2022 04:31 am UTC| Insights & Views

This week, the Australian Energy Market Operator warned gaps in electricity supply are likely within three years. The reason? Coal plants are quitting the market earlier than expected, as well as becoming less reliable....

Go local: how to keep the power on when disaster hits

Feb 10, 2020 23:51 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

Bushfires, storms and floods regularly leave thousands of Australian homes and businesses without power. Sydneys wettest weekend in three decades left more than 130,000 households without power on Sunday. South...

Economy

AI Chip Stocks Face Valuation Pressure as Investors Shift Toward Big Tech and Software

The explosive rally in AI semiconductor stocks is showing signs of cooling as investors question lofty valuations and whether the massive spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure can continue at its current pace....

Malaysia Q2 Economy Grows 5.8%, Beating Forecasts on Strong Tech Exports and Domestic Demand

Malaysias economy expanded by 5.8% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, outperforming market expectations and highlighting the countrys resilience despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainties. According to advance...

Japan Core Inflation Seen Rising in June, Strengthening BOJ Rate Hike Outlook

Japans core consumer inflation likely accelerated in June as higher energy prices and revised medical service fees offset easing food inflation, reinforcing expectations that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) could continue raising...

Nikkei Plunges 5% as AI Stock Selloff Spreads Across Asia

Japans Nikkei 225 tumbled more than 5% on Friday, falling to its lowest level since June 11 as a global selloff in artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor stocks intensified. The decline mirrored heavy overnight...

Asian Stocks Slide as Nikkei Leads Losses on Tech Selloff and Rising U.S.-Iran Tensions

Asian stock markets ended mostly lower on Friday, led by a sharp decline in Japans Nikkei 225 as technology and semiconductor stocks extended a global selloff. Investor sentiment also remained under pressure amid...

Politics

Trump Criticizes ABC, NBC and CNN for Limiting Coverage of Election Speech

President Donald Trump criticized ABC, NBC and CNN after the three major U.S. news organizations declined to air his prime-time address on their main television platforms, intensifying his long-running dispute with the...

Iran Launches Fresh Attacks on U.S. Bases as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Escalate

Iran launched new attacks on U.S. military facilities in the Gulf on Friday after the United States carried out a sixth straight night of strikes on Iranian military targets, deepening a conflict that has unraveled last...

US Military Completes Sixth Night of Iran Strikes as Conflict Escalates

The U.S. military said it completed a new wave of strikes on Iran late Thursday, marking the sixth consecutive night of operations ordered by President Donald Trump as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to...

Nicaragua Cuts Diplomatic Ties With Italy Over Red Brigades Extradition Dispute

Nicaragua has officially severed diplomatic relations with Italy after a renewed dispute over the extradition of former Red Brigades militant Alessio Casimirri, intensifying a decades-long conflict tied to one of Italys...

North Korea Calls South Korea ‘Puppet’ After U.S.-Led RIMPAC Naval Exercise

North Korea sharply criticized South Korea on Friday, labeling Seoul a puppet after its participation in the U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), warning that Washington and Seoul would be responsible for any...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Mikron H1 2026 Sales Fall 5.9% as Automation Weakness Weighs on Profit

Swiss automation and machining systems manufacturer Mikron Group AG reported lower first-half 2026 results as weaker demand in its Automation and Machining businesses offset strong growth in its Tool division. Despite the...

KAIST, Stanford Develop Self-Dressing Robot for Cleanrooms and Emergency Gear

Researchers from South Koreas Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Stanford University have developed an innovative self-dressing robotic technology that allows people to put on clothing without...

SpaceX Aborts Starship Test Flight as Engine Issue Delays Launch

SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) called off the 13th test flight of its Starship rocket just minutes before its scheduled liftoff from its Texas launch site on Thursday after an engine-related issue triggered an automatic abort. CEO...

Sam Altman Admits OpenAI Missteps, Promises Major AI Comeback Focused on User Freedom

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has publicly acknowledged that the company fell short of expectations over the past year, taking personal responsibility for its performance while outlining an ambitious vision for the future. In a...

Moonshot Launches Kimi K3, China's Largest Open-Source AI Model

Chinese artificial intelligence startup Moonshot has introduced Kimi K3, a new open-source AI model the company describes as the worlds largest of its kind, highlighting Chinas accelerating competition with leading U.S. AI...