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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

India Budget 2026: Modi Government Eyes Reforms Amid Global Uncertainty and Fiscal Pressures

Indias central government is set to present its annual budget on Sunday, a closely watched event as Prime Minister Narendra Modis administration seeks to accelerate domestic reforms while navigating rising global...

China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market

Average prices of new homes across 100 major Chinese cities recorded an increase in January, while price declines in the secondary housing market continued to narrow, according to a private survey. The data suggests early...

South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years

South Koreas exports recorded a strong start to the year, rising for an eighth consecutive month in January and posting their fastest growth in four and a half years, driven largely by booming global demand for AI servers...

Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals

Russian stocks finished Saturdays trading session slightly lower overall, with the benchmark MOEX Russia Index closing unchanged at 0.00% in Moscow. Market sentiment remained cautious as investors weighed mixed...

China Factory Activity Slips in January as Weak Demand Weighs on Growth Outlook

Chinas factory activity contracted at the start of the year, highlighting persistent pressure from weak domestic demand despite continued policy support from Beijing. An official survey released on Saturday showed that...

Politics

Trump Says Fed Pick Kevin Warsh Could Win Democratic Support in Senate Confirmation

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that his nominee to lead the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh, could secure votes from Senate Democrats during what is expected to be a closely watched and potentially...

Christian Menefee Wins Texas Special Election, Narrowing GOP House Majority

Democrat Christian Menefee has won a Texas special election for the U.S. House of Representatives, according to the Associated Press, a result that further tightens Republicans slim majority in the chamber. Menefees...

Trump’s Iraq Envoy Mark Savaya Ousted Amid U.S.-Iraq Tensions Over Iran Influence

Mark Savaya, who was named by U.S. President Donald Trump as special envoy for Iraq in October, is no longer serving in that role, according to multiple sources familiar with the decision. The reported removal comes at a...

Keir Starmer Urges Prince Andrew to Testify in U.S. Epstein Investigation

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for former Prince Andrew to testify before a U.S. congressional committee following new revelations about his long-standing links to disgraced financier and convicted sex...

U.S. Government Enters Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal

The U.S. government entered a partial shutdown early Saturday after Congress failed to finalize a funding agreement before a midnight deadline, temporarily halting a range of federal operations. The shutdown officially...

Science

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Technology

Elon Musk’s Empire: SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI Merger Talks Spark Investor Debate

Speculation around a potential Musk Inc has resurfaced as Elon Musks companiesSpaceX, Tesla, and xAIexplore closer ties amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence and automation. With SpaceX expected to go public later...

SpaceX Reports $8 Billion Profit as IPO Plans and Starlink Growth Fuel Valuation Buzz

SpaceX delivered a strong financial performance last year, generating an estimated $8 billion in profit on revenues between $15 billion and $16 billion, according to people familiar with the companys results. The figures,...

SpaceX Updates Starlink Privacy Policy to Allow AI Training as xAI Merger Talks and IPO Loom

SpaceX has revised its Starlink privacy policy to allow customer data to be used for artificial intelligence training, a move that could significantly support Elon Musks broader AI ambitions. The policy change comes as...

Nvidia’s $100 Billion OpenAI Investment Faces Internal Doubts, Report Says

Nvidias ambitious plan to invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI, aimed at supporting the training and operation of next-generation artificial intelligence models, has reportedly hit a roadblock. According to a report...

Federal Judge Signals Possible Dismissal of xAI Lawsuit Against OpenAI

A U.S. federal judge has signaled she may dismiss a high-profile lawsuit filed by Elon Musks artificial intelligence startup, xAI, against rival OpenAI, dealing a potential setback to Musk in an escalating legal battle...