Adelaide at centre of Australian clean energy research, with $500m invested in new innovation hubs

Nearly $500m, including money from an Australian billionaire and an enormous uni grant, will be pumped into two clean energy research centres.

Adelaide will become a green industry innovation hub as nearly $500m is ploughed into establishing two major research centres, creating thousands of jobs and reducing emissions across the country.

Flinders University will open an innovation hub dedicated to harnessing marine bioproducts at the Tonsley campus in a matter of months after it received $59m in federal funding – the uni’s biggest grant yet.

The University of Adelaide is the other big winner, securing $39m that will go towards establishing the country’s centre of research into transitioning to the emissions-intensive steel, aluminium and cement industries into clean industry – an initiative backed by billionaires Gina Rinehart and Twiggy Forrest.

Industry, Science and Technology Minister Christian Porter will unveil the $98m government investment today, citing an urgent need to transition to clean energy.

“In order to remain internationally competitive, it is crucial that our heavy industries begin the transition to lower cost and cleaner energy technology to secure the long-term future of their operations, and their many thousands of employees,” he said.

Billionaire Twiggy Forrest is one of the backers of Adelaide Uni’s new research centre.

Gina Rinehart is also putting cash down.

Various research partners and organisations, including mining giant Rio Tinto, will pump an extra $375.7m into the SA innovation hubs over the next 10 years.

Flinders estimates its research centre will generate $8.6 billion for the Australian economy by 2035 and create 26,740 jobs, while the Adelaide centre is estimated to have the potential to create 376,000 jobs and $120bn over a non-specified time frame.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham declared demand for green products would boom across the world.

“Investing in cleaner technology will play a critical part in helping Australia to meet and beat our emissions reductions targets, without damaging our existing industries, and while also helping to build new industries for our future,” he said.

The Marine Bioproducts Cooperative Research Centre, to be headquartered at Tonsley, aims to develop high-protein seaweed to be fed to cows, reducing bovine flatulence – a major contributor to greenhouse gas.

It will also create eco-friendly plastic from seaweed, as well as using marine algae to produce sustainable vegan “caviar”.

Six full-time staff will operate the Tonsley base, with up to 70 project leaders and full-time researchers working around the country. About 200 other researchers will contribute to various projects. It is expected to open by the end of the year.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham, SA’s most senior Liberal, said investing in cleaner technology was “crucial” in helping Australia beat emissions reductions targets.

Flinders University vice-chancellor Professor Colin Stirling estimates that 26,000 jobs will be created across the country as a result of scaling up the clean energy industry.

“This outstanding initiative will generate enormous economic and job creation opportunities for Australia in general and South Australia in particular,” he said.

Adelaide University’s Heavy Industry Low-carbon Transition Cooperative Research Centre will involve 57 research partners across the globe, including the German Aerospace Centre and Arizona State University.

It will focus on integrating clean energy sources such as hydrogen, ammonia and solar into the manufacturing processes for steel, aluminium and cement.

Research centre director Professor Gus Nathan said tackling carbon emissions was a “challenge”.

“(But), it is also an economic opportunity because of the growing demand for new, higher value, green products,” he said.

The research centre will be headquartered in Adelaide, with hubs in SA’s Upper Spencer Gulf, Gladstone in Queensland and Western Australia’s Pilbara region.

There will also be hubs in the NSW Southern Highlands and the Victorian Portland region.

It is still unclear precisely where Adelaide University’s centre headquarters will be, but Lot Fourteen and the North Tce campus are two likely locations.

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