CSIRO Energy Technical Talks, and AIE Newcastle 2025 AGM - In person

The event will feature two technical talks, with attendees invited to tour the REIF to see its capabilities in action following the talks.

(For an online option for the talks - please visit HERE)

Catalysing Australia’s Energy Future: Digital Infrastructure and Physical Integration

Speaker 1: Dr Stephen Craig

CSIRO’s National Energy Analysis Centre (NEAC) – Digital Infrastructure Catalysing Australia’s Energy Future

Abstract:
Launched in July 2025, the National Energy Analysis Centre (NEAC) is CSIRO-led digital research infrastructure designed to guide and streamline Australia's energy transition to net zero. NEAC integrates modern systems science, encompassing both human and technical dimensions, and is accessible to researchers, policymakers, innovators and industry.

NEAC comprises three core components:

• NEAC Living Lab: A digitally connected network of real people in real environments, sharing energy use data and preferences from homes and businesses down to individual appliances.
• NEAC Systems Science Toolbox: A system-level modelling and analysis suite covering electricity, heat, gas, coal, hydrogen and emerging energy types, as well as adjacent systems like water and atmosphere. It enables users to assess impacts of new technologies and approaches using rich systems analysis, workflow tools and data visualisation.
• Physical Infrastructure Integration: Links NEAC’s virtual capabilities to physical facilities such as CSIRO’s Renewable Energy Integration Facility, enabling robust emulation, simulation and testing of energy innovations.

NEAC addresses the fragmented nature of Australia’s energy ecosystem by enabling a coherent, data-informed, systems-science approach that supports faster, holistic feedback for research, policy and innovation, reducing risk across technologies.

Bio: Dr Stephen Craig is the Director of the National Energy Analysis Centre at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency. Stephen has more than 25 years of experience in applied research, strategy development and commercial innovation in systems engineering, digital technologies, and communications. Prior to joining CSIRO, Stephen led the national centre of excellence for Digital Engineering at Boeing Defence Australia, and he was Head of Strategy and Business Development at a spatial data analytics start-up. Stephen received his PhD in climate system modelling from Stockholm University. He spent many years in Sweden in leadership roles in mobile communication systems research, development and optimisation at Ericsson before returning to Australia in 2015.

Speaker 2: Dan Linsell

An Introduction to the Renewable Energy Integration Facility (REIF)

Abstract:
The REIF is CSIRO’s flagship laboratory for testing and demonstrating renewable energy, microgrids and smart grid technologies. Recently upgraded, the facility includes a mix of renewable generation, simulators, EV chargers, storage and loads, enabling a wide range of distributed energy research.

This talk will provide an overview of REIF’s capabilities and its role in supporting Australia’s energy transition. Attendees will gain insight into how REIF supports experimentation and validation of new energy technologies in a controlled, scalable environment.

Bio: Dan Linsell is a Senior Electrical Engineer in CSIRO’s Energy Systems team in Newcastle. With 17 years at CSIRO, Dan has contributed to projects on solar PV, batteries, energy monitoring and the renewable energy transition. He has led the recent upgrade of the REIF facility.