Melbourne Energy Institute

The Melbourne Energy Institute delivers influential, interdisciplinary research on the transition to a clean energy system. We work with the community, industry and government on some of the world's most pressing energy challenges.

Research Programs

Energy Systems

The Energy Systems Program considers how different energy technologies interact with one another, society and the environment. The program includes the technical, economic and environmental analysis of energy networks, wholesale and retail energy markets and energy system planning.
Hydrogen and Clean Fuels

The Hydrogen and Clean Fuels Program integrates research into production, distribution and use of hydrogen in the energy system. The program studies electrolysis and clean fuel production, as well as hydrogen and clean fuel distribution and use in industrial and transport applications.
Power Generation and Transport

The Power Generation and Transport Program brings together researchers who investigate several forms of renewable and low emission power plants for stationary and mobile applications. This includes advanced wind, solar, gas turbine, reciprocating engine and energy storage technologies.
Energy Materials

The Energy Materials Program assembles researchers working in materials science and engineering, and focuses on the discovery and optimisation of materials for energy applications. This includes materials for energy generation, storage, transport, and consumption such as hydrogen electrolysis, batteries, solar energy conversion and lighting.

Engage with us

MEI runs a vibrant news and events program and welcomes enquiries from prospective students and industry partners.

The Melbourne Energy Institute's research portfolio engages over 300 researchers from disciplines including Architecture, Arts, Business & Economics, Engineering, Health, Law, Planning and Science.

Read our capabilities statement

Where can studying with us take you?

Meet Graduate Researcher Mathieu Pichault. Mathieu Pichault is a PhD student undertaking research under the joint supervision of academic staff in Earth Sciences and Mechanical Engineering. His passion for sustainability and climate change led him to his PhD. His research looks at characterising, detecting and forecasting wind power ramps at the wind farm scale to optimise the integration of wind farms into the grid.

Graduate Research Profile: Mathieu Pichault

Melbourne Energy Students Association (MESA)

MEInetwork program

The MEInetwork is an education and skills program developed by the Melbourne Energy Institute at the University of Melbourne. This annual program offers education activities focused on the energy sector, with an additional focus on professional development and engagement across sector and academic networks. These activities include the Energy Systems Short Course, Seminar Series, the MEI Symposium, and other topical meetings and seminars.

Energy Systems Short Course
About
The MEInetwork Energy Systems Short Course teaches skills in analysing the financial, technical, and environmental performance of energy projects. The course centres on practical, hands on, modelling exercises. Participants develop their own spreadsheet models, and learn how to answer questions such as: Is a proposed wind farm or gas turbine a good investment? What is the probability that it will earn a commercial rate of return? What is the best financing structure for the project?
The assessment for the course will be an assignment on the second case study, completed over two weeks following the final class. A certificate of completion will be issued to participants. All classes will be scheduled outside of business hours.
Participant numbers for the short course are kept small, comprising approximately 20 industry participants and 20 graduate students.
We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from past participants, who said they gained valuable insight into the investment decision-making processes used to determine the viability of different energy investments, and the key components that underpin these decisions.
Topics
- The fundamentals of finance
- The Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE)
- Sensitivity analyses
- Tools for financial analysis under uncertainty
- Problem-based learning via investment case studies
Presenter
The Short Course was taught by energy industry expert and University of Melbourne Honorary Professorial Fellow Dr John Burgess, with the assistance of Jonathan Anderson, Senior Engineer at Arup.
Dr. John Burgess is a chemical engineer with extensive industrial and research experience. This includes a long and distinguished career at BHP, where he rose to senior executive level. He was also recently the Chair of the CSIRO Energy Advisory Committee for a number of years. John is an Honorary Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne, an Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland, and a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE).
Energy Systems Seminar Series
About
The aim of the MEInetworkSeminar Series is to give participants a sound understanding of the current technical, regulatory and economic factors that underpin the Australian energy system. Knowledge of these market factors is critical in determining the changes required to move towards a clean energy system.
In 2021, the MEInetwork Seminar Series program will be compromised of six seminars covering the electricity supply chain, running from April - October.
The seminars are open to MEInetwork21 partners and their invited guests, as well as University of Melbourne students and staff.
Topics
- System overview: from generation to customer
- Transmission and distribution networks
- Wholesale markets
- Financial markets
- Retail markets
- Demand response and virtual power plants.
Guest Speakers
The seminars will be delivered by specialists from industry and the University.
MEI Symposium
The MEI Symposium showcases the multi-disciplinary energy research taking place throughout the University of Melbourne. Importantly, the event provides a space for collaboration between the sector and the University, as well as an opportunity to celebrate the past year's accomplishments. Past keynote speakers include Dr Alan Finkel AO, Australia's Chief Scientist, Dr Kerry Schott, Chair of the Energy Security Board, and Audrey Zibelman, CEO of AEMO.
The Symposium features talented graduate students and research staff presenting their research within MEI’s four program areas, including:
Prizes are awarded to the best graduate presenter and poster in each research program.
This year the MEI Symposium will be held on Friday 11 December 2021.
MEInetwork Partner

Want to be a MEInetwork partner?
The success of the MEInetwork is only possible with the support of our industry and government partners. We work closely with partners to develop the program to ensure that it reflects current industry trends and challenges.
Partner organisations are involved in all MEInetwork21 learning and engagement activities, including the MEI Symposium and other important research and knowledge sharing events. Partners are entitled to enrol two employees in the Energy Systems Short Course, and the Energy Systems Seminar Series is open to all staff of participating organisations and their clients. In addition, partners receive brand exposure throughout the duration of the program. To learn more about becoming a partner, please contact us:mei-info@unimelb.edu.au.

MEInetwork20 Partners

We are grateful to all of our industry and government partners for their continued support of the MEInetwork program. Thank you to our 2020 partners who made MEI’s vision for this program possible – to be a unique education and professional development program that contributes to our evolving energy sector.