ANU Centre for Energy Systems

What ANU Centre for Energy Systems does

The ANU Centre for Energy Systems (ACES) is a research centre within the Australian National University's School of Engineering, College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics. Formed on 4 November 2024 from the amalgamation of the Battery Storage and Grid Integration Program (BSGIP, est. April 2018) and the ANU 100 Percent Renewable Energy Group (RE100), ACES pursues economy-wide decarbonisation through socio-techno-economic, transdisciplinary research spanning engineering, chemistry, physics, computing, economics, and social science. Its portfolio centres on distributed energy resources (DER) integration, battery storage, vehicle-to-grid (V2G), pumped hydro, and community-scale storage, served through three physical/research assets: the Distributed Energy Resources Laboratory (DERlab), the Battery Materials and Energy Storage Laboratory, and a portfolio of software outputs (evolve, Converge, RouteZero, flexible demand tools).

ACES monetises through government grants and contracted research rather than commercial sales. Disclosed funding flows include the ACT Government's Renewable Energy Innovation Fund (initial $8M, 2018), $2M for DERlab (ACT $1.5M plus Australian Government $500K, 2019), ARENA/NSW funding for the evolve project ($7M, Feb 2019), ARC Discovery grant ($420K, 2020), NSW Bushfire Community Recovery funding for ESKIES ($3.125M, August 2021), and ANU College funding ($180K, 2022). ACES participates in national projects worth over $119M involving 30+ partners, though most of that capital does not flow directly to ACES. Customers are public-sector and regulated-industry buyers: AEMO, AEMC, the Australian Energy Regulator, ACT/NSW Governments, evoenergy, Citipower, Ausgrid, Zepben, Birdwood Energy, Yarra Energy Foundation, Horizon Power, and Transit Systems. As a university research centre, ACES does not charge end-users for its research outputs and reports no standalone revenue; outputs are distributed via open publications, policy submissions, and licensed collaborations.

The organisation is led by Co-Directors Professor Kylie Catchpole FAA FTSE and Associate Professor Heather Logie, supported by a senior team of ~14 (researchers, professional staff and HDR students) and a leadership group including Kim Blackmore, Tim Johnston, Laura Jones, Josh Vote, and Phillipa Watson. Notable accolades include the 2023 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, multiple Australian Academy of Science fellowships, ATSE Clunies Ross Award, MA Sargent Medal, ACT Scientist of the Year (2024), and the Engineers Australia Canberra Excellence Project Award (2023). Professor Lachlan Blackhall, the inaugural head of BSGIP, transitioned to Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation at ANU in February 2024.

Name

ANU Centre for Energy Systems

Legal name

The Australian National University

Website

https://bsgip.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The ANU Centre for Energy Systems is an Australian National University research centre that delivers transdisciplinary research, testing facilities and software tools for distributed energy resources, battery storage and grid integration, serving government, regulators and energy industry partners across Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Energy Systems Research

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415), Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Engineering Services (541330), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825)

akta.pro primary industry

Permitting, Siting & Environmental Impact (EIA/NEPA) Advisory (EUAMANAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

SCADA, Controls & Communications Integration (RTU, Fiber, Networking) (EUAEADAD), Process Start-up & Operational Readiness (ORR) (EUAEAJAF), Enterprise Architecture & IT Operating Model (BPAHAEAB)

Keywords

• Energy systems research
• Battery storage integration
• Distributed energy resources
• Renewable energy policy
• Grid integration solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Acton, Australian Capital Territory

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Government Funding: Primary funding from ACT Government through Renewable Energy Innovation Fund initiative, Australian Government grants, Australian Research Council (ARC) grants, and various industry partner funding
2. Collaborative Research Projects: Undertakes socio-techno-economic research, development and demonstration activities with industry partners on national projects worth over $119M

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ANU Centre for Energy Systems (ACES) is a research centre that conducts energy systems research, develops open-source software tools (notably evolve for dynamic operating envelopes), operates physical laboratories for battery and distributed energy resource testing, and delivers policy advisory and collaborative research projects on decarbonisation, battery storage, and grid integration.

Product overview

The ANU Centre for Energy Systems (ACES), formerly the Battery Storage and Grid Integration Program (BSGIP), is a research institution offering a portfolio of research programs, testing facilities, and software tools focused on the global energy transition and economy-wide decarbonization. The portfolio includes: DERlab and Battery Lab as core testing facilities; evolve (grid orchestration software with Zepben), REVS (vehicle-to-grid services), neighbourhood batteries research, and the Southcoast microgrid project as major research programs; Converge for dynamic operating envelopes; flexible demand software with Birdwood Energy; and RouteZero for electric bus feasibility assessment. ACES combines expertise in engineering, chemistry, computer sciences, physics, economics, and social sciences, delivering socio-techno-economic research, development, and demonstration activities. The Centre also produces policy submissions and discussion papers influencing energy regulation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DERlab: Distributed Energy Resources Laboratory - a state-of-the-art testing facility which mirrors the energy grid for testing and developing DER technologies.
• Battery Materials and Energy Storage Laboratory
• REVS

Products and services

• evolve Open-source distribution network software developed for modelling and managing dynamic operating envelopes for distributed energy resources, used by distribution network operators, utilities, and researchers.
• Distributed Energy Resources Laboratory (DERlab) Physical laboratory facility for real-world hardware testing of distributed energy resources, smart inverters, and grid integration equipment, used by industry partners, researchers, and standards bodies.
• Battery Materials and Energy Storage Laboratory Laboratory facility for battery materials research, cell fabrication, and energy storage characterisation, supporting academic and industry collaboration on storage technologies.
• REVS (Renewable Energy Vehicle Systems) Research program supporting the integration of renewable energy and electric vehicles, including vehicle-to-grid technology research, serving government, industry partners, and research collaborators.
• Southcoast Microgrid Reliability Feasibility (SμRF) Project Collaborative research project assessing the feasibility of microgrid reliability solutions for the Southcoast region, delivered to regional and government stakeholders.
• Neighbourhood Batteries Program Research program studying the technical, economic, and social impacts of neighbourhood-scale battery storage deployments, supporting local councils, communities, and distribution networks.
• Multi-Energy System Modelling (MES) Modelling framework that supports analysis of coupled electricity, gas, and heat systems, used by researchers and policy makers to evaluate whole-of-system decarbonisation pathways.

Quantifiable outcome

• Real-world deployment of DERlab opened July 2021 with $2M investment from ACT and Australian Government
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ITP RenewablescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2021DERlab partner providing collaborative testing and development capabilities for distributed energy resources integration into the distribution system
• evoenergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2021DERlab partner contributing expertise in electricity network operations for testing and verification of DER device integration
• UNSW CanberracoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2021DERlab partner providing academic research collaboration for distributed energy resources testing and prototyping activities
• ZepbencoreTechnology or IntegrationSoftware development company leading the evolve project consortium for smart grid orchestration software; won Engineers Australia Canberra Excellence Project Award 2023
• Birdwood EnergycoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership to build flexible demand software tool for commercial and industrial businesses to realise their flexible demand potential
• Yarra Energy FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Melbourne Solar Sponge community battery trial - applying BSGIP research into community-scale batteries in Melbourne CBD
• CitipowercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElectricity network partner for Melbourne CBD community battery trial alongside Yarra Energy Foundation
• Horizon PowercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistributed energy resources trials in remote Western Australia town of Carnarvon, investigating technical solutions for barriers to consumer DER installation
• Transit SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Australia's largest electric bus fleet project - 40 buses, charging infrastructure and retrofitted depot in Leichhardt, Sydney ($36M project)
• Munster Electrochemical Energy Technology (MEET) CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGermany-Australia collaboration evaluating dual-ion batteries with phosphorus negative electrodes
• AusgridcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on community-scale batteries regulatory reform options and distribution network management
• Total Environment CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint presentation on community-scale batteries regulatory reform options

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): U.S. Department of Energy national lab leading renewable energy and grid integration research with dedicated testing facilities (e.g., ESIF). Highly comparable as a publicly funded research institution with DER testing labs, standards work and policy influence.
• Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI): Global, industry-funded research organisation for the electricity sector, producing standards, grid integration research and demonstration projects. Comparable for its role shaping utility practice on DER, storage and grid modernisation.
• Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO): Australia's national science agency, conducting large-scale applied energy research including DER, hydrogen and grid integration. Comparable as the most direct Australian counterpart running publicly funded, multi-partner energy transition R&D at scale.
• Sandia National Laboratories: U.S. national lab with deep DER, microgrid and energy storage research, including grid cyber-physical testing capabilities. Comparable for its mission-aligned energy storage and grid security testing infrastructure and standards influence.

Others

• Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA): Australian federal agency that funds renewable energy R&D and demonstration projects. Comparable as a co-funder and programme partner on evolve, REVS and neighbourhood battery projects, shaping the same grant ecosystem ACES operates in.
• Smart Energy Council: Australian industry peak body for smart energy and DER. Comparable as a convening and policy-influencing body operating in the same DER, community battery and EV ecosystem that ACES researches.

Direct peers

• Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA): Independent energy finance and policy research organisation producing briefings and reports that influence energy transition policy. Comparable for its research-and-advocacy model and influence on regulators and governments.
• Beyond Zero Emissions: Australian climate solutions think tank producing technical decarbonisation research and 10-year plans. Comparable as an Australia-focused non-profit producing techno-economic and policy research that informs energy transition decisions.
• Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI): Independent non-profit energy research and consulting organisation focused on decarbonisation, DER and grid transformation. Comparable as a think-and-do tank combining technical analysis, software/tooling (e.g., REPRA, Hopper) and policy advisory work.
• University of New South Wales (UNSW) Energy Institute: Leading Australian university energy research hub with PV, storage and grid integration research and a major testing facility (e.g., Tyree Energy Technologies Building). Comparable as a peer academic centre competing for ARC grants and industry partnerships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/anu-centre-for-energy-systems

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ANU Centre for Energy Systems