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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

Bessent Urges G7 to Strengthen Iran Sanctions Amid U.S.-China Talks

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on Monday that he plans to encourage G7 finance ministers to strengthen and maintain a coordinated sanctions regime aimed at cutting off funding tied to Irans military...

ECB’s Nagel Says Central Banks Can Do More to Support Markets Amid Inflation Concerns

Joachim Nagel, head of Germanys central bank, said on Monday that global central banks still have significant tools available to stabilize financial markets and restore investor confidence. Speaking ahead of a Group of...

Dollar Holds Strong as Iran Conflict and China Slowdown Shake Global Markets

The U.S. dollar eased slightly on Monday after posting strong gains last week, as investors continued to react to rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and concerns over inflation. Despite the minor decline, the...

Global Companies Face $25 Billion Blow From U.S.-Israel Iran Conflict

The ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran has already inflicted more than $25 billion in losses on companies worldwide, with costs expected to rise further as energy prices surge and supply chains remain disrupted. A...

Thailand Economy Grows 2.8% in Q1 2026, Beating Market Expectations

Thailands economy recorded stronger-than-expected growth in the first quarter of 2026, supported by higher government spending, rising investment, and solid export performance. Official data released Monday by the National...

Politics

Rick Fox Appointed to Bahamian Senate After Election Loss

Former NBA champion Rick Fox has officially joined the Bahamian Senate after being appointed by the opposition Free National Movement (FNM). The announcement came shortly after Fox failed in his campaign to secure a seat...

Trump-Backed “Rededicate 250” Event Sparks Debate Over Religion and Politics in America

A major faith-based event supported by the Trump administration drew thousands of attendees on Sunday, celebrating Americas religious heritage while also triggering criticism over church-state separation and lack of...

Samsung Faces Major Strike Threat as Union Restarts Pay Talks

Samsung Electronics and its South Korean labor union resumed government-mediated wage negotiations on Monday in an effort to prevent a large-scale strike that could disrupt the global semiconductor supply chain. The...

G7 Finance Ministers Meet in Paris Amid Global Trade and Economic Tensions

Finance ministers from the G7 nations gathered in Paris on Monday to address rising global economic tensions, supply chain risks, and critical mineral dependence as geopolitical divisions continue to challenge the groups...

Cuba Denies U.S. Drone Threat Claims Amid Rising Tensions

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez has rejected accusations that Cuba is preparing military aggression against the United States, calling the allegations a fraudulent case designed to justify tougher economic sanctions...

Science

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

Technology

Anthropic to Brief Financial Stability Board on AI-Driven Cyber Risks

Artificial intelligence startup Anthropic is preparing to discuss potential cyber vulnerabilities in the global financial system linked to its latest AI model, Mythos, with members of the Financial Stability Board (FSB),...

TSMC Stake Sale Sends Vanguard Semiconductor Shares Lower

Shares of Vanguard International Semiconductor (TWO:5347) dropped sharply on Monday after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) announced plans to reduce its ownership stake in the chipmaker. Vanguard shares...

CXMT Forecasts Record Revenue Growth as Global DRAM Prices Surge

Changxin Memory Technologies (CXMT), Chinas leading memory chip manufacturer, expects first-half revenue to climb between 110 billion yuan and 120 billion yuan ($17.62 billion), according to its updated IPO prospectus. The...

China vs U.S. AI Race Shifts Toward Robotics and Manufacturing Power in 2026

The global competition for artificial intelligence dominance is no longer driven solely by computing power and advanced chips. A new Alpine Macro report released on May 12, 2026, argues that industrial scale, manufacturing...

Samsung Union Talks Enter Final Stage as Strike Threat Looms

Samsung Electronics and its largest labor union are set to resume critical wage negotiations on Monday as both sides race to prevent a major strike that could disrupt South Koreas economy and global semiconductor supply...