Knowledge sharing
Why share knowledge?
Sharing knowledge and information about renewable energy technologies is one of the ways which ARENA can help improve the competitiveness of renewable energy technologies and increase the supply of renewable energy in Australia. ARENA can share knowledge and information to promote innovation of renewable energy technologies and to address barriers to renewable energy uptake. Knowledge sharing activities might help to:
- improve understanding of project technology and market risks
- allow better coordination of domestic and international research and development activities
- improve understanding of and techniques for management of renewable energy supply variability
- improve community acceptance of renewable energy technologies
- standardise and streamline approaches to meeting regulatory and planning requirements.
How is ARENA involved?
ARENA’s functions include collecting, analysing, interpreting and sharing knowledge and information about renewable energy and related technologies. ARENA is also able to provide funding to others to store and share knowledge and information.
The Australian Solar Institute (ASI), which merged with ARENA on 1 January 2013, has been responsible for the sharing of knowledge and information relating to the research and development of solar energy and for the sharing of knowledge and information arising from the projects previously funded by the Solar Flagships program.
An early task for ARENA will be to consider what knowledge sharing activities it will undertake to promote renewable energy technologies more broadly.
This section of the website will continue to be updated as ARENA develops this strategy.
International Activities
In developing its approach, ARENA will seek to complement and draw on existing Australian Government and international activities that share knowledge and information supporting renewable energy technologies. The following activities are relevant:
- Australia is a long-standing member of the International Energy Agency, which has information sharing on energy markets and technologies as its core business.
- Australia is also a member of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which is developing processes to share relevant information on renewable energy technologies globally.
- Australia is an active participant in the Clean Energy Ministerial and, in particular, is co-funding the development of a Clean Energy Solutions Centre with the USA’s Department of Energy (being delivered by the USA’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, UN Energy and the International Copper Association) to help government agencies with advice and policy tools supporting renewable energy growth.