Establishment
The Centre for New Energy Technologies (“C4NET”) was an initiative of the Victorian Government to deliver innovative solutions to complex challenges within the energy sector.
The Centre was designed to bridge the gap between research, industry and government, solving problems through practical, industry led, data-driven research collaborations.
The founding members were Swinburne University, Monash University, RMIT University, Federation University, Deakin University, the University of Melbourne, AusNet Services and Powercor (on behalf of Citipower and United Energy). Each organisation helped shape C4NET’s structure and mission.
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) was also involved in C4NET’s development and contributed services throughout the Centre’s operations via a Memorandum of Understanding.
The Centre for New Energy Technologies Ltd was incorporated on 16 May 2018 and officially launched on 27 August 2018 as a company limited by guarantee, with a Board of Directors appointed at this time.
Operation
The Centre’s CEO commenced in January 2019 and worked with the Board to establish the Centre’s inaugural strategic and operating plans. The Centre brought industry and government together with researchers to explore gaps to address and capabilities to address. C4NET focused on horizon 2 and 3 sector challenges relating to electricity distribution systems and the consumers connected to them, with a national outlook.
The Centre delivered projects and events centred on using system and meter data to drive valuable insights, tools and information to:
- Improve industry efficiency
- Support consumer uptake of new energy technologies, products and services
- Provide evidence-based policy support
- Drive better consumer outcomes (lower cost, more choice, optimised solutions)
- Improve integrated optimisation approaches across the sector
- Building educational opportunities for the current and emerging workforce
The bulk of the research the Centre commissioned was conducted by C4NET university members, and data analytics insights projects by the Centre’s staff and contractors. To remain industry-led, virtually all projects had an industry or government sponsor who participated in the project to support the researchers, ensure relevance and provide a rapid technology transfer pathway. The sponsors contributed financially and intellectually to the projects. The Centre completed over 80 projects worth more than $25M across its 7 years, including its flagship Enhanced System Planning (“ESP”) project.
Critical to many of the projects was the ability to efficiently access data to support the research. The Centre retained a close working relationship with data holders to understand their needs and constraints, and then operated efficiently within this to best match the researcher data needs.
C4NET Focus Areas
Collaboration
Central to C4NET’s working style was the way it facilitated close collaboration across the sector. The collaboration was assisted by the Centre’s participants, supporters and sponsors throughout its operational phase.
Core Participants (financial and governance support)
Associate participants, supporters and sponsors (for C4NET in general or participation in select projects)
Collaboration in action: C4NET’s pathway from ideation to project delivery
Closure
Once the program of works supported by Member and supporter contributions had been completed in mid-2025, the Centre’s Members chose to proceed with an orderly wind-up of the Centre company in the second half of 2025. Before doing so, the Centre seeded additional research for continuation of the ESP project through its partner RACE for 2030 CRC, and support access to select project findings through this website. For further detail on any of the Centre’s project please contact directly the researchers or sponsors involved, as listed in the project reports. For access to data please contact the respective data holders.