Siemens and Swinburne University of Technology have announced ambitions to establish "the most advanced future Energy Transition Hub of its kind in Australia" at the University’s Hawthorn campus in Melbourne.

The $5.2 million Siemens Swinburne Energy Transition Hub will be accessible to students and industry, enabling researchers and industry to work on solutions for greener and more efficient future energy systems. It is scheduled to open in late 2023.

The hub will use technology from Siemens, including Siemens Xcelerator, an "open digital business platform and marketplace". It will also draw on Swinburne’s technical, research and development and teaching expertise, according to a Siemens announcement.

Users will be able to use digital twins of energy grids, map scenarios, research new findings, develop hypotheses and test results, Siemens stated.

The hub will also be home to a digital twin of Australia's energy grid that commercial research teams can use to run simulations of new solutions and software.

The hub will work on technologies to improve energy efficiency, supply, integration, storage, transport and use, as well as how to improve existing technologies and frameworks, stated Swinburne Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Professor Karen Hapgood.

The facility will also provide short courses for industry professionals. Siemens software and real-world industry experience will be integrated with engineering technology courses, the Siemens annnouncememt stated.

The hub will also feature Siemens' microgrid management system (MGMS) and decentralised energy optimisation platform (DEOP) software, in addition to microgrid and planning stations. The microgrid technologies include SICAM A8000 and SIPROTEC5 devices for control and protection. The planning stations feature Siemens PSS software, which is used by many utilities and independent system operators, including AEMO and grid operators, Siemens stated.

Siemens and Swinburne University of Technology have a long-standing partnership.