The University of Waikato showcased its latest Ahuora Digital Twin technology this morning, which targets process heat decarbonisation in an effort to tackle one of New Zealand’s most pressing energy and climate challenges.
Today’s landmark event brought together key industry leaders, researchers, and government representatives, including the Minister for Universities and Science, Innovation and Technology Hon Dr Shane Reti and MP for Hamilton East Ryan Hamilton.
Director of the Ahuora Centre for Smart Energy Systems Professor Michael Walmsley, MP for Hamilton East Ryan Hamilton, Vice-Chancellor Professor Neil Quigley, Minister for Universities and Science, Innovation and Technology Hon Dr Shane Reti and Assistant Directors of the Ahuora Centre for Smart Energy Systems Dr Tim Walmsley and Dr Martin Atkins with the wider Ahuora team.
“We’re excited to have demonstrated this cutting-edge technology designed to support industry to reduce and ultimately replace fossil fuels from their factories,” Director of the Ahuora Centre for Smart Energy Systems Professor Michael Walmsley says.
The AI-assisted technology is designed to support industries to cost-effectively transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and sustainably harvested biomass.
“This technology aims to enhance energy efficiency in more than 300 factories across the country, accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies like high-temperature heat pumps in the food, meat, and dairy processing sectors, and in the integration of distributed batteries and renewable energy.”
Professor Walmsley says the $12.5 million of government research funding the project has received has been a great investment for the country on many levels.
“The Ahuora project is in its fifth year of seven years of funding. To date, 109 researchers, including 41 postgraduate researchers, have contributed to Ahuora’s mission. When the project ends in 2027, the decarbonising challenge will not be over, and we will have provided industry with new tools and many skilled engineering graduates to help address it.”
The Minister closed the event with a keynote speech.
“What you have shown us today with heat decarbonisation technology exemplifies several principles that as a Minister and as a Government will be a direction for science, innovation and technology research going forward,” Dr Reti said.
The Minister closed the event with a keynote speech.
“You have taken a problem that industry has and sought solutions. Heat and energy efficiency is a real-world, real-time problem that you are tackling.
“As you're doing here, I want to more specifically point the science portfolio towards economic and environmental problems that industry are grappling with right now.”
University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor Professor Neil Quigley says the University was honoured to host the Minister alongside industry representatives, including Oji Fibre Solutions, Temperzone, Fonterra, Tetra Pak, Deta, Aurecon, Beca, and Evonik.
“This symposium presented a unique opportunity to showcase the transformative work being undertaken at the University of Waikato to decarbonise industrial processes,” says Vice-Chancellor Professor Quigley.
A demonstration of the Ahuora technology.
Researchers from the University of Waikato, the University of Auckland and Massey University were present, alongside engineering students and key government representatives from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
“These leaders have demonstrated their commitment to reducing emissions from industrial heating processes, which account for 28% of New Zealand’s energy-related carbon emissions,” says Professor Walmsley.
The Ahuora software platform is student-led and being developed in collaboration with researchers from the United States National Energy Technology Laboratory, further strengthening New Zealand’s position as a global leader in sustainable industry innovation.
