6 December 2021
Researchers and industry are invited to join us for the inception meeting of the RACE for 2030 B2: Industry 4.0 for energy productivity Opportunity Assessment work theme on Monday 6 December 2021.
The work group will investigate and prioritise the potential opportunities of Industry 4.0/IoT to transform manufacturing and improve energy productivity.
We’re looking to build a small group of industry leaders to inform an assessment of opportunities for the development of Industry 4.0 and energy productivity in Australia. This group will work with academic and other partners to quantify potential, identify pathways and recommend priorities for action. This six-month project will set a course for industry-led research, development and demonstration over the next decade.
Why you should be involved
We are seeking people to be involved in the Industry Reference Group (IRG) or in one of five focus groups for this RACE for 2030 work stream. The IRG will join 4 meetings to review papers and give feedback to help shape the future of research and development for Industry 4.0 technologies that will impact energy productivity. Each focus group will join 2 meetings to share their industry specific insights to ensure the research is grounded and directed with front line feedback. Participation at either of these groups will give you the opportunity to connect with and learn from other technology experts and other industry leaders. The knowledge gained from participating should aid your own work.
Background on the challenge this work them is addressing
Industry 4.0 involves advanced data collection, communication, analysis technologies, and intelligent application of information to deliver practical outcomes for improved services to consumers and new value-adding services to provider offerings.
Without a conscious focus on energy productivity, I4.0 may fail to capture maximum energy-related benefits. Hence, RACE has a potential niche to increase the focus of I4.0 innovation on energy factors. Also, industry 4.0 can help unveil a full spectrum of potential productivity benefits, further stimulating competitiveness and sustainability, particularly critical for the industrial and commercial sector. Further, the implementation of I4.0 solutions can enable new data-driven business models across the value chain, with new opportunities for several stakeholders, opening new forms of platforms for collaboration (e.g. in Germany) and enabling further processes of innovation and transformation in industrial production. Clearly, there are strategic fields of action representing crucial conditions for a successful implementation of I4.0, namely autonomy, interoperability and sustainability that should be carefully addressed in a roadmap for Australian businesses. For this reason, our team aims at investigating key aspects of I4.0, including review of I4.0 solutions (intended as a blend of technologies and related services), barriers to and opportunities for business transformation, productivity benefits from the implementation of I4.0, and regulatory framework and business models, providing a roadmap for business and market transformation.
How can you be involved?
We are seeking involvement from interested industry stakeholders to participate in four industry reference group meetings which will take place in the first half of 2022. The IRG meetings are via Zoom and run for 1.5 hours on average. Each meeting has a specific purpose as detailed below. We are also seeking industry representatives to participate in focussed work groups.
This event has now passed. Please email a2ep@a2ep.org.au if you are interested in being involved.
The team leading this project:
Associate Professor Andrea Trianni, University of Technology, Sydney
Dr Stephen White, CSIRO, Adelaide
Dr Ben Cheng, RMIT, Melbourne
Alan Pears AM, Senior Technical Advisor, A2EP, Melbourne
Jarrod Leak, CEO, Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity (A2EP), Sydney
Prof. David Lindsay, UTS Law, Sydney
Dr Nick Bennett, UTS, Sydney
Frank Zeichner, CEO, IoT Alliance Australia