Boost for renewable energy innovation

Australia?s renewable energy industry has the opportunity to accelerate technology innovation, thanks to a new management resource established at Murdoch University.

Hosted by the Australian CRC for Renewable Energy, RETINA (Renewable Energy Technology and Innovation Network Australia), is an initiative of the Renewable Energy Action Agenda, and aims to develop a culture of market-driven innovation.

Innovative capacity has long been the domain of large firms but the renewable energy industry is typically characterised by the small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs), said RETINA Manager, Ms Alix Rhodes.

These SMEs lack the internal resources and external networks necessary for easy access to the knowledge skills, technologies and finance on which innovation depends.

RETINA has been established to respond to these needs by enhancing industry competitiveness through technology diffusion and acquisition activities; providing information and facilitating the sharing of critical knowledge and encouraging greater cooperation and collaboration between industry, the research community, government and other stakeholders.

RETINA will develop ?roadmaps? to identify current technology development, competitive advantages, market demand, key market drivers and externalities, and predict technological trends, medium to long-term market challenges and R&D needs which will inform commercialisation, acquisition and diffusion responses for individual renewable energy technology sectors.