The International Research Network FACES

The International Research Network FACES: French-Australian Research Network on Conversion and Energy Storage for stand-alone & maritime applications will be officially launched on the 26 of May 2020 at UNSW Sydney.

IRN-FACES is the outcome of AFRAN’s mission in enabling new mechanisms strengthening scientific cooperation between France and Australia.

IRN-FACES aims to frame the scientific bilateral collaboration on energy materials and integrated systems. It includes eight CNRS French laboratories, accompanied by their supporting universities, and four Australian Universities. This network creates an extensive pool of research expertise geared toward supporting industry and innovation. The network focuses on electrochemical storage (including batteries and supercapacitors) and the hydrogen energy chain (hydrogen production, storage and conversion). It targets the development of advanced energy solutions capable of providing reliable and robust power to isolated systems such as maritime-related applications, such as ship propulsion and off-grid energy systems adapted to islands, coastal areas and remote isolated regions.

The network IRN-FACES is coordinated by Dr. Fermín CUEVAS - CNRS research director at the East-Paris Institute of Chemistry and Materials Science (ICMPE) - and Prof. Francois AGUEY-ZINSOU, leader of the Material Energy Research Laboratory in nanoscale (MERLin) at The School of Chemical Engineering, UNSW.

The CNRS laboratories involved in the Network are: ICMPE-Thiais, ICMCB-Bordeaux, IEM-Montpellier, IMN-Nantes, FEMTO-ST-Franche Comté, IMS-Bordeaux, LAPLACE-Toulouse et AMPERE-Lyon. From the Australian side, four Australian Universities are participating: The University of New South Wales (UNSW), Deakin University, University of South Australia (UNiSA), and Flinders University (Flinders).

IRN-FACES inaugural Doctoral Training School (25-29 May 2020) on electrochemical storage and hydrogen energy will deliver up-front knowledge on the most advanced hydrogen and battery technologies. It is the opportunity to learn from international experts in the field, develop in depth technical understanding of energy storage technologies and a broad appreciation of the techno-economical opportunities associated with batteries and hydrogen.