CQU researchers discuss renewable energy challenges and solutions

07 October 2025
Image of six people standing around a mechanical device
(L-R) CQU Senior Post-Doctoral Research Fellow Dr Umme Mumtahina, Belash P/L CEO Bevan Holcombe, Belash Senior Engineers Dr Edward Burstinghaus and Shane Goodwin, Belash Global Consulting Director Mark Hibbert and CQU Associate Professor Sanath Alahakoon with a dSTACOM apparatus.  

By Greg Chapman

Academics from CQUniversity’s SMART Grid Research Group have met with various Queensland power providers and engineers to discuss the future infrastructure needs and novel technologies around renewable energy.

CQU Engineering researchers Associate Professor Sanath Alahakoon, Senior Post-Doctoral Research Fellow Dr Umme Mamtahina and representatives from research partner Belash Pty Ltd, held a workshop in Enoggera, Brisbane, looking at how the cutting-edge technologies they are developing are shaping the future of renewable energy integration.

Engineers from Energy Queensland, and researchers from other national universities heard about the research into energy storage and state-of-the-art dSTATCOMs that regulate voltage and improve power quality in modern electrical distribution networks.

A DSTATCOM (Distribution Static Compensator) is a power electronic device that injects or absorbs reactive power into a distribution grid to improve power quality by regulating voltage, reducing flicker, and mitigating harmonics.

Assoc Prof Alahakoon said CQU has been working with Belash for many years, researching and improving the capabilities of the dSTATCOM technology and the presentation aimed to share the research with the state’s professional engineers in the energy sector and representatives from the research community.

“We wanted to share the leading-edge research we are doing within the University to support the applied technology, which is trying to solve the emerging problems in the energy sector. This is very important in the next decade to come when we have the accelerated energy transition” he said.

Image of large group of people standing in a room
Attendees at the seminar

Belash Pty Ltd CEO Bevan Holcombe said his company develops dSTATCOM technology for the Australian and international markets.

“We’ve had a long relationship with CQU over the last 10-15 years, and they’ve helped us further develop our products for the future networks that we need here in Australia for renewable energy.”

“dSTATCOMs are the products that we need for the future to address the climate change issues around carbon emissions.”