Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) Leadership and Team

Professor Jonathan Love - Director

Leader, Sustainable Fuels Production

Professor Jonathan Love has a PhD in Electrochemistry and has been an R&D leader in sustainable e-fuels and fuel cell research for over 30 years in industry and academia. 

Professor Love’s expertise is in developing new technologies using electrochemical and materials science principles for renewable energy systems that include fuel cells, electrolysers and energy storage. 

In industry, Professor Love was a co-developer of an award-winning RD&D project for a world-leading innovative Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) product. In academia, Professor Love was Academic Lead for the design and construction of laboratory scale (<1kW) and pilot plant scale (50kW) solar to renewable hydrogen production testbeds.

Professor Love is developing capability and capacity in sustainable energy research with a research base in Gladstone, leading the research cluster Sustainable Fuels Production that includes biofuels and e-fuels. 

Learn more about Professor Jonathan Love’s expertise through his published research.

Associate Professor Sanath Alahakoon - Leader, Renewable Electrification

Leader, Smart Grids Research Group, School of Engineering and Technology

Associate Professor Sanath Alahakoon is an electrical engineering academic and research leader at CQUniversity Australia, where he leads the SMART-Grid Research Group. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden. He is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK).

His research focuses on microgrids, renewable energy integration, battery energy storage systems, smart grids, power electronics, and hybrid electric systems. He has attracted several million dollars in competitive funding from the Australian Research Council, Advance Queensland, CSIRO, the Queensland Microgrid Pilot Fund, and industry partners, leading major projects in renewable energy, grid resilience, and advanced microgrids.

A/Prof. Alahakoon based in CQUniversity Gladstone campus is leading the Renewable Electrification cluster that assists communities and industries in renewable energy transition. 

Learn more about Assoc. Professor Sanath Alahakoon’s expertise through his published research.

Dr Saif Al Ghafri - Principal Research Fellow

Leader, Industrial Decarbonisation and Energy Infrastructure

Dr Saif Al Ghafri is a chemical engineer and research leader with more than 15 years of experience in thermodynamics, process modelling, hydrogen and cryogenic energy systems. His research focuses on hydrogen liquefaction, liquid-hydrogen storage and boil-off management, thermophysical properties, LNG and liquid CO₂ systems, and advanced cryogenic technologies. He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London and maintains active academic affiliations as an Honorary Research Fellow at Imperial College London and Adjunct Senior Lecturer at The University of Western Australia, where he previously established and led research in thermodynamics and cryogenic energy systems.

Dr Al Ghafri has led and contributed to major research programs with industry, government and academic partners in Australia and internationally. His work includes the development of advanced hydrogen-liquefaction processes, industry-used modelling tools, and specialised experimental infrastructure for hydrogen and cryogenic-energy research. His research has attracted more than $10 million in competitive and industry funding and includes collaborations with organisations such as Woodside, INPEX, Baker Hughes, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Samsung Heavy Industries, NASA Kennedy Space Centre and Eta Space. He also maintains active research collaborations across Australian universities, including The University of Sydney, RMIT University and The University of Western Australia, alongside international research institutions.

At CQUniversity, Dr Al Ghafri leads the Industrial Decarbonisation and Energy Infrastructure research cluster, with current research spanning liquid hydrogen, magnetic refrigeration, high-temperature superconducting systems, hydrogen sensing, dynamic process simulation and industrial decarbonisation. He is also the Queensland Program Lead for Hydrogen and LNG within the Future Energy Exports CRC, supporting multi-institution research and industry engagement across hydrogen and cryogenic energy technologies.

Learn more about Dr Saif Al Ghafri’s expertise through his published research.