Overview: In this presentation, we present a reference architecture for Australia's multi-energy, water, and hydrogen systems. For the first time, we begin to understand the inherent interdependencies between these systems using model-baseed systems engineering.
Context: Australia has one of the greatest solar and wind energy resources in the world. And yet, it is one of the largest exporters of carbon-intensive energy sources. In the meantime, its arid, sub-tropical climate leaves it water scarce and vulnerable to extreme weather events.
Purpose: As Australia proceeds with its own sustainable energy transformation, it must reconcile these realities so that energy services are sustainable, affordable, resilient, and equitable. The interdependencies between is multi-energy, water, and hydrogen systems can create opportunitistic synergies and inevitable trade-offs.
Approach: This presentation exposits a reference architecture as a means of managing the complexity of Australia’s Nexus Infrastructure of Energy, Water and Hydrogen (ANIEWH). It argues that Australia must adopt an integrated approach to infrastructure systems engineering that explicitly tackles the coupling of energy, water, and hydrogen. It further argues that a model-based systems engineering reference architecture provides the disciplinary means by which to tackle this inherent complexity.
Insights: The Hydrogen-Energy-Water Reference Architecture (HEWRA) is then presented in terms of system boundary, form, and function for the coal, oil, natural gas, electric power, hydrogen, potable water, and wastewater management sectors. The presentation concludes with thoughts on how this work can be further advanced within future initiatives.