CSIRO Industry PhD Scholarship: Responsible AI for Smart Energy Adoption and Optimisation in Australian Households and Small Businesses

Funding and duration

four year scholarship package totalling approximately $48,000 per annum tax exempt (2026 rate); four-year scholarship and research training program.

Project overview

Project title

Responsible AI for Smart Energy Adoption and Optimisation in Australian Households and Small Businesses

Project description

This Project will examine how AI-enabled digital tools can improve both the adoption and day-to-day use of distributed clean-energy systems, including rooftop solar, battery storage, and virtual power plant participation, for Australian households and small businesses. The Project will investigate why many users do not adopt these technologies, or do not use them efficiently after adoption, with a focus on behavioural, financial, and informational barriers. Using customer energy-use data, tariff information, weather forecasts, and distributed energy system performance data, the project will develop and evaluate machine-learning models to forecast electricity demand and solar generation, optimise battery charging and load shifting, and generate personalised recommendations for end users. The Project will also examine how responsible AI and user-centred digital design can improve trust, understanding, and decision quality.

Supervisory team

University

Name of university supervisor | Di Bu

Name of university | Macquarie University

Email address | di.bu@mq.edu.au

Faculty | Macquarie University FinTech and Banking Research Centre

CSIRO

Name of CSIRO supervisor | Dilum Bandara

Email address | dilum.bandara@csiro.au

CSIRO Research Unit | Technology

Industry

Name of industry supervisor | Dawei Huang

Name of organisation | Wattclub Pty Ltd

Email address | dawei@wattclub.com.au

Further details

Primary location of student | Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, Macquarie Park NSW 2113, Australia

Industry engagement component location | Wattclub Pty Ltd, Level 2, 6 Parkview Drive, Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127, Australia

Other locations | CSIRO Marsfield, 26 Pembroke Road, Marsfield NSW 2122, Australia

Ideal student skillset | Essential skills: A strong background in a relevant discipline such as computer science, data science, information systems, software engineering, engineering, economics, behavioural finance, or another quantitative field. The student should be comfortable working with quantitative and unstructured data, conducting rigorous research, and translating technical findings into practical insights for industry. Strong programming skills in Python or similar tools, good written and verbal communication, and the ability to work across academic and industry environments will be important. An interest in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of AI, digital infrastructure, and the clean-energy transition is essential.Desirable skills: Experience in machine learning, data analytics, optimisation, statistics, software development, or digital platform research will be highly valued. Familiarity with energy systems, sustainability, consumer behaviour, or responsible AI is desirable.

Application close date | Open until position filled

Apply | MQ