Invenergy Pty Ltd

Background

Invenergy provides specialised advice to clients wishing to integrate distributed energy technologies such as cogeneration and energy storage, into their projects.

Dr Tony Vassallo is the director of Invenergy and has 25 years of experience in research, development and introduction of new technologies in the energy sector. Tony spent 23 years with the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), latterly as a Senior Principal Research Scientist in the Division of Energy Technology. In this position, Tony set up, and was the inaugural director of, the Centre for Distributed Energy & Power, (CenDEP) a non-incorporated consortium of industry and government organisations providing leadership in the technological aspects of distributed generation. Previously he was Business Development Manager for energy storage and Project Leader of supercapacitor development in CSIRO Energy Technology.

In his scientific role, Tony conceived, resourced and led the Carbon Supercapacitor Project from 1994 till 2001. A key early objective of this project was to ensure that the project would be structured to provide smooth facilitation of technology transfer and commercialisation when appropriate. This work led to the formation of cap-XX Pty Ltd, an Australian start-up company that has recently listed on the AIM stock exchange

Tony has an honours degree in chemistry from the University of Technology, Sydney, (1977) and a PhD in energy science from Macquarie University (1986) as well as completing MBA level studies in the Management of Innovation (Macquarie University). He is a fellow of both the Royal Australian Chemical Institute and the Australian Institute of Energy. He is a member of the AIE board and immediate past Chairman of the Sydney Branch of the Australian Institute of Energy, and Honorary Secretary of the Warren Centre's Energy Committee, of the University of Sydney. Tony is also a co-founder and contributor to Energy Today.

Tony has authored or co-authored over 80 papers in international journals, as well as over 50 conference papers and investigation reports, and holds a number of Australian and international patents in carbon science and energy storage.

Tony was a joint recipient of the 2000 CSIRO Chairman's Medal (its highest award) for the development of the Holden ECOmmodore hybrid electric vehicle. In 2004, Tony and colleagues received the CSIRO Medal for the carbon supercapacitor project.