Science and Engineering
Emeritus Professor Ian Mackinnon
Chair, Technical Advisory Board
Founder/Director, Centre for Clean Energy Technologies and Practices, Queensland University of Technology (QUT); Founder/Exec. Director, Institute for Future Environments, QUT; Exec. Director, Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Australian Research Council (Commonwealth Government); Member, Ministerial Council and H2 Taskforce, Queensland Government; Foundation Director/Professor, Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Queensland; senior positions at University of New Mexico; NASA Johnson Space Centre; Arizona State University.
Arguably Australia’s most experienced and eminent green energy science and engineering advisor to government and industry leaders on practical approaches to the green transition, Professor Mackinnon holds leading expertise and currency in end-to-end green power, hydrogen and battery systems in operation.
Professor Mackinnon designed and delivered QUT’s own solar/green H2/battery system at Redlands, Brisbane (2018-). He is highly experienced in the successful translation of scientific innovation, IP and patents into viable start-up companies. His strong contemporary insight into global government and industry attitudes to risk and investment in green energy promote prudent GIP development efforts.
Associate Professor Neil Thompson
Technical Advisory Board
Dr Thompson joins the GIP Technical Advisory Board in his capacity as an eminent system design specialist, being an Adjunct Associate Professor at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Institute for Future Environments (IFE).
Dr Thompson is also Asia-Pacific region Managing Director of PEM electrolyser manufacturer ITM Power PLC, Adjunct Associate Professor at University of Western Australia (UWA) Future Energy Exports (FEnEx) Cooperative Research Centre and visiting fellow at Australian National University (ANU).
He is a former Director of the Australian Hydrogen Council (AHC) and Chair of the Hydrogen Industry Advisory Group for the Australian Government’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Technology Organization (CSIRO).
Dr Thompson’s corporate career includes power generation, radiation processing, renewable energy, auto OEM, embedded networks and carbon consulting specializing in integrated, closed-loop system design and green energy systems.
​
Dr. Thompson has undertaken award-winning research at QUT Australia and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Germany in the field of integrated hydrogen energy systems which has been regularly published in the USA and Europe. This research formed the foundation for development of a number of local reference sites for rapid response PEM electrolysers across the mobility, industrial chemistry and power to gas sectors in partnership with key local and international clients.
​
Associate Professor Richard Taylor
Technical Advisory Board
Founder and Director, Heavy Electrical Current Lab, Queensland University of Technology (QUT); Director Siemens Germany and Australia evaluation platform for superconductivity, motor propulsion; engineering lead on multiple hydroelectric and thermal power plant commissions in Australia and New Zealand; Convenor of Advanced Power Testing Systems, International Council on Large Electric Systems, Paris France; Head of Green Power Grid Integration, Renewable Power Microgrid, QUT; Founder and Director Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, QUT; Consulting specialist power engineer to leading global
industrials in superconductor power technology.
Associate Professor Taylor is a highly-regarded global figure in Superconducting Quantum Technology, which is a path to more efficient and affordable green power; he has been the Founder and Director of multiple successful power system innovation companies. He holds cutting-edge insight and global networks in these fields and brings partnering prospects which can generate significant additional commercial efficiencies in GIP’s green H2 power system design.
Mr. Kevin Peakman
Lead Hydrogen and System Design Engineer
Chair of the Hydrogen Standards Committee for Standards Australia – responsible for safe and efficient development of national H2 industry sector. Lead design engineer, Deakin University Waurn Ponds Green H2 Power Station (‘Solarstore project’). Specialist H2 engineer for the successful design/build of Deakin’s $20m ‘Hycel’ Green H2 fuel cell manufacturing research facility in Warrnambool, Victoria.
South Pacific Head of Engineering for Alternative Energy, BOC; Liquid Natural Gas Program and Engineering Manager, Linde Group; Hydrogen Project Manager and Engineering Consultant, Johnson Matthey; Technical H2 system consultant to Horizon Power (Denham WA) H2 Demonstration Plant; Founder and Director, Kandls Engineering.
One of the most experienced and respected H2 program design and chemical engineers; over 4 decades of experience in UK, Australia and Asia-Pacific designing, delivering, commissioning industrial gas projects. Leading figure in development of fit-for-purpose green H2 system design, standards, training and regulation of this emerging sector. Director of an engineering advisory that brings together respected and capable fluid, power and gas engineers. Graduate of Imperial College London UK.
Mr. John Giannasca
Lead Power Engineer
Lead power design engineer for Hydrogen Loading and Liquefaction – Port of Hastings, Victoria – FEED design and onsite delivery of Australia’s largest liquefaction plant for Kawasaki Heavy Industries; Responsible for overall design Hydrostor Compressed Air Storage – Broken Hill NSW – end-to-end system design for 200MW green power storage; Moorebank Intermodal – NSW – Behind-Meter system design for Australia’s largest intermodal transport project; H2P2 Green Hydrogen – Port Pirie SA – FEED design of electrical, control system for integrated green H2 and ammonia plant at Australia’s largest smelter; Taralga Wind Farm –106MW 51 turbine wind farm, 37km of 132kV power connection; HyNQ Abbott Point QLD – design integrated renewable system (wind/solar/storage) to power green H2/ammonia plant; Chatham Islands NZ –design/installation of wind power microgrid system and integration with legacy power system.
Mr. Giannasca is a qualified electrical engineer and Fellow of the Institute of Energy with over 40 years of experience in renewable power project development and delivery. His technical expertise includes renewable engineering, power generation and process control. He has been at the forefront of large and complex wind and solar projects and renewable integration into remote power systems; he has developed leading integration systems for high-penetration renewables in Australia and internationally. This work includes design of entire green generation, storage and dispatch systems for islands and off-grid communities.