The future of the Australian Synchrotron has been secured under a $100 million agreement between the Australian and Victorian Governments.
An amount of $69 million will be provided by the Australian Government to secure the operation of the Synchrotron over the next four years, with an additional $26 million from the Victorian Government.
Without this funding deal, the ongoing operation of the facility was in doubt. Research conducted at the Australian Synchrotron spans the science spectrum from medicine to manufacturing.
The facility accelerates electrons to create light beams a million times brighter than the sun. These intense beams allow researchers and scientists to examine sub-microscopic structures to improve research in medicine, agriculture, bioscience, engineering, forensics and environmental science.
Research conducted at the Synchrotron, which is the size of a football field, has already helped develop an energy efficient high-temperature superconductor that could be used in motors, generators and transformers.
The Australian Synchrotron is used by major companies for research. Research is being conducted at the facility on behalf of Rio Tinto to recover copper from ores and tailings. Research has also been conducted for BHP Billiton and Cochlear, amongst many other companies.
New Zealand has given an in-principle commitment to contribute to the operational funding of the Synchrotron over the next four years period.
[Image courtesy Australian Synchrotron.]