Rewiring Australia was launched in 2021, founded by Dr. Saul Griffith. It is supported by an optimistic group of non-partisan Australians to collectively illustrate the positive climate and economic outcomes possible for Australia, and the world, with the electrification of fossil fuel machines.
Our 2021 impact
In October 2021, our inaugural report Castles & Cars - Savings in the suburbs through electrifying everything studied the potential economic and emissions benefits if Australian homes fully electrified. It found that a $12 billion investment over 5 years in Australian homes and vehicles would reap $300 billion in household savings by 2035.
We made a fun ad to convey this story, reaching 1.26 million Australians. We have been inspired by the support from people across Australia who want to support electrification. The report generated huge national media coverage: 7:30, 9 News, 7 News, ABC News, The Daily Telegraph, The Saturday Paper, The Sydney Morning Herald and more.
Policy and community priorities for 2022
In 2022 we will continue building public support and work with communities and policy makers. Saul will hit the road in an electric vehicle on a roadshow to promote his new book, The Big Switch. We will find the towns and suburbs most committed to joining the electric future today and help them realise their ambition. We will engage with business, industry, unions, investors and other stakeholders. We are talking to governments about a pilot program to electrify an Australian town and suburb. This would be a world first demonstration of full electrification that brings to light the abundant future available if Australia invests in the decarbonisation of its household infrastructure. We are working with regulators and governments on how to cut the ‘green tape’ holding back electrification.
Saul Griffith is an engineer and inventor. As founder and chief scientist at Otherlab, an independent R&D lab, he helps government agencies and Fortune 500 companies understand energy infrastructure and deep decarbonization. He’s been a principal investigator and project lead on federally-funded research projects for agencies including NASA, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-e), National Science Foundation and United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM). He was awarded the MacArthur “Genius Grant” in 2007. He completed his PhD at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2004.
Saul is also founder and chief scientist at Rewiring America, a nonprofit dedicated to widespread electrification as a means of fighting climate change, creating jobs, making our air cleaning, and saving the future for our children.
Saul received his Ph.D. at MIT in the junction between materials science and information theory. Prior to MIT, he studied in Sydney, Australia and at UC Berkeley in metallurgical engineering. Since graduating in 2004, he has founded and co-founded numerous technology companies based in the Bay Area. These include Treau (now Gradient), Sunfolding, Roam Robotics, Fablight, Wattzon, Canvas Construction, Makani Power (acquired by Google), Instructables.com (acquired by Autodesk), Squid Labs, Howtoons, Optiopia, and Potenco.
Saul, born in Australia, is a father of two, and a consistent champion of STEAM education (including the A for ART!).
Otherlab, Inc.
San Francisco, CA 94110
saul@otherlab.com
www.saulgriffith.com
www.otherlab.com
Ph.D.Thesis: ‘Growing Machines.’ Programmable assembly and self-replicating machines. First autonomous, self-replicating machines implemented in hardware. Constructive proof that a linear string of polyhedra can fold without self-intersecting into arbitrary 3D structure.
Masters Thesis: Micron and Sub-micron scale rapid prototyping. Designed and developed novel 3-dimensional, multiple material, methods and apparatus for processing nanocrystalline suspensions into electronically functional devices.
Masters Thesis: Fibre Composite Materials. Developed and designed machinery for reprocessing post-consumer textiles and post consumer thermoplastics into structural building materials.
Founder or Co-founder Rewiring America, 2019
Gradient Comfort (formerly Treu) (2018 - present)
Canvas Robotics (2016 - present)
Sunfolding (2012 - present)
Roam Robotics (2017 - present)
Volute (2017 - present)
Kestrel Materials (2017 - present)
3D FabLight (2015 - present)
Other Machine Co. (2013 - 2017)
Gradient Comfort (formerly Treu), 2018
Everfly, 2017
Kestrel Materials, 2017
Passerine Aircraft, 2017
Volute, 2013
Pneubotics / Canvas Robotics, 2013
Roam Robotics, 2013
SunFolding, 2012
Other Machine Company, 2012
OtherFab LLC, 2011
OtherLab LLC, 2009
Potenco, 2009
Makani Power, 2009
Wattzon, 2008
Optiopia, 2007
Instructables, 2007
SquidLabs LLC, 2004
Howtoons, 2004
The Tällberg/Eliasson Global Leadership Prize, 2019
UNSW Alumni Award for Science and Technology, 2018
Australian Academy of Technical Sciences and Engineering Symposium Fellow, 2012
Global Australian Advance Award Winner, Advanced Manufacturing, 2012
World Economic Forum - ‘Young Global Leader’, 2011
Business Week - ‘Best Idea 2008’
MacArthur Fellows recipient, 2007
WIRED ‘Rave’ awards, 2006
Time Magazine - ‘Top Inventions of 2005’ (Smart electronic rope)
Technology Review Magazine; TR35, 35 Top Innovators under 35 ‘Technologist in the aid of humanity’ award, 2005
Lemelson-MIT $30,000 Student Prize for invention, 2003
MIT IDEAS Competition Award, Boeing Company Domestic Prize, 2003
Aust. Academy of Technical Sciences and Engineering Symposium Fellow, 2002
National Inventors Hall Of Fame, National Collegiate Inventors Award, 2001
MIT LEGO Fellow, 2001
Rewiring Australia is supported by an optimistic group of non-partisan Australians to collectively illustrate the positive climate and economic outcomes possible for Australia, and the world, in transitioning to rapid decarbonization using an “Electrify Everything” strategy. Read more...
