Business

Solar winners using savings to innovate and invest in manufacturing

Renewable energy may have been a loser in the Federal Budget, but businesses in the manufacturing sector are investing in solar to save on power bills and using the savings to innovate and increase production. These solar winners are demonstrating how to improve the bottom line, increase profit margins and become more sustainable at the same time. Thomas Bell, Sales Director of world-leading solar solutions provider Energus, commented that manufacturers are rapidly embracing solar which is the world’s cheapest form of energy. Energus is a world-leading solar-solutions provider which has helped over 200 businesses, schools and community organisations across NSW convert to solar and save big on their energy bills. Two of these businesses are Motion Asia Pacific based in Chullora and Cooks Confectionery in Shellharbour, both of which have been able to use the savings to innovate and invest in their operations. Cooks Confectionery is one of Australia’s leading confectionery companies, which supplies premium quality chocolate, toffee and nut products to wholesalers, supermarkets, convenience stores, service stations and other retail outlets Australia-wide. In July 2020, Cooks Confectionery engaged Energus to install a 70kw solar energy system on the roof of its 1000 M² property, which led to a huge reduction in energy costs, enabling the company to double its shifts. “We effectively doubled production without increasing our energy costs,“ said Cooks’ Managing Director, Daniel Lezcano. Bell said, “We were very pleased to see that the huge reduction in energy costs enabled the company to double its shifts. Even with the introduction of the second shift and operations spanning from 6 am to 10 pm, the company’s energy bill stayed the same, thereby saving them $10K/quarter.” Given that the production of chocolate is high in energy use with the need to refine it for 10-12 hours, motors on for the […]

First test of a 30% natural gas/hydrogen blend

The world’s first test of a 30% natural gas/hydrogen blend in the forging processes used in industrial steelmaking has been held in Rho (province of Milan), at the Forgiatura A. Vienna plant. The trial involved the use of the hydrogen/gas mix to heat the furnaces of the Forgiatura A. Vienna plant and was successfully carried out on site after a series of studies and laboratory tests lasting about a year. The companies involved in the initiative were: Snam, one of the world’s leading energy infrastructure companies and developer and promoter of the project; RINA, a multinational inspection, certification and engineering consultancy, which handled the engineering analyses and laboratory phase; and GIVA Group, a global leader in steelmaking, which made Forgiatura Vienna available for the field test. The blend of methane and hydrogen was supplied by Sapio, an Italian company specialising in the production and marketing of industrial and medical gases. Marco Alverà CEO of Snam said “In the medium to long term, hydrogen is in a position to become the solution for decarbonising steelmaking as well as all hard-to-abate industrial sectors that have a fundamental role in our economy. “This trial is a preparatory step to the gradual introduction of zero-emission hydrogen, initially blended with natural gas and then in pure form, in certain steelmaking production processes. “Snam intends to make its infrastructure, research and expertise available to contribute to the creation of a national hydrogen supply chain and to the achievement of domestic and European climate targets”.

Budget 2021-22: What it means for the Circular Economy

With international pressure mounting on Australia to commit to more substantial action on climate change, Budget 2021-22 was an opportunity — coupled with a once-in-a-generation social license to spend strategically to ‘build back better’ — to set out the government’s strategy towards addressing these concerns. So what’s in the budget for the Circular Economy? Materials & recycling New funding for waste and resource recovery initiatives was a very modest $78 million. This was not unexpected after last year’s budget announcement of a historically significant ($250m) boost for Australia’s recycling infrastructure. The bulk of new funding has been directed towards diverting organic waste from landfill (thus also addressing emissions reduction). Recycling. The Government is investing $11 million to support Australia’s recycling industry, including an additional $5.9 million over four years from 2021-22 for the National Product Stewardship Investment Fund and $5 million over three years from 2021-22 to help small businesses adopt the Australasian Recycling label. Organic waste. The Government is investing $67 million over four years from 2021-22 to enhance organic waste facilities and support community education to reduce food waste going to landfill. This includes: $59.8 million to deliver grants in partnership with states and territories through a Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund to enhance existing organic waste and processing infrastructure and make better use of this resource. $7.2 million to deliver a community and education program on the benefits of processed organic waste. NSW Circular welcomes these recycling and organic waste initiatives including the Food Waste for Healthy Soils. A similar grants program for textiles is urgently needed to tackle textile waste. Australia is ranked second in the world for textile disposal. Households account for nearly 90% of our textile waste. As a nation we threw away some 300,000 tonnes of textiles in 2018- 19. Of this, over 90% […]

Christopher-Boyle-Managing-Director-AFCryo

AFCryo unveils Green Hydrogen Production System for zero-emission refuelling

Christchurch-headquartered cryocooler developer AFCryo in conjunction with Clean Power Hydrogen (CPH2) has unveiled its Green Hydrogen Production System to provide a cheaper and more reliable way of generating green hydrogen from renewable sources for refuelling transport, generating power and industrial use. The revolutionary system, which splits water into pure hydrogen and medical grade oxygen without the polymer membrane used in common electrolysers, combines AFCryo’s world-leading cryogenic technology for gas separation and hydrogen liquefaction with unique and patented Membrane-Free Electrolyser technology from UK manufacturer CPH2. AFCryo and CPH2 have signed a landmark agreement to collaboratively develop and market the on-demand green hydrogen and oxygen production system. AFCryo is set to ship its first production unit to CPH2 in the UK, for integration with its electrolyser technology, for a commission to deliver Ireland’s first 1MW (megawatt) electrolyser-based system to produce pure hydrogen and oxygen. Christopher Boyle, Managing Director and co-founder of AFCryo, says the company is on a mission to add hydrogen to the global energy network to help governments, businesses and energy consumers reach bold emission reduction targets. “Hydrogen is one of the most scalable and viable options we have to help us make the energy transition to a lower-carbon economy. By joining forces with CPH2, we’ve created a faster, more reliable and more cost-effective renewable energy hydrogen production system. Importantly, the oxygen, considered a bi-product of the hydrogen production system, is pure enough to be captured for use in industry or injected into existing waste-water systems to improve the aerobic process.” Boyle says government and industry investment in the hydrogen economy is critical to achieving global decarbonisation goals. “This technology is ready to help transport networks and industries globally transition to hydrogen to help achieve zero-carbon targets. “In New Zealand, an immediate opportunity is to turn the hydrogen refuelling network […]

Defend the industry from the rooftop, says Resources Minister

Encouraging young Australians to pursue technical and trade careers in the resources and energy sector is critical to the nation’s ongoing prosperity, Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt has told an industry podcast. Speaking on the AMMA Resource People Podcast, Minister Pitt explained why he spends “every day, hour and minute” promoting the sector’s diverse and rewarding careers. “I’m really passionate about getting more Australian kids into jobs particularly in the resources sector,” Minister Pitt told podcast host Tara Diamond. “The Commonwealth’s strategy is to make sure that more kids are in jobs and the Australian workforce is out there filling the opportunities we have right now. At the moment, the world’s their oyster; there is a lot of technical and skilled jobs that need to be filled.” Noting the transferable nature of science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills, Minister Pitt said a particular focus of the Commonwealth is on the secondary education system. He further drew links between low uptake in mining-related STEM studies and “well-funded”, “international activists”. “We need more kids coming out with STEM and we need more with that science, physics and engineering type background, because that’s where the work is,” Minister Pitt said. “So why aren’t kids putting their hands up? For some reason they’ve been told, indoctrinated or taught there is no future in the industry. That is complete nonsense. “We should be out promoting what it means to work in the resources sector and have a good job that pays well. I’m passionate about making sure we get the facts on the table, the right message, and as a result get more people working in the sector. Right now, there is a shortfall.” In the wide-ranging podcast, recorded just prior to the 2021 Federal Budget, Minister Pitt outlined the Government’s […]

Australia Post’s worst nightmare: Christine Holgate to head delivery rival Global Express

“This is the one thing we didn’t want to happen.” That line – from the satirical British current affairs television program BrassEye – could easily be reverberating through federal government offices this week. Yesterday the news dropped that Christine Holgate, the Australia Post chief executive pushed so roughly from her job by the Morrison government, has a new job with a rival delivery company. Holgate resigned last November, after Prime Mnister Scott Morrison told parliament she been told to stand aside over the “optics” of rewarding four senior managers with luxury watches, worth about $20,000 – and “if she doesn’t wish to do that, she can go”. Now Holgate has gone to a new role as chief executive of parcel-delivery competitor Global Express. Her appointment, just a week after the expiry of her non-compete clause with Australia Post, is a gift for the new owners of Global Express, a former division of well-known Australian transport company Toll Holdings that has been struggling to find profitability. If anyone can help turn around Global Express’s fortunes in Australia’s parcel-delivery market, Holgate can. Doing so will cost Australia Post, and Australian taxpayers. A direct competitor Until last month Global Express was one of three divisions of Toll Group, the Australian transport company that began in Newcastle in 1888. Its business has involved express parcel, freight delivery and domestic forwarding services in Australia, and transport and contract logistics services in New Zealand. Toll Group was taken over in 2015 by Japan Post Holdings, the publicly traded company that runs Japan’s postal service. The acquisition was part of Japan Post’s strategy to diversify into global parcel deliveries. It proved less successful than the owner hoped, however, and in April the sale of Global Express to Australian private equity company Allegro Funds was announced. Private equity firms have a reputation for quickly […]

New chainflex series saves 35% cable costs in top drives

From Treotham is the igus developed e-loop, especially for hanging installations in extremely challenging applications, such as deep drilling rigs. The robust energy chain system safely guides cables vertically and is already replacing more and more service loops worldwide. With the new CFSPECIAL.5 series, there is now also the matching igus cable range for the e-loop. A combination of seven chainflex cables makes cost savings of 35% possible. To guide cables safely in hanging applications and harsh environments, igus has developed the e-loop as an alternative to the frequently used service loop. This is because in a service loop the cables have no guide and no defined bend radius, they cannot move and break. When servicing or repairing, the complete system must be replaced. As an extremely resilient three-dimensional energy supply system, the e-loop combines the advantages of a polymer energy chain with a high-strength pull rope. The rope absorbs the tensile forces inside the chain and transmits them to the mounting brackets. The modular e-chain has a defined bend radius and withstands vibrations and shocks thanks to PU protectors – ideal for use in drilling rigs or bucket wheel excavators. To match the e-loop, igus now presents the CFSPECIAL.5 cable series. Chain, cable, guarantee, assembly: everything from one source The cable package for the e-loop is available from Treotham and consists of seven different types of cable: three single-core cables of different cross sections, a protective conductor, two data cables and a hybrid cable. The selection is based on the current Top Drive systems on the market and is continuously adapted. All chainflex cables are available without minimum order quantity. Due to the availability as a catalogue part, the usual lengthy and expensive individual production is no longer necessary. With the igus complete package consisting of chain, cable, harnessing […]

Space startup Quasar to revolutionise space communication

Australian space startup Quasar Satellite Technologies is set to revolutionise space communication, allowing ground stations to talk to hundreds of satellites at once using technology developed by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency. Over the next decade, more than 57,000 satellites will be launched worldwide to support a surge in demand for space-derived data, from environmental monitoring such as bushfires and floods, to connecting to sensors on ‘Internet of Things’ networks. However, with present-day ground stations typically tracking one satellite at a time, heavy congestion is expected to limit the potential of satellites and the downstream industries they support. Launched today, Quasar is backed by $12 million in funding, technology and industry expertise from CSIRO, Main Sequence, the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer, and Australian companies Vocus, Saber Astronautics, Fleet Space Technologies, and Clearbox Systems. Quasar will look to capitalise on the US$130 billion satellite ground communications market, using technology developed by CSIRO for radio telescopes like its own ASKAP telescope in Western Australia. CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said after helping receive images of humans on the Moon fifty years ago, the commercialisation of this breakthrough research would now help put more Australians into new jobs in the growing space industry. “CSIRO has been a leader in radio astronomy and spacecraft communications for more than 60 years, from supporting the Moon landing in 1969 to inventing and delivering the phased-array feeds in Australia’s newest radio telescope, ASKAP in Western Australia,” Dr Marshall said. “CSIRO’s technology breakthrough enabled the world to connect without wires using fast WiFi, and now our technology will help connect satellites using our breakthrough phased array technology.” Quasar CEO Phil Ridley, a telecommunications veteran behind some of Australia’s pioneering internet services like BigPond and Vividwireless, said the technology would enable new satellite-based business […]

Circular Economy Awards launched in Australia & New Zealand

A new awards program, The Circle Awards, will celebrate and unite the businesses, organisations, projects and people shaping the circular economy in Australia and New Zealand. Established by The World’s Most Rubbish (TWMR) in partnership with NSW Circular, TheBravery, and Urban List, The Circle Awards aims to spotlight products and services adopting circular practices that span all aspects of our day-to-day lives. It also aims to grow awareness of the sustainable options available to more people, not just the ones who are already looking for them. In contrast to our current ‘take-make-waste’ linear model, a circular economy is regenerative by design. It’s about rethinking the entire approach in order to design out waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use and regenerate natural systems. Keeping resources in use for longer, and in a perpetual loop, or circle, reduces environmental impact and protects precious natural resources. Nick Hoskin, Co-Founder of TWMR and The Circle Awards said, “Many consumers andbrands are already contributing towards a more circular world, sometimes without realising it. “While we’re hearing the term ‘circularity’ or the ‘circular economy’ more than ever, the understanding of what this means, both in theory and practice, is limited. “The Circle Awards showcases tangible examples of circularity in action, demonstrating to people that we can consume more consciously without compromising on quality, cost or experience. In fact, circular design thinking is behind some of the most interesting products and services on the market as a driving force for innovation. “The result can be a far superior experience because every aspect in the process has been carefully considered to deliver the best possible outcome,” explained Nick. Importantly, The Circle Awards is here to recognise and celebrate those making progress in this space, not just those doing it perfectly or on a large scale, […]

Fleet Space Technologies applies for a Federal MMI grant to build 50 nanosatellites a year

Adelaide satellite manufacturer Fleet Space Technologies has applied for a $5 Million Federal government Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) grant so that it can jump from building three hand-built nanosatellites a year to mass-producing 50. Additional support from the South Australian government will supplement nearly $4 Million the company is raising itself. If the grant application is successful, Fleet Space will become a major satellite manufacturing hub and increase its payroll from 31 staff today to 128 by 2024, says its CEO and co-founder Ms Flavia Tata Nardini. Most of the new employees will be engineers and specialist satellite assembly technicians. Fleet Space has spent $12 Million since 2015 on R&D to develop the world’s most advanced beam-steering antenna and to miniaturise its satellites’ communications payload. These make it possible to deliver its Nebula space-based data network using a 10kg nanosatellite where previously this level of connectivity was only possible with a 100kg satellite. The company, which has already launched four nanosatellites, has applied for a $5 million grant under the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources’ Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) to help it make the jump. Fleet Space plans to build a new factory with more than double the space for R&D and manufacturing and has partnered with the University of Adelaide’s Institute of Photonics and Advanced Sensing, local company Redarc Electronics, Hawker Richardson in Melbourne and NSW-based Lintek to build the industrial capability to manufacture these nanosatellites in Australia. The Nebula service for utilities, mining and energy companies uses satellites to connect sensors monitoring critical infrastructure such as remote mine sites, alternative energy sites, gas pipelines and rurally dispersed electricity pylons with central base stations, 24 hours a day. This also allows operators to conduct geological surveys and operate unmanned vehicles such as drones remotely from a proper […]

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