Energy

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Josh Frydenberg’s budget announcement

Commentary from CreditorWatch CEO Patrick Coghlan, urging the government to look closely at small business measurers to drive Australia’s economic recovery: “Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is right to portray the next financial year as a ‘mountain to climb’ for Australia but it is encouraging that the country is in a good position versus our international counterparts. Whilst 870,000 jobs were lost between March and May, the government’s economic stimulus package and measures included within the Safe Harbour legislation, saved thousands of businesses from going under. “However, now comes the difficult balancing act of tapering off such measures, ensuring that the maximum number of jobs are protected whilst making sure that good money is not wasted on poorly performing companies. CreditorWatch data suggests that in April, May and June, hundreds of companies that in normal times would have gone into administration have been kept afloat. These ‘zombie’ companies will hold back our national recovery, so we’re urging company directors to seek external guidance on whether they have a viable future. “Measures outlined by Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell on Tuesday will be critical to the recovery of Australia’s small business sector, which employs 44 per cent of all Australians. CreditorWatch data shows payment times in June lengthened to an average of 49 days across all industries. Legislating 30-day payment terms for small businesses will level the playing field for SMEs, whilst the introduction of a “fit for business” grant would provide them with a much-needed injection of capital. This will be money well spent and the government should prioritise such changes so that Australia’s small business sector can help drive the national recovery we need.”

Brighsun’s Li-S Batteries to enter industrial trials

Lithium Sulfur (Li-S) Battery Technology Breakthrough Through nearly 8 years of research, the Australian company Brighsun’s team, developed lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries with an energy density 5-8 times higher than conventional secondary batteries. According to results from an internationally accredited testing agency (SGS), Brighsun’s new technology allows an Li-S battery to keep 91% of its initial capacity after 1,700 cycles at a rate of 2C (being fully charged/discharged in 30 mins). That means the capacity decay per cycle is as low as 0.01%. Even at a more aggressive rate of 5C (being fully charged/discharged in 12.5 mins), Brighsun’s Li-S battery retains 74% of its initial capacity after 1,000 cycles (capacity decay per cycle of 0.026%). The cathode energy density for the 1th cycle after activation at charge rate of 1C is 2103.8Wh/kg. Driven by the growing markets world-wide for EVs, the battery industry has explored a range of chemical combinations: lithium iron phosphate, lithium cobalt oxide and, currently, nickel manganese cobalt. However, current battery systems still suffer from the major disadvantages of relatively low energy density, high raw material costs and secondary pollution during recycling. A Game Changer Brighsun’s advanced Li-S chemistry, offering high energy density and resultant low raw material costs, will be a game changer in the EV industry. Li-S batteries also have the potential to become the most promising energy storage systems for future railways, ships and airlines. Industries such as electric supply grid storage, mobile phones, drones and AI will also benefit from dramatically higher energy density storage provided by Brighsun’s new battery system. Companies in the US, Germany, Korea and China have been developing Li-S batteries and have achieved promising breakthroughs. However, these systems still face a number of challenges, including volume expansion of cathode materials during cycling, the shuttling effect of polysulfides, and the dendritic […]

Aquila NFU glove meets mining needs worldwide

Mining – an ages-old industry where personal injury and danger have been constant concerns, and where Aquila are delighted to now offer a range of gloves designed with exactly this situation in mind. Their NFU600S meets the general-purpose needs of mining workers for an enhanced grip protective glove that is both comfortable to wear over a long shift and low cost to purchase. Aquila NFU600S gloves feature a 13-gauge nylon liner in a fine knit outer palm dipped in sandy nitrile. The user experience is expected to include good grip, especially of slippery oily parts, coupled to a high degree of flexibility and durability with optimum dexterity in handling small items. The foam nitrile palm coat provides liquid resistance while leaving the remainder of the glove to breathe comfortably. The NFU600S is part of an Aquila mining-oriented offering which also includes a wide range of impact protection gloves – plus cut resistance gloves where sharp object protection is required.

sonnen receives Australia’s Research and Development Investment Award

sonnen has won an award from The Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment (MTTI) for its direct investment in Elizabeth, South Australia to manufacture sonnenBatteries bringing new skills and capabilities to Australia and creating export opportunities for its home batteries to Asia Pacific. sonnen received the Research & Development Investment Award at the 57th Australian Export Awards in Canberra. The Investment Award pays tribute to an international company or joint venture that has made an enduring contribution to the Australian economy through creating or safeguarding jobs, cultivating innovation or developing new industry capability in Australia, facilitating the expansion of Australian industry within global supply chains and making a difference to the local community. Nathan Dunn, CEO of sonnen Asia Pacific said, “We are honoured to receive the Research & Development Investment Award. sonnen established a manufacturing facility at the former Holden factory as it provided a perfect opportunity for us to leverage the skills that South Australia has built in its workforce for manufacturing. We’ve hired former Holden employees and equipped them with new skills and jobs to build a cleantech manufacturing industry right here in Australia.” “As part of our commitment to innovation, we have created a small research and development team in South Australia that looks into how we are adapting sonnenBatteries for deployment in Australia and to support the rollout of Virtual Power Plants. With the growth in the adoption of rooftop solar, we have the capacity to export sonnenBatteries to Asia Pacific creating new economic opportunities for our country.” sonnen commenced the manufacturing of home batteries in November 2018 and it produces sonnenBatteries that are installed in Australia and exported to New Zealand. sonnen’s home batteries are certified Australian Made and recognised by the South Australian Office of the Industry Advocate (OAIC) as a manufacturer of […]

Takeovers Panel findings in relation to Energy Resources of Australia

Rio Tinto acknowledges the findings of the Takeovers Panel in relation to Energy Resources of Australia Limited’s (ERA) renounceable entitlement offer to raise $324 million (A$476 million) for the rehabilitation of the Ranger Project Area in Australia’s Northern Territory. The company will consider the Panel’s judgement before determining next steps. Rio Tinto group executive Energy & Minerals Bold Baatar said “Rio Tinto agreed to fully subscribe to and underwrite an entitlement offer in the absence of any other commercially viable solution being available to ERA for the rehabilitation of the Ranger Project Area. “We will now consider our options in light of the Panel’s orders so that ERA can fulfil its important rehabilitation obligations and commitments to the communities in which it operates and relevant authorities.” Under the terms of its mining approvals, ERA is required to end mining and processing activities at Ranger by January 2021 and complete final rehabilitation by January 2026. On 8 February 2019, ERA finalised its closure feasibility study for Ranger Project Area rehabilitation, resulting in a material increase in anticipated rehabilitation costs. Following this increase, ERA advised it needed extra funding to meet its rehabilitation obligations to the Commonwealth Government, Northern Territory Government and Traditional Owners.

Oomiak Refrigeration opens office in Kuala Lumpur

The Melbourne Markets Epping plantroom is concepted, designed, installed and maintained by Oomiak Refrigeration. The company started in 2006 in Adelaide, South Australia, and has established a presence in every mainland Australian state with its expertise in the design and manufacture of industrial and commercial refrigeration. Oomiak already has several clients in Asia including in Sri Lanka, South Korea, Philippines and major Malaysian frozen food manufacturer Kawan. Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Cate McGuire said establishing a permanent presence in Asia had always been part of Oomiak’s growth plan. She said the new Kuala Lumpur office had already attracted interest from the Malaysian government, which has recognised the need for sustainability in fresh produce. “The Asian market has a rapidly growing appetite for fresh fruit and vegetables, and with that comes the need to adequately cool and store produce to ensure it maintains maximum freshness for customers,” McGuire said. “Our leading-edge industrial refrigeration equipment and fresh produce ripening systems, as well as the expert advice we give to clients, has been extremely well received in Asia. Oomiak was engaged by Perth Shipbuilder Austal to supply and commission air conditioning systems for two Cape Class Patrol Boats for the Royal Australian Navy. “We see enormous growth in the region over the next decade and we feel we’ve really got something to offer in terms of reducing wastage, preserving the shelf-life of food and adding value for them.” The use of natural refrigerants such as ammonia and its engineering capacity to design efficient systems tailored to specific client needs has been key to Oomiak’s success. Oomiak has about 65 employees with about 25 of those based at its Adelaide headquarters

AEMO gives SA-NSW interconnector project top priority

A $1.5 billion project to build a high capacity electricity interconnector linking South Australia and New South Wales has been listed as a top priority by interconnector the Australian Energy Market Operator. AEMO has published its Draft 2020 Integrated System Plan (ISP), listing the 330kv SA-NSW transmission line at the top of its Group 1 Priority Projects. The 900km interconnector linking Robertstown in South Australia’s Mid North with Wagga Wagga in central New South Wales is expected to provide grid stability and lower electricity prices in South Australia when completed from 2022. Electricity infrastructure provider ElectraNet is planning the $1.5 billion 800MW National Energy Grid interconnector with its NSW counterpart TransGrid. The project was listed as Group 2 in the previous 2018 Integrated Systems Plan. Other projects given Group 1 priority in the 2020 Draft ISP include upgrades to interconnections linking Queensland with NSW and NSW with Victoria and Increasing inertia and fault current in South Australian transmission networks. South Australian Minister for Energy and Mining Dan van Holst Pellekaan said the project would increase stability and reduce electricity prices for residential and commercial customers. “In essence AEMO has labelled the SA-NSW interconnector a ‘no brainer’ to deliver cheaper, more reliable electricity for South Australian households and businesses,” he said. “South Australia currently only has interconnection with Victoria which puts us at the end of the line and vulnerable to the type system risks that saw the entire state blacked out in 2016.” Modelling released earlier in the year showed that small and medium businesses with significant electricity consumption will save many thousands of dollars each year when the interconnector is energised. The South Australian Government granted the interconnector Major Project Status in June with the NSW Government is declaring it Critical State Significant Infrastructure in August. AEMO describes Group […]

Commercial pilot projects fast track green cooling technology

Industrial cooling systems that utilise solar energy, thermal storage, smart technology and non-toxic refrigerants will be trialled at three major commercial sites. South Australian company Glaciem Cooling Technology has received $2 million in Australian government funding through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to demonstrate the technical and economic value of integrating thermal energy storage with renewable energy into Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC&R) applications. The trial systems will be installed in South Australia at Pernod Ricard’s Rowland Flat winery in the Barossa Valley and Ceravolo Orchards in the Adelaide Hills, as well as in the Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Queensland. The $4.95 million project will allow Glaciem to field test its Thermal Energy Storage solution in commercial and industrial HVAC&R settings. Glaciem and the University of South Australia have spent a decade developing a low cost thermal energy storage technology to store and discharge energy using a heat transfer process. This occurs at a temperature suited to the specific application using special material. The technology has the added benefit of using natural refrigerants rather than commonly used synthetic refrigerants, such as carbon dioxide, which are harmful to the environment. The air-cooled CO2 refrigeration system has been operating at The Bend Motorsport Park, about 100km southeast of the South Australian capital Adelaide, for about 15 months, providing UniSA and Glaciem with more than a year’s worth of clean data in a commercial setting. Glaciem’s technology also uses an advanced control and forecasting system to optimise the system’s operation based on weather forecasts, electricity price forecasts, and customer demand forecasts to allow the storage system to maximise savings. Glaciem CEO Julian Hudson said the three projects all demonstrated different applications across a variety of industries and would provide valuable data to prove the financial model in the field and drive the cost of […]

Rio Tinto approves $749 million investment in Pilbara iron ore mine

Rio Tinto has approved a $749 million (A$1 billion) investment in its existing Greater Tom Price operations (100% owned) to help sustain the production capacity of its world-class iron ore business in the Pilbara of Western Australia. The investment in the Western Turner Syncline Phase 2 (WTS2) mine will facilitate mining of existing and new deposits and includes construction of a new crusher as well as a 13-kilometre conveyor. The new conveyor system will help lower greenhouse gas emissions from the mine by 3.5 per cent compared to road haulage and the business is continuing to assess additional options to reduce emissions including renewable energy solutions. Pending final government approvals, construction will start in the first quarter of 2020 with first ore from the crusher expected in 2021. Production of high-quality Brockman ore will support the company’s flagship Pilbara Blend, which continues to be the preferred baseload product for China’s steel mills. The project is expected to deliver an attractive internal rate of return with a capital intensity of about $25 per tonne of production capacity. The investment is included in Rio Tinto’s existing guidance for Pilbara replacement capital for 2020 to 2022. As part of the investment, the haul truck fleet at the mine will be fitted with Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) technology to enable autonomous haulage at WTS2 from 2021. The ongoing deployment of autonomous haulage at the company’s Pilbara operations is delivering significant safety benefits as well as enhancing productivity and reducing costs. Approximately 50% of the company’s haul truck fleet will be capable of operating autonomously by the end of the year with plans being assessed to expand this in the years ahead. Consistent with its proven track record, the company is continuing to reskill, redeploy and retrain as automation technology is implemented. Rio Tinto Iron […]

Enough ambition (and hydrogen) could get Australia to 200% renewable energy

Scott HamiltonStrategic Advisory Panel Member, Australian-German Energy Transition Hub, University of Melbourne Changlong WangResearcher, The Energy Transition Hub, University of Melbourne Falko UeckerdtPotsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Roger DargavilleSenior lecturer, Monash University The possibilities presented by hydrogen are the subject of excited discussion across the world – and across Australia’s political divide, notoriously at war over energy policy. On Friday Australia’s chief scientist Alan Finkel will present a national strategy on hydrogen to state, territory and federal energy ministers. Finkel is expected to outline a plan that prioritises hydrogen exports as a profitable way to reduce emissions. It is to be hoped the strategy is aggressive, rather than timid. Ambition is key in lowering the cost of energy. Australia would do better aiming for 200% renewable energy or more. It’s likely the national strategy will feature demonstration projects to test the feasibility of new technology, reduce costs, and find ways to share the risk of infrastructure investment between government and industry. There are still a number of barriers. Existing gas pipelines could be used to transport hydrogen to end-users but current laws are prohibitive, mechanisms like “certificates of origin” are required, and there are still key technology issues, particularly the cost of electrolysis. These issues raise questions of what a major hydrogen economy really looks like. It may prompt suspicions this is just the a latest energy pipe dream. But our research at the Australian-German Energy Transition Hub argues that an ambitious approach is better than a cautious one. Aggressively pursing hydrogen exports will reduce costs of domestic energy supply and provide a basis for new export industries, such as greens steel, in a carbon-constrained world. Optimal systems cost less We used optimisation modelling to examine how a major hydrogen industry might roll out in Australia. We wanted to identify where major plants […]

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