Energy

Xefco Q & A: Tom Hussey, CEO and Co-Founder

What is your role at Xefco and what does it involve? Xefco was born to transform the textile industry by tackling problems of functional performance and sustainability in fashion. Traditional wet dyeing and finishing is a huge part of the textile supply chain with the process making up about 36% of the industry’s carbon footprint and about 3% of all global carbon emissions. What’s more, it’s an extremely water and chemical-intensive process leading to about 20% of all industrial wastewater. With Xefco’s innovative technologies, Ausora and XReflex, we are creating advanced materials for a sustainable future. In my role as CEO and co-founder, I drive the business forward through innovation and as we commercialise our solutions. This means working with investors, building and leading a motivated team and ensuring we’re working efficiently with innovation at the forefront of everything we do. I’m currently focused on using our latest capital to grow the team and commercialising Ausora, which is a novel way of dyeing and finishing textiles without water. How is Ausora is benefitting the environment? Ausora is a waterless dyeing and finishing solution using a unique shower plasma process to produce the same look, feel and performance properties without the environmental footprint. Ausora’s solution not only eliminates the use of water but cuts energy, chemical consumption and cost compared to conventional wet dyeing and finishing. In removing the need for water, Ausora is also removing polluted water from being discharged back into waterways. The shower plasma process also consumes 97% less chemistry and uses 90% less energy compared to conventional wet dyeing and finishing processes. As such, Ausora has the potential to stop millions of tonnes of waste entering our waterways and CO2 from entering our planet. Reducing cost production of textiles. How does this work? Within textile production, the […]

Rio Tinto to drive development of Australia’s largest solar farm at Gladstone

Rio Tinto will drive development of Australia’s largest solar power project near Gladstone, after agreeing to buy all electricity from the 1.1GW1 Upper Calliope Solar Farm to provide renewable power to Rio Tinto’s Gladstone operations. The agreement will bring more renewable power into one of Australia’s most important industrial hubs and marks another step towards Rio Tinto’s climate goal of halving its global Scope 1 & 2 carbon emissions this decade2. If combined with more renewable power and suitable firming, transmission and industrial policy, it could also provide the core of a solution to repower Rio Tinto’s three Gladstone production assets – the Boyne aluminium smelter, the Yarwun alumina refinery and the Queensland Alumina refinery. Under a new power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with European Energy Australia, Rio Tinto will buy all power generated from the Upper Calliope solar farm for 25 years. The plant will be built and operated by European Energy, at a site about 50 kilometres south-west of Gladstone, pending development and grid connection approvals. Once approved and developed, Upper Calliope would have the potential to lower Rio Tinto’s operating carbon emissions by 1.8 million tonnes per year. Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm said “This agreement is a first important step in our work to repower our Gladstone operations and illustrates our commitment to keeping sustainably powered industry in Central Queensland. “The task remains challenging, but we have a pathway to provide the competitive, firmed power our Gladstone plants need and we are continuing to work hard with all stakeholders, including the Queensland and Australian governments, on getting there. “Competitive capacity, firming, and transmission, are critical to developing a modern energy system that can ensure more large-scale renewables development in Queensland and help guarantee the future of Australian industry.” Once approved, construction of the Upper Calliope […]

004- Le dispatch, salle de contrôle de la mine de Tiébaghi AUS MN

Nickel Producer enhances quality of ore calcination through kilns

Société Le Nickel (SLN), part of the Eramet Group, is the world’s largest producer of ferronickel. Pictured is one of the five furnaces managed by Rockwell Automation’s FactoryTalk Analytics Pavilion® software. Image copyright: Société Le Nickel (SLN), part of the Eramet Group. Characterised by the ability to resist corrosion at high temperatures and its usefulness as an alloying element, nickel plays a critical role in a host of industry sectors ranging from aerospace and chemical to electrical and automotive. Société Le Nickel (SLN), part of the Eramet Group, is the world’s largest producer of ferronickel. The 140-year-old company also produces manganese, lithium, and titanium which are critical for the manufacturing of batteries, paint pigments, and wind turbines among other products. Processing ores is a complex activity requiring the stable control of the rotary furnaces’ temperature profile and automating operations across different operating ranges. Feed ore introduced into the rotary kiln undergoes calcination as it travels through the length of the furnace. If the calcined product is not at a high enough temperature, product quality is compromised. Heat is distributed across the furnace with air being supplied for combustion to occur. If there’s too much air supplied, more fuel needs to be burned to maintain the same product temperature, thus decreasing energy efficiency. Excess oxygen must be minimised to a safe level to reduce operating costs and greenhouse gases. Legacy system lags SLN was using an expert system, an existing fuzzy logic controller, designed to automate the operation of the furnace. However, the company faced several challenges with the legacy system, particularly with varying ore content and variable heating values leading to temperature spikes and frequent electrical trips. Trips were being caused by high product temperature, which compromises both the quality of the product, and the integrity of the […]

Oil and gas dominates future major resources projects driving economy

Australia’s oil and gas industry has emerged as the dominant driver of nation-building new resources projects, creating new jobs and attracting billions of dollars of spending in Australia. The Australian Government’s Resources and Energy Major Projects (REMP) 2023 report said 12 oil and gas projects accounted for $36 billion of investment (46.5 per cent) of the $77.4 billion pipeline. Lithium and iron ore each represented $7.2 billion (9.3 per cent) worth of committed projects, gold accounted for $6.6 billion (8.5 per cent) and coal was behind $4.6 billion (5.9 per cent) of ventures. Australian Energy Producers Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch said the results showed how critical the oil and gas industry was to the national economy. “Australia’s oil and gas continues to power the national economy, creating jobs and delivering billions of dollars of investment, much of it into regional communities,” she said. “The pipeline of new gas projects highlights the importance of policy settings and regulatory certainty to unlock investment in new supply. “With Australia facing energy shortfalls on both coasts, new gas supply is urgently needed to avoid blackouts and put downward pressure on prices while securing future economic benefits.” According to the report, only one new oil and gas project reached a final investment decision in the 12 months to November 2023. Ms McCulloch added: “The pipeline of mining and critical minerals projects will also rely on natural gas supply, with AEMO forecasting resource projects will add a further 23 TJ/day to gas demand in Western Australia by 2026.” The report also found growing interest in hydrogen projects but with only three out of 76 planned projects reaching the committed phase in 2023, representing a capital expenditure of $234 million. Ms McCulloch said: “Natural gas combined with carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) is today the most […]

DECO Australia powered by renewable energy

DECO Australia, family-owned Australian manufacturer of timber-look aluminium building products, has proudly announced the successful completion of the company’s solar panel installation project at its manufacturing facility in Minto, Southwest Sydney. The addition of over 950 solar panels further solidifies DECO ‘s commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability. The newly installed solar panels will bring DECO’s total solar energy capability to over 500 kilowatts and will provide enough energy to power approximately 60 per cent of the company’s operations. That’s equivalent to powering approximately 100 average-size homes per year or planting over 10,000 trees. “DECO has always been committed to improving our carbon footprint and we are thrilled to further invest in our renewable energy program through the installation of these additional solar panels.” said Richard Hamber, General Manager of DECO Australia. The additional 400 kilowatts generated by the new solar panels will specifically contribute to powering two of DECO’s largest production lines, resulting in a substantial reduction in the company’s overall carbon emissions. This initiative aligns with DECO’s dedication to providing cleaner, greener building materials, addressing the growing demand from specifiers, builders, and end-users for sustainable products. “Reducing environmental impact is a strategic focus for DECO and we understand that it aligns with our customers priorities too. Manufacturing lower carbon products is not merely a preference; it has become a necessity for those specifiers, builders and homeowners who are making conscious decisions to source greener building materials and products for their projects.” said Hamber. This latest sustainability initiative from DECO represents a significant investment for the company and showcases their commitment to a cleaner industry. With ever changing building codes, like the introduction of the NSW Government’s ‘BASIX Material Index’ in October this year, DECO remains committed to reducing the embodied carbon of their building materials and supporting the industry’s […]

Amokabel doubles production capacity for special cable in Sydney

Investment will enable Australian engineers in the defence, mining, rail, telecoms, power grids and supermarket industries to benefit from short lead times and flexible order quantities. Amokabel has doubled production capacity at its cable factory in Sydney. The upgrade has boosted the manufacturer’s ability to deliver specialist cable for the defence, mining, rail, telecoms and frozen food industries. In turn Australian engineers will benefit from short lead times and greater flexibility in terms of minimum order size. Specialised cables are essential to meeting specific performance criteria in many industries. Engineers often need special arrangements when it comes to the conducting and communication cores that carry power and signals inside the cable, as well as insulation and protection layers, and other elements such as identification features. These non-standard details mean that cables must be specially manufactured. As a specialist producer in Australia, Amokabel can deliver orders of as little as 500 metres in just 1- 2 weeks. This enables customers to control cashflow improve flexibility by enabling them to keep small stocks of cable. That compares with large cable producers in Asia , which typically have a minimum order quantity (MOQ) of 5,000 metres or more and several months lead time. “Time is money in industry – so when an engineer can source the product they need within weeks and in small batches, they can deliver their projects faster and more cost-effectively,” says Steve Rutland, Managing Director for Amokabel in Australia. “By investing in additional capacity at our plant in Sydney, we’re establishing a strong manufacturing base and showing engineers that we’re committed to the local Australian market .” Amokabel acquired its production facility in Sydney from Euro-Tech Cable in December 2022. Building the business as a supplier of niche specialist cables will enable it to grow its special cable business […]

Powerhaus App Debuts at the 2023 Australian Architecture Conference: A Game-Changer in Sustainable Home Design

In a ground-breaking move towards sustainable housing, Powerhaus Engineering has unveiled Australia’s first energy efficiency home design app at the 2023 Australian Architecture Conference. This revolutionary app will allow architects and designers to configure the energy rating of their building plans with real-time performance feedback, making sustainable design for new houses more accessible and intuitive than ever before. Powerhaus hosted a masterclass at the conference on Monday 30th October and provided attendees with a firsthand look at the app’s capabilities and its potential to reshape the future of sustainable housing in Australia. As most states and territories around Australia delay the new mandatory increase in minimum house star ratings to 7 stars, with currently only New South Wales implementing the increase, there’s a palpable concern within the housing sector about readiness for such a transition. Many in the industry feel unprepared for this significant shift towards sustainability. In this context, tools such as the Powerhaus app become not just beneficial, but crucial. The app is poised to be a beacon, guiding architects, designers, and building professionals, to seamlessly and cost-effectively adapt to and embrace the heightened sustainability standards. Jenny Edwards, director of award-winning Light House Architecture & Science and a renowned thermal performance assessor with a deep passion for sustainable housing, shared her experience with the Powerhaus app: “For years, the true potential of the NatHERS software as a design tool was only accessible if paired with a trained thermal performance assessor. This often made the design process slower, more expensive, and limited the ability of architects to learn directly from the software.” She continued, “The Powerhaus dashboard is a game-changer. Its superbly designed interface allows designers to instantly test the impact of various critical parameters, giving them a clear understanding of the most effective levers for any particular design.” […]

Remondis Hygrogen Waste Collection truck

REMONDIS Australia’s global breakthrough with zero-emission hydrogen powered waste collection truck

REMONDIS Australia has achieved a global breakthrough by introducing one of the world’s first hydrogen powered waste collection trucks to its operations. After extensive trials, the carbon emission-free truck has participated in its first scheduled residential waste collection in the Illawarra region of New South Wales. The Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) relies on hydrogen which combines with air to generate electricity for motor function. Only water vapour is emitted, and nothing harmful to the environment. L-R, John Edgley (Hyzon), Wollongong City Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery, Chris Wade (Remondis), and Shellharbour City Mayor, Chris Homer. REMONDIS Australia CEO Björn Becker said the truck going into formal operation was historic. “We’re demonstrating that carbon-free transport can and does work in industrial settings,” Mr Becker said. “We’re hopeful that this is the start of a bigger journey whereby companies around the world follow REMONDIS’ lead and turn to fleet decarbonisation. “This should be likely as economies of scale take effect, making the take-up of such technology the norm and not the exception. “REMONDIS has gone all-out to deliver this ground-breaking environmental initiative at the earliest possible time and it’s something we’re very proud of.” REMONDIS NSW South Coast Region Manager Chris Wade said the truck would be fine-tuned through collaboration with its maker, Hyzon Motors, in coming months. “The ultimate aim is to have the hydrogen truck matching our current diesel trucks in all facets,” Mr Wade said. “That includes completing about 1,000 bin lifts over about eight hours. “Trial runs in recent months have been promising, giving us confidence to put the truck into formal operation, serving many of the 300,000 residents in the region. “Putting the truck through full commercial paces will give us additional information and enable adjustments to be made if necessary. “With distinctive markings indicating that it […]

NSW Government seeks to enhance energy savings in hot water system upgrades

The NSW Office of Energy and Climate Change (OECC) has announced several proposed changes to the current Energy Savings Scheme (ESS) for hot water system upgrades. The changes are intended to improve energy savings in hot water system upgrades, ensure consumers have more stake and thus interest in their upgrade process, and align current ‘hypothetical’ energy savings calculations with real world results. Through this exercise, the government hopes to enhance customer engagement whilst also ensuring energy savings are more accurately calculated. Co-Payments: Increasing Customer Engagement Some upgrades under the ESS have required co-payments since 2014. These payments have helped make upgrades under the ESS more accessible to householders and businesses. However, the current $30 (ex GST) co-payment for residential hot water system upgrades and the lack of similar co-payments for small businesses and commercial upgrades have presented challenges. These include reduced customer engagement, perceived lack of legitimacy, and increased instances of high-pressure sales tactics. Efficient Energy Group (EEG) is an Accredited Certificate Provider (ACP) and the company’s CEO Joshua Liptak says the rationale behind co-payments is sound. “They’re there to encourage customer participation in their upgrade projects and help offset the cost of the upgrade. However, the problem for the OECC, and the government, is that when it’s set too low, customers may not be engaged enough to ensure they receive a quality product. Conversely, set the co-payment too high, and it may deter them from getting upgrades done at all. “The effectiveness of co-payments therefore depends on the right balance being struck between these 2 elements, and that’s what these proposed changes are trying to do.” He added, “The current co-payment also doesn’t adequately factor in the high value of the products being installed, which then risks sub par upgrades.” The New NSW ESS Hot Water System Upgrade Co-Payment […]

Shoalhaven business helps lower homeowner energy cost

A Shoalhaven business is working to address the cost of living crisis for households by targeting the energy performance of existing homes across the region. Mantle Sustainable Homes are a Huskisson-based business that specialise in the assessment of energy performance of buildings, and the delivery of advice around how to make those buildings more energy efficient in cost effective ways. “We’re very good at finding opportunities to save money through improved efficiency, even in the oldest of homes” said Mantle Director, Rodrigo Hidalgo. “We can inspect and assess your home by using the best available tools to detect issues like air leaking, thermal bridges, sources of condensation, poor ventilation, or poor performing glazing. Addressing these issues will lower your energy bills”. According to Mantle Sustainable, the Shoalhaven has a large number of older homes that could be easily retrofitted to bring them up to modern standards for energy efficiency. “In every street in every town, we see examples of poor energy efficient design with huge opportunity to improve” said Rodrigo. “Much of our work and recommendations will result in immediate cost savings, while other outcomes will be middle to long term, as we lower energy consumption while delivering a comfortable temperature at home year-round”. Aside from older homes, Mantle Sustainable are also experts in the design and sustainability assessment of projects at any stage, including new builds, renovations and retrofits. Mantle Sustainable partner, Rosario Carrasco, said their mission is to make the Shoalhaven the best region in Australia for energy effiency. “We love where we live. It’s such a beautiful area, with amazing character homes. There’s no reason why the Shoalhaven can\’t become a centre for energy efficiency, to match its natural beauty”.

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