Environment

Schaeffler-supported UNSW Hyperloop engineers excel in SpaceX high-speed pod competition

A competition highlight: UNSW undergraduate engineers – who recently competed in the SpaceX Hyperloop pod competition – got to meet technology entrepreneur, Elon Musk Schaeffler Australia – part of the global digitalisation and Industry 4.0 leading Schaeffler Group – is taking a further step to enhance ‘mobility for tomorrow’ through its support of the UNSW Hyperloop engineering team. UNSW Hyperloop – which comprises a team of undergraduate engineering students aspiring to innovate the future of high speed travel – recently competed in the SpaceX Hyperloop pod competition, where they placed 7th overall – the best result for a newcomer to the competition. “As a company at the forefront of Industry 4.0 technologies, we are proud to partner with these bright young engineers, who have excelled in their first official Hyperloop pod competition,” said Mr Andre Kluge, Managing Director, Schaeffler Australia. The SpaceX Hyperloop pod competition’s goal is “to support the development of functional prototypes and encourage innovation by challenging student teams to design and build the best high-speed pod.” “In addition to placing 7th out of 21 teams, the UNSW Hyperloop team were the first ever team to successfully complete a self-propelled test run at a first appearance at competition level. However, I think the highlight for many students was getting to meet Elon Musk in person!” said Mr Kluge. SpaceX Hyperloop 2019 The SpaceX Hyperloop 2019 competition was judged on the entrant’s pod’s maximum speed reached, with successful deceleration (i.e. without crashing). All pods were self-propelled and had to use their own communication system. Previous winners of the competition have reached speeds of 284 mph (approx. 457 km/h) in SpaceX’s specially designed tunnel. 2019’s winner – Technical University of Munich – was also supported by Schaeffler, and managed to break that record and achieved 288 mph (463 km/h). UNSW […]

Specialised service for safe noise output from large machinery

Manufacturer and engineered solutions provider for industry, Minetek, now has a ‘Sound’ division to ensures large mobile machinery used in the resources sector meets all relevant compliance laws and is expected to save operators considerable money in the process. Specialising in equipment such as trucks, diggers, excavators, drills, loaders, dozers and the like, Minetek Sound’s expertly engineered sound attenuation reduces noise by intelligently treating the noise sources in the most effective way. According to Minetek’s Mr Richard McAlpin, by solving problems at the source and through correct engineered designs, there are several clear benefits beyond just sound attenuation. These include: Prevention of overheating through engineered designs. Ease of maintenance Less downtime Compliance with strict government regulators Reduction of fines Improved community relations “Mines are 24/7 operations, and anyone working or living near a 24/7 source of mining noise can, without realising it, suffer hearing and physiological damage,” said Mr McAlpin. “WorkCover statistics show up to 3,000 workers’ compensation payouts each year for deafness attributed to large mining machinery, so the threat to hearing is very real and in need of attention. “More often than not, in the course of treating the cause of sound pollution on vehicles, we also lower the risk of the vehicle over-heating. “And because we keep the machines maintained according to maintenance guidelines proved by Minetek, we find that maintenance and downtime is heavily reduced which is positive for the operator. “Ultimately though, the fact that fines become far less frequent and the local community benefits are the real clinchers.” These are complete turnkey solutions to noise problems generated by just about any large diesel machinery. Intense and detailed noise studies and testing is performed in all areas. Minetek looks at a number of scenarios to provide an overall increase in airflow and improved performance. Minetek […]

Renewables still setting strong pace in South Australia

The April shelving of a major solar thermal plant has done little to slow the pace of renewable energy projects being proposed in South Australia. Andrew Spence In the past three months, applications for almost 1.7 gigawatts of renewable energy generation across six projects have been assessed by the South Australian Government’s State Planning Commission. Of these, the 280MW Cultana Solar Farm – the first large scale project in billionaire industrialist Sanjeev Gupta’s plan to generate one gigawatt of dispatchable renewable energy in South Australia – was approved by State Planning Minister Stephan Knoll last month. The other five projects still awaiting ministerial consent include: RES Australia 176MW solar farm and 66MW battery storage facility near Murray Bridge; Neoen Australia(Crystal Brook Energy Park) 125MW windfarm, 150MW Solar Farm and 130MW lithium-ion battery near Crystal Brook; Energy Projects Solar (Bungama Solar) 280 MW solar PV and 140MW battery storage plant to integrate into the National Electricity Market through a 275 kV connection to ElectraNet’s Bungama Substation near Port Pirie; Energy Projects Solar staged development of a 500MW solar farm with 250MW storage near Robertstown, and; RES Australia (Twin Creek Wind Farm Project) 183MW wind and 50MW battery storage near Kapunda. Two other South Australian projects – the 95MW Tailem Bend Solar Project and stage one of the 220MW Bungala Solar Farm near Port Augusta started exporting power to the national grid earlier this year. There are also dozens of micro solar farms up to 5MW being constructed across the state. South Australia is home to Tesla’s 100MW/129MWh battery, which became the “world’s largest lithium-ion battery” when it was installed at Neoen’s Hornsdale Wind Farm in December 2017. South Australia already leads the nation in the uptake of wind energy and roof-top solar with renewable sources accounting for more than 50 per cent of the electricity generated in the state. However, […]

Food technology Queensland PIC Aust MN website

FoodTech Qld 2019 exhibitor proves environmental responsibility can be a profit

A major waste-to-energy project in Queensland is being used by CST Wastewater Solutions at FoodTech Qld 2019 to show food and beverage producers how environmental responsibility can be a profit not a cost. The technology involved in the far-sighted green energy initiative by leading meat processor NH Foods Australia, at their Oakey Beef Exports facility, is already paying handsome dividends in terms of cleaner wastewater effluent, as well as a reduced fossil fuel environmental footprint and lower energy costs. The same GWE anaerobic technology can be applied to any food, beverage or agribusiness enterprise with a biological wastewater stream. This is not pie-in-the-sky future technology, this is proven, profitable technology which has demonstrated its performance over five years. The technology will be on display on stand C34 at FoodTech Qld at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre July 28-30. In addition to food and beverage processors, the technology can be applied to agribusiness operations including all forms of meat, livestock, poultry, fish and agribusiness, including fruit, sugar, vegetable, grains and other crops. The Global Water & Energy (GWE) COHRAL (Covered High-Rate Anerobic Lagoon) plant involved was installed at Oakey by Australian environmental engineering and green energy authority CST Wastewater Solutions, which recently inspected the plant as it reaches its landmark fifth year of service in southern Queensland. It found the clean, compact and robust plant is in outstanding condition, having required only routine maintenance over that time as it continuously produces 3000-4000 m3 of biogas a day, depending on plant throughput. The generated biogas is directly used in the plant’s existing boiler replacing natural gas. This leads to replacement of fossil fuels and sharpened cost-efficiencies at a time they are most needed during the current Australia-wide drought. The anerobic digestion plant extracts green energy biogas from Oakey Beef Export’s wastewater […]

Smart technologies can improve safety in the oil and gas industry

By Gaurav Sharma, Head of Industries Business, ANZ, Cognizant Employee safety remains a key concern within the oil and gas sector. The nature of tasks and activities makes it a riskier industry than others. Workers’ fatigue is another factor increasing that risk. However, the oil and gas industry is in a prime position to take advantage of technologies such as robotics, wearables, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning (ML) to minimise some of the risks, as well as drive innovation. The risks of fatigue Fatigue is a major contributor to safety incidents in the oil and gas industry. An oil and gas worker’s job includes inherently risky routine and physically demanding tasks such as positioning heavy equipment, climbing on scaffolds, and physical inspections and maintenance. Characteristics specific to the oil and gas industry are also factors increasing that risk, such as fly-in fly-out and shift work conditions, dealing with time zone changes and 24/7 operations, handling hazardous chemicals or working in extreme weather conditions. Research indicates that the injury rate of Australian shift workers is two times higher than other workers, due to fatigue-related factors such as insufficient sleep, disrupted sleep patterns, and extended working hours. Using digital technologies to predict fatigue risk There is an increasing awareness across risky industries that digital technologies have an important role to play in improving work safety. Leading oil and gas providers are now looking to improve their current standards even further through data collection, monitoring, and automation. However, there is still a long way to go to full adoption, as estimates suggest that just one percent of the data currently captured by operators is being used for improvement purposes. These technologies can provide companies with better control on workplace hazards and better training, while improving onsite communications and overall workforce and business […]

There’s still time to enter the Premier’s Sustainability Awards

Entries in the 2019 Premier’s Sustainability Awards close at 5pm on Thursday 13 June. Finalists will be announced mid-August. All finalists are invited to attend the awards’ ceremony on Thursday 10 October – a night of celebrating sustainability leadership, creativity and innovation across 11 categories. 2018 finalist in the Awards’ education category was Albert Park Pre-School for their program, Keeping our Promise to Bunjil, a creator deity, to take care of the children and the land. Jenny Whelan, Administration Director, from Albert Park Pre-School said, “Attending the Awards dinner provided a wonderful opportunity to pause and celebrate as a team. To listen and learn from the stories of others and share time with people dedicated to caring for our world inspired us to dream big.” Finalists and winners are provided with media releases, photos and social media graphics to help promote their involvement with their staff, their customers and their communities. Now in its 17th year, the Premier’s Sustainability Awards continue to grow and reflect action happening across industry, business and community from regional to metropolitan Victoria. So, what are you waiting for? Get the team together, see category criteria and profiles of previous entrants, then lodge your entry at www.sustainabilityawards.vic.gov.au.

Labor needs to put country first not activists

Statement by Greg Evans, Chief Executive Coal Council of Australia If Labor aspires to national leadership it needs to show the way and drag the Queensland government to support the development of the Galilee Basin. The latest environmental manipulation by the Queensland government to delay the Adani coal mine development is a betrayal of the communities in central and northern Queensland. The stalling tactics by the Queensland Labor government reflects poorly on Australia and Queensland as an investment destination and in the case of mining investment, this can be directed to other countries. Other industries and mine owners and developers should receive little comfort that this latest treatment is confined to a single coal mine in the Galilee Basin. It shows that where a concerted activist campaign is waged government will cower to those interests. The agriculture, oil and gas, tourism and other industries with large investment proposals need to be wary that local job providing development and the national interest ranks below appeasing noisy activists. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Resources Minister Matt Canavan have expressed support for coal and the advancement of the coal industry including the Adani Carmichael coal mine. The Labor Party at both federal and state level needs to do the same without qualification. Australia has the opportunity to participate in an unprecedented expansion for coal demand from Asia in the next decade of an additional 500 million tonnes annually by 2030. If we capture just 20% of this increase this will represent a major economic dividend, unfortunately, Green and Labor policies are working to frustrate this benefit to the detriment of the working men and women of Queensland.

Thermal energy storage system converts biogas from wastewater treatment plant

Energy storage company 1414 switched on its gas thermal energy storage system (TESS) at the Glenelg Wastewater Treatment Plant in Adelaide today, its first commercial pilot site. The company says the technology is the first in the world to solve the issue of effectively storing biogas as thermal energy to produce heat and electricity on demand. TESS technology takes gas or electricity from any source and stores it as latent heat in silicon which melts at 1414°C. The energy from the latent heat can then be reclaimed and distributed as electricity and/or heat when required. A 10MWh storage unit is about the size of a 40-foot shipping container. 1414 Degrees Executive Chairman Dr Kevin Moriarty said biogas from wastewater management to agribusiness and landfill gas was an increasingly important source of energy globally. “This marks a pivotal phase in the commissioning process, firing the burners for the first time and heating up the thermal energy store. Importantly, we will pay for the biogas we use and sell electricity at market prices to test the revenue model,” he said. “The wastewater management industry is watching closely, as are many other heat dependent industries looking to reduce energy costs, save jobs and lower environmental impacts. “Renewables are about more than wind and solar. It’s time to put our vast sources of biogas to more efficient and sustainable use. Naturally occurring biogas has the potential to lower the cost and increase the stability of energy with reduced demand on fossil fuels.” Biogas is produced when organic waste, including human waste, is broken down in an anaerobic environment with the help of bacteria. The 10MWh GAS-TESS is co-funded by the South Australian Government’s Renewable Technology Fund and … Re

One word and a business can make a difference

Perth: Intrepid Cleaning is a commercial cleaning company in Perth, specialising in tidying up businesses, schools, shops, gyms, and more. The company is known for its eco-friendly approach to cleaning services, using only bio degradable cleaners on-site with their clients. In support of the #trashtag movement, Intrepid Cleaning owner Patrick Elliott wanted to see if his company could also help make a difference — and raise awareness not only about his company’s environmentally focused mission — but also about keeping and maintaining public spaces in Perth cleaner and more appealing to the people using them. “I came from being an office worker myself, and I saw first hand how poorly many professional environments and offices were cleaned and maintained. It seemed like the cleaning companies in charge were more interested in getting away with cleaning as little as possible and just make quick money. “So I saw an opportunity in providing thorough and detailed cleaning to businesses, schools, and other non-private facilities. As an added edge, I wanted to make my new company focused on the environment as well, making the choice easy to go with only eco-friendly and bio-degradable cleaners and supplies. Our clients love us for it.” — Intrepid Cleaning founder, Patrick Elliott. Starting in May, the company offers a free spring cleaning of your Perth office or commercial building if you show that you and your team cleaned a public space. Participation works by gathering your co-workers or employees together — then finding a beach, park, or oval in need of cleaning up. Then, fill up at least one or more large garbage bag. Take both a before and after photo of the area your team cleaned up, and then post them on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or YouTube). Make sure to include the hashtag #trashtag […]

Labor’s climate policy: a decent menu, but missing the main course

Bill Shorten and his colleagues are offering a broad suite of policies, but little explicit mention of cutting out fossil fuels. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas. Nicky Ison, Research Associate, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney. The federal Labor Party this week released the details of its keenly awaited climate policy package. With a commitment to cutting climate pollution by 45% on 2005 levels by 2030, compared with the Coalition’s 26-28% target, there was never a doubt that Labor’s policy agenda was going to be more ambitious than the government’s. But what exactly does it include, how does it stack up against the scientific imperatives, and what’s missing? By offering a broad platform, Labor has moved away from a single economy-wide policy solution to climate change, such as a carbon price or emissions trading scheme. Instead, it has opted for a sector-by-sector approach. This is smart politics and policy. By developing a climate plan for each major sector – industry, electricity, transport, and agriculture and land – it is possible to modernise each sector in a bespoke way, thus driving more innovation and job creation while also cutting carbon pollution. Emily Nunell/Michael Hopkin/The Conversation Industry Labor has taken the politically safe option of expanding the Coalition’s “safeguard mechanism” to lower industrial greenhouse emissions. Under this scheme, big emitters are required to keep their emissions below a prescribed “baseline” level, or to buy offsets if they exceed it. Labor has lowered the threshold for the scheme, meaning it will now cover all businesses that emit more than 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year (the cutoff is currently 100,000 tonnes). From there, all of these companies will have to lower their emissions by 45% by 2030 on 2005 levels. Some details are still to be determined, including the precise trajectories of emissions reductions, […]

«‹ 11 12 13 14

News Ticker

Environment