sustainability

A new type of concrete made out of waste materials that can bend under load has been developed and patented by researchers at Swinburne. “Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world,” Dr Behzad Nematollahi said. “In fact, it is the second-most consumed material by human beings after water. Its quality has … Continue reading Bendable concrete developed at Swinburne →

Chemistry Australia has launched Plastics Stewardship Australia, an initiative to support the sustainable use and recovery of plastics, at the inaugural National Plastics Summit on Monday, at Parliament House in Canberra. “Our industry is committed to improving how people use and recover plastics, which is why we’ve established the Plastics Stewardship Australia initiative,” Plastics Stewardship … Continue reading Chemistry Australia to help manufacturers pursue sustainability goals →

Taking account of the whole of an industrial process’s environmental impact is the focus of the Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory (IELab). As more businesses seek to account for their carbon footprint, tracing inputs that come from outside the individual factory is becoming more important. Tommy Wiedmann, from UNSW’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is … Continue reading UNSW’s IELab helps manufacturers improve environmental footprint →

An Australian manufacturer’s circular economy solution has been recognised at the NSW Green Globe Awards. Integrated services company Downer Group’s Reconophalt took the innovation category award. The product takes soft plastics, glass, toner, and reclaimed road to create pavement, laid across NSW. The product is itself able to be recycled at the end of its … Continue reading Recycled asphalt receives innovation award →

At an industry awards night for the packaging industry, manufacturers were recognised for their innovative approaches to packaging. Presenting the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) awards, Trevor Evans, Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management, noted that the winners of these awards demonstrate how the sector is pursuing national objectives. “The achievements on show … Continue reading Awards recognise excellence in manufacturing packaging →

The Green Globe Awards from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage are open for nominations for the twentieth year and manufacturers are encouraged to apply. With awards in twelve categories, the awards highlight how sustainability is a key concern for the entire community. Manufacturers are invited to nominate for categories including Business Leadership, Innovation … Continue reading Manufacturers able to nominate for Green Globe Awards →

Energy and environment ministers of G20 nations have adopted a statement outlining that the potential to transition to clean energy and sustainable environments depends upon improving business environments to encourage innovation and change. The G20 is made up of 19 countries and the EU. Countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, … Continue reading G20 puts forth agenda for energy transition and sustainable growth →

A team of University of Queensland researchers will join forces with 40 other organisations to form a new cooperative research centre (CRC), set to improve offshore renewable energy production. The Blue Economy CRC is a $329 million research project that combines seafood, renewable energy and offshore engineering for the first time. It is underpinned by a $70m … Continue reading Research centre to improve renewable energy production and offshore engineering →

A 2018 PwC report, Australia’s IoT Opportunity: Driving Future Growth, stated that across five industries assessed, which represent 25 per cent of Australia’s GDP, the Internet of Things (IoT) can achieve potential annual benefits of $194-$308 billion over a period of 8-18 years. This impact translates into average productivity improvements of about 2 per cent … Continue reading IoT solutions that improve sustainability processes →

An energy report outlining the market and the potential for opportunities in utility-scale battery storage in NSW was released at an industry event in Sydney at the end of last week. Entitled “Opportunities for Utility Scale Battery Storage in NSW”, the report was produced by the Australian Energy Storage Alliance (AESA) in partnership with AECOM and supported by … Continue reading Opportunities for NSW utility-scale battery storage →

A report by the South Australian government has said that a new technology in South Australia that will make it more affordable to convert agricultural waste into high value activated carbon could soon be on the market with a $217,000 State Government grant. Adelaide based company ByGen’s breakthrough product has the potential to convert millions … Continue reading ByGen activated carbon tech breakthrough →

The Victorian state government is backing a new scientific study offshore from the Ninety Mile Beach in Gippsland that could help combat climate change and create the jobs of the future. The joint state and federally funded study is being conducted by CarbonNet to advance the science of carbon capture and storage (CCS) at a … Continue reading Gippsland Study to help grow jobs and fight climate change →

Last week, Toyota Australia announced that it has joined forces with industry heavyweights to accelerate the reality of a hydrogen society built upon clean and renewable energy technology. The company has become a foundation member of Hydrogen Mobility Australia (HMA), which has been established to support the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. … Continue reading Toyota joins HMA to support renewable energy drive →

Atlas Copco, has issued a press statement late last week on a solid order intake growth and operating profit for the closing quarter of 2017. In the near term, the overall demand for the group is expected to remain at current high level. “Our winning teams ensured we had a strong end to a record … Continue reading Atlas Copco reports strong close to Q4 of 2017 →

ABB and Formula E will partner to champion e-mobility for a sustainable future. ABB is bringing its name and innovation and technology leadership to the series, which will be now known as the “ABB FIA Formula E Championship.” The move is seen as an ideal partnership for Formula E. Formula E serves as a competitive … Continue reading ABB and Formula E partner to write the future of e-mobility →

Earlier this week, Toyota Motor Corporation has announced that it will market more than 10 all-electric vehicle (EV) models globally in the early 2020s. It also said that the investment on the battery development will most likely exceed 1.5 trillion yen (A$17.4bn) through 2030. With tightening global regulations on emissions and to counter its market rivals … Continue reading Toyota to ramp up manufacturing of battery EV models by early 2020s →

Schneider has committed to sourcing 100 per cent renewable electricity and is throwing light on the doubling of its energy productivity. In a press statement, the company mentioned that it strongly believes it cannot go renewable without ensuring optimisation of its energy system first. The newly announced commitments are yet another step-in Schneider Electric’s journey … Continue reading Schneider commits to 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2030 →

Ten teams have been selected for the latest round of ON Accelerate, a structured, full-time accelerator that brings together the experience and expertise of established researchers, entrepreneurs and inspiring mentors. CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said that ON had uncovered science and technology solutions for some of Australia’s biggest challenges in energy, food and … Continue reading CSIRO announces 10 teams for ON Accelerate →

CSIRO has opened a new $100 million research facility focused on solving some of Australia’s biggest challenges across agriculture, the environment and the digital world. The Synergy Building features 15,000 sqm of modern lab and office accommodation housing 500 scientists focused on areas including future crops, natural resources, climate science and data or digital solutions. … Continue reading CSIRO opens $100 mil collaborative research facility in ACT →

Schneider Electric has formed a partnership with Australian renewable energy engineering company Planet Ark Power and has been awarded a $1.95 million grant by the South Australian state government to support the delivery of a secure, sustainable and affordable energy supply to the state. The grant will help build a $13.9 million solar and battery pilot project … Continue reading Schneider gets greenlight for energy project in SA →