By Peter Roberts One of the criticisms of renewables thrown up by sceptics in the former Coalition government was that it was not dispatchable, that is it couldn’t provide power ‘when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow’. Lithium ion batteries provided an underpowered part of the answer to that but the real…
Swinburne University’s Aerostructures Innovation Research Hub (AIR Hub) will develop and trial Australia’s first hydrogen propelled drone, thanks to a $1.3 million grant from the federal government’s Emerging Aviation Technology Partnerships programme. The university’s Hydrogen to the Skies (H22S) project will design and integrate a new hydrogen propulsion system into a large drone, working with…
Packaging manufacturer Pact Group has won a major sustainable project award for bringing Australia’s biggest PET plastic recycling facility to life in just 370 days. Pact was awarded the Australian Institute of Project Management’s Sustainable Project Management Achievement Award for NSW for the $50 million Circular Plastics Australia (CPA) PET plastic recycling facility in Albury,…
Innovative green hydrogen developer Sparc Hydrogen has turned its focus to scoping out the construction of a pilot plant to prove its low cost processes to produce green hydrogen following the publication of a global patent application. The company, a joint venture between Sparc Technologies, Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) and the University of Adelaide, is…
Chemicals and explosives manufacturer Orica has announced a Statutory Net Profit After Tax (NPAT) for the year ended 30 September of $60 million, and underlying earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of $579 million, up 36 per cent on the previous corresponding period. Return on net operating assets increased from 8.1 per cent in FY2021…
By Peter Roberts Perth minerals producer Iluka Resources is pressing ahead with its plans to process rare earths on Australian shores, capturing more value-adding of these critical metals for the local economy. The company’s latest update shows that all primary environmental approvals have been secured for its project at Eneabba north of Perth. The company…
A rise in sales during Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns has not lasted into Q1 FY22 for prestige food manufacturer Maggie Beer Holdings. The Barossa Valley company reported that Q1 FY22 sales were down 22.1 percent compared to the previous corresponding period which were boosted as consumers remained at home where they spent more time cooking. However…
Medicinal cannabis producer Cann Group and global pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline are progressing negotiations relating to the commercialisation of Cann’s Satipharm CBD capsules. Cann Group, which operates a major cannabis growing and processing centre at Mildura, Victoria (pictured) announced it was in negotiation with GlaxoSmithKline’s Australian arm Haleon. The negotiations involve an exclusive agreement covering distribution…
Urban transport operator Transit Systems has celebrated three years of running Australia’s largest battery electric bus network and depot, with over two million customers in New South Wales stepping on board. Battery electric buses operated by Transit Systems are in service across Sydney’s Inner West routes and school services, while the company also operates battery…
Australian boiling water appliance manufacturer Zip Water has emerged as a key unit in a major international water business following the merger of water products groups Culligan and Waterlogic. The Sydney manufacturer pioneered the development of hot, cold and sparkling underbench water units before being taken over by Culligan, which has now merged with Waterlogic.…