ClearVue subsidiary lands first commercial greenhouse contract

ClearVue Technologies subsidiary OptiCrop has secured its first commercial project worth approximately $80,000 for ground-source heat exchange technology at a greenhouse installation. The ASX-listed company announced on Wednesday that OptiCrop will provide its proprietary cooling solution for a one-acre greenhouse being built by a global irrigation and greenhouse provider. The cooling coils will optimise nutrient…

Industry calls for heat pump rebate pause over safety concerns

The air conditioning and refrigeration industry has called for government heat pump rebate schemes to be suspended until safety and performance standards are implemented. The Australian Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturers Association warned on Monday that New South Wales and Victorian rebate programs are plagued by safety risks, poor performance and fraud. AREMA managing director Greg Picker…

WA commits $130,000 to boost biomedical industry skills

The Cook Government has announced $130,000 in funding for two new grant rounds aimed at developing Western Australia’s health and medical life sciences sector. Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson (pictured) said on Monday the funding would support the Accelerator Program Access Grants and Entrepreneur in Residence scheme, following successful first rounds. The Accelerator Program Access…

Robot submarines reveal coral catastrophe at Australia’s southernmost reef

Tiny underwater robots have captured devastating footage of coral bleaching at one of the world’s most remote reefs, exposing a hidden environmental crisis off the West Australian coast. Advanced Navigation’s micro submarines, called Hydrus, surveyed Hall Bank reef near Fremantle in June, revealing a barren seafloor littered with pale, lifeless corals at the unusual latitude…

First national food system stocktake reveals $274b hidden costs

CSIRO has released Australia’s first comprehensive stocktake of the nation’s $800 billion food system, revealing hidden costs of up to $274 billion annually and calling for a coordinated approach to managing complex challenges across the sector. The report, released on Monday through the Food System Horizons initiative, examined Australia’s food system which feeds approximately 100…

Soul Patts and Brickworks agree to $14b merger

Diversified investment house Washington H. Soul Pattinson and building products manufacturer Brickworks announced on Monday they have agreed to a $14 billion merger that will create a newly capitalised ASX-listed company. The merger, announced through a binding combination deed, will see the creation of a company called TopCo with an expected market capitalisation of $14…