Known unknowns: controversy over CSIRO’s electricity report reveals an uncomfortable truth

Analysis and Commentary

By Bruce Mountain, Victoria University CSIRO’s latest annual GenCost update, released last month, was billed as Australia’s “most comprehensive electricity generation cost report”. GenCost has proven to be highly controversial. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton previously levelled robust criticism at the report, specifically the high costs attributed to building nuclear power in Australia, and called for…

Details

RAAF readying to receive first MQ-4C Triton

Defence

The first of four MQ-4C Triton remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) will soon arrive in Australia, following certification in the United States. According to a statement from Defence on Thursday, AUS 1 completed the first leg of its ‘ferrying flight’ on February 16 followed by final testing, fit-out and certification by the US Navy at…

Details

Diraq demonstrates high fidelity quantum chips

Manufacturing News, Technology

Silicon based quantum computer chip developer Diraq has announced the development of a record control accuracy of 99.9 percent for a quantum bit (qubit) manufactured utilising industry standard silicon wafers. The chip was manufactured by the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre in Belgium, a leading digital technologies R&D centre. Diraq also announced that GlobalFoundries, one of the…

Details

Myriota secures Moon to Mars funding

Manufacturing News, Technology

Nanosatellite IoT communications company Myriota has announced a $1.5 million investment from the Australian Space Agency’s Moon to Mars Initiative Demonstrator Mission Grants. The funding will support the development of a compact, low-cost satellite communications payload providing resilient, flexible and scalable radio communications in off-world environments. The announcement was made at the launch by South…

Details

Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

Manufacturing News

Applied EV selects Cissoid’s inverter control module Melbourne-based vehicle control system specialist Applied EV announced on Wednesday that it has selected Cissoid’s new CXT-ICM3SA series of Silicon Carbide Inverter Control Modules (ICMs) for their latest generation of autonomous vehicle e-motors. According to Cissoid, their software-powered ICMs are “augmented with onboard programmable hardware, accelerating the response…

Details

Food has a climate problem: Nitrous oxide emissions are accelerating with growing demand for fertiliser and meat – but there are solutions

Analysis and Commentary

By Hanqin Tian, Boston Coll ege; Eric Davidson, University of Maryland, Baltimore; Pep Canadell, CSIRO, and Rona Louise Thompson, Norwegian Institute for Air Research Food’s role in climate change has emerged as one of the defining challenges of our time. The journey of a steak, fruit or salad from the vast expanses of agricultural lands…

Details

Legrand acquires VASS, cites booming data centre market

Manufacturing News

Electrical equipment manufacturer Legrand has announced the acquisition of Busway power distribution solution business VASS Electrical Industries.  French-based Legrand Group announced the finalisation of the aquisition in a statement on Wednesday. It said its existing electrical and digital building infrastructure products were complementary to VASS’s business, enabling a “wider and comprehensive offering to customers”.  VASS…

Details

Mismatch in employee/employer expectations “will play out over the next year”: Hays

Manufacturing News

An annual survey run by recruiter Hays — considering the views of “more than 15,000 employers and professionals” — has found manufacturing employers want to expand their headcount but are stifled by skills shortages, while a concerning number of professionals are looking to take their talents elsewhere. The Hays Salary Guide (linked) appears to show…

Details