A $3.9 million investment between Queensland University of Technology and the Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) Trailblazer program will add the ability to develop precision fermentation-based ingredients at the Mackay Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant (MRBPP.) The plant was established over a decade ago at the Mackay Sugar factory, and has focussed since then on biorefining,…
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By Magnus Söderberg, Griffith University and Phillip Wild, Griffith University Building transmission lines is often controversial. Farmers who agree to host new lines on their property may be paid, while other community members protest against the visual intrusion. Pushback against new lines has slowed development and forced the government to promise more consultation. It’s not…
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Synthetic biology could be an industry worth $30 billion to the nation annually and create 50,000 new jobs by 2040, according to the new Synthetic Biology National Progress Report, with the greatest activity expected to be in food and agriculture, followed by health and medicine industries. The report was written by CSIRO Futures, with support…
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Knoxfield, Melbourne manufacturer Stahl Metall has entered into a new contract with Kongsberg Defence Australia (KDAu) for the manufacture and delivery of Electrical Control systems and Cable and Harness Systems for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM). Kongsberg has linked with a number of local manufacturers as it moves to manufacture the msisile under Project SEA…
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By Peter Roberts BHP might just be getting serious about fully exploiting its ability to refine and export copper on a large scale from its South Australian copper mines – however the company has considered major expansions previously and baulked at the cost. In 2012 BHP halted plans for a $30 billion expansion of its…
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Work has begun on a new $100 million pharmaceutical plant being built for Noumed Pharmaceutical at Salisbury in northern Adelaide in partnership with Terre Property Partners. The plant, supported by $20 million from the federal government’s Modern Manufacturing Strategy, is UK group Noumed Life Sciences’s first production plant in Australia. Noumed is an integrated generics…
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Surface engineering technologies company Laserbond has entered the Western Australian engineering market with the purchase of 40 percent of Gateway Parts & Equipment for $10 million. Laserbond has the right to acquire further shares after three years to obtain 51 percent of the company, with any subsequent purchase necessitating the approval of Gateway shareholders. The…
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MGA Thermal’s blocks go a simulated decade Thermal energy storage company MGA Thermal has announced successful simulation of ten years’ working life for its MGA Blocks. The Blocks are used to store and discharge heat, use a purpose-designed miscibility gap alloy, and are being rapidly cycled to help inform customers what to expect from storage,…
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Steel maker GFG Alliance has signed a new agreement with the South Australian government seeking the supply of green hydrogen from a 250MW electrolyser under construction to feed the company’s Whyalla steel works. GFG has also entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with energy company Santos for potential long term natural gas supply to…
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The NSW government has announced $275 million in Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative grants, which it says will help small businesses and others “take advantage of the transformation of our energy grid”. According to a statement from the government on Monday, the grants will be across three programs: Renewable manufacturing: increasing capacity to make the components…
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