Semiconductors: it’s all a show of power
We should not, cannot, just move on to the next ‘crisis’ without having a clear, implementable, and committed national policy for this one. By Glenn Downey.
Anti-science threatens society and why we need science more than ever – by Dr Katherine Woodthorpe
Dr Katherine Woodthorpe AO today gave the 2021 Ralph Slatyer Address on Science and Society, marking the 30th Anniversary of the Cooperative Research Centres Program which has been central to industry/science collaboration in Australia. After outlining the benefits of collaboration, she went on to decry the rise of anti-science, and the harm it is doing…
Contractor announced for WA’s biggest battery
The Western Australian government has announced a $155 million contract has been signed with New Horizons Ahead (NHOA) Australia to deliver the state’s biggest lithium-ion battery. Perth business GenusPlus Group has also been appointed subcontractor for the 100 megawatt battery, to be built at the decommissioned Kwinana Power Station (pictured), which will have the capacity…
Envirostream gains approval for battery recycling plant
Lithium ion battery metals manufacturing and recycling company Lithium Australia has announced that its Envirostream Australia subsidiary has received planning approval from Hume City Council for the construction of a lithium ion battery recycling facility in Campbellfield, Victoria. The permit allows for a change in land use for the site in Berwick Road to house…
Central Coast food manufacturers will adopt world-first Australian hydrogen tech
Members of the Central Coast Hydrogen Food Cluster will be the first commercial users of an award-winning Australian-developed hydrogen-to-heat technology.
Australia’s climate policies could push NSW into a debt spiral – report
Australia’s failure to commit to net zero targets or any credible climate policy is a growing economic threat to New South Wales and other states, argues a new report by the Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). The Reserve Bank of Australia’s deputy governor Guy Debelle last week urged Australia to begin planning…
Austal launches first evolved Cape Class patrol boat
Perth international shipbuilder Austal has launched the first of six evolved Cape Class patrol boats it is constructing for the Royal Australian Navy. Built at the company’s shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia the vessel is part of a $324 million contract issued by the Department of Defence in May 2020 for the six 58 metre…
Orbital to raise cash to fund engine development
Perth unmanned aerial vehicle engine manufacturer Orbital UAV is to raise $6.5 million from investors to support the development of new engines for global drone manufacturers. The company yesterday announced it would upgrade the engines on United States-based Textron Systems’ existing fleet of Aerosonde tactical UAV’s, with the company also developing completely new engines for…
Apprentice and trainee numbers grow, completions fall
The most recent data on apprentice and trainee training activity show a strong increase in commencements in the March quarter 2021, an increase which is in line with the growth in manufacturing activity and employment reported elsewhere. The figures, from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) show that compared with the March quarter…
Cement and concrete sector releases report on decarbonisation by 2050
A report commissioned by the cement and concrete industry and released on Tuesday concludes that reaching net zero emissions by 2050 for the $15 billion sector is possible, though will require significant investment through technology development and market pull.