Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

HySupply green hydrogen export roadmap released

The UNSW Sydney-led HySupply Australia Consortium has released a supply-side roadmap for fostering a green hydrogen export supply chain with Germany. The HySupply Supply-Side Roadmapping Exercise, developed with Deloitte, involved consultations with more than 50 hydrogen experts across industry, academia, government and relevant agencies. HySupply is a joint collaboration of industry and academia consortia in both Australia and Germany, supported by their respective federal governments. Six key findings were identified and translated into guiding principles that Australia can consider in its transition to hydrogen export leader, involving the need for guarantee of origin schemes, underwriting off-take agreements by government, prioritising scaled-up pilots and projects and more. The report can be accessed here.

Ampcontrol joins mining electrification consortium

Electrical and electronic engineering firm Ampcontrol has joined the Electric Mine Consortium (EMC) to drive efforts towards electrifying and decarbonising the mining industry. The EMC is a growing group of mining and service companies focussed on creating zero-emission products for their customers to meet investor expectations and industry challenges around emissions. “The way we generate, store and harness energy around the globe is undergoing a period of major change,” said EMC founder and Director Graeme Stanway. “A global ecosystem has begun to emerge to underpin the innovation and scaling of electrification technologies.” Ampcontrol is part of the Boundary Power JV, delivering standalone solar power systems, and, alongside Tritium, was a winner in the global ‘Charge On Innovation Challenge’ in May, delivering an end-to-end mining haul truck battery swap solution

New molecule-level manufacturing technique wins ARC backing

Professor Matt Trau from University of Queensland’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) has been awarded an ARC Laureate Fellowship worth $2.9 million to further understand and develop a new process using a tiny, electronically-controlled chip, to create the molecules that make up lifesaving medicines, vaccines and energy storage materials. “We have been able to accelerate and control chemical reactions on a tiny nano-scaled chip,” Trau said in a statement. “Much like 3D printing has disrupted manufacturing on a larger scale, this could change modern manufacturing on the molecular scale.” He added that the nanotechnology platform could accelerate chemical reactions in ways not possible in conventional factories, and could be applied to the production of life-saving products.

Renewable export opportunities discussed at event

A meeting at the Better Futures Forum on Wednesday morning discussed the opportunities attached to decarbonising Australia’s economy. The breakfast event featured leaders from Australian Conservation Foundation, the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the Business Council of Australia and WWF-Australia, and federal energy minister Chris Bowen. “On the back of the Jobs and Skills Summit, Australia has an opportunity to reset and set ourselves up to build the industries of the future as we decarbonise,” said Jennifer Westacott, Chief Executive of Business Council of Australia. “We can and should reach net zero by harnessing Australia’s abundant natural resources to boost exports, drive investment in new technology and deliver a stronger economy with new and better jobs”, says Ms Westacott.  A statement from Better Futures said its Sunshot report had identified a potential 395,000 new jobs and $89 billion in new trade by 2040 through investment in renewable energy exports.

Picture: Pixabay