Licella acquires full ownership of Arbios Biotech
Recycling technology company Licella has acquired Canadian wood products company Canfor’s 50 per cent interest in Arbios Biotech, making Arbios a wholly-owned subsidiary of Licella. According to a statement from the company late last week, it “marks a major step forward in Licella’s global expansion, unifying our Cat-HTR™ platform under a single, aligned global strategy for advanced biofuels.” Cat-HTR is Licella's hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) technology, a thermo-chemical process for obtaining “advanced bio-intermediate, a renewable substitute for fossil oil” from feedstocks. “Canfor has played a foundational role in the success of Arbios,” said Dr Len Humphreys, CEO of Licella. “Together, we took a bold idea and built the world’s first commercial-scale HTL facility using biomass to produce low-carbon fuels. We thank Canfor for their vision, partnership, and commitment over the years.”
Ampcontrol buys Horizon's stake in Boundary Power
Western Australian government-owned Horizon Power has sold its share in Boundary Power to its joint venture partner, Ampcontrol. According to a Linkedin post this week by Boundary Power, it has specialised in off-grid electricity solutions, known as standalone powers systems (SAPS) since its founding in 2021. These typically include solar panels, batteries, inverters, and a backup generator, providing a “renewable alternative to traditional poles and wires, especially in regional and remote areas.” The JV has deployed over 130 SAPS units, with more to be installed this financial year. “These systems have been installed on the east and west coast of Australia, including the first portable hydrogen SAPS unit in 2023” added Boundary Power, which said it “remains committed to delivering safe, reliable, and renewable energy solutions across Australia, and Horizon Power will continue to support innovation and sustainability in the energy sector.”
New Australia–China think tank launches
A self-described “independent, non-partisan think tank”, the AustChina Institute (ACI) has officially launched. According to a statement from the Melbourne-based ACI, it is dedicated “to fostering informed dialogue and research on the Australia–China relationship – one of the most significant and complex bilateral relationships for Australia’s future”, offering and “independent, fact-based insight” into the relationship. Quentin Kilian, CEO of ACI, said the relationship is “not just about trade, but also about long-term economic resilience, cultural understanding, and strategic positioning… ACI is committed to creating a trusted space for dialogue, equipping decision-makers with the facts they need to move beyond rhetoric and towards solutions that serve Australia’s national interest.” Its website is linked here. ACI is currently welcoming Foundation Partners, said Kilan: “organisations, corporations, and individuals, who share a commitment to constructive, solutions-focused engagement with China”.
Alcoa of Australia has announced a Joint Development Agreement with Japan Australia Gallium Associates (JAGA) to explore the feasibility of a gallium project to be co-located at one of Alcoa’s operating alumina refineries in Western Australia. Gallium is recognised as a critical mineral in Australia and the United States, has uses in semiconductors and other high-tech sectors, and its production is concentrated in China According to a statement on Monday, Alcoa and JAGA are assessing the “potential for a co-located facility to expand global supply of gallium as an existing by-product of the alumina refining process”. Alcoa of Australia President Elsabe Muller said the opportunity “could deliver additional value from our established operations and further demonstrate how Alcoa's longstanding mineral processing capabilities can be significant in supporting state, national and global objectives in technology and national defense”. Subject to further commercial agreements and regulatory approvals, the JDA partners are targeting a final investment decision by the end of 2025 and to begin production in 2026.
