Australia’s place in the semiconductor world: Defence could be the new champion for a sovereign microchip industry

Today our Australia’s place in the semiconductor world series looks at ways Australia can address its precarious dependence on overseas chip suppliers, and the role of defence in this. There is no time to waste, argues Martin Hamilton-Smith.  In March 2023 the Albanese government’s Defence Strategic Review will be handed down by Sir Angus Houston…

Australia’s place in the semiconductor world – chips show everything wrong about our industrial history

Today in our editorial series on Australia’s place in the semiconductor world, Peter Roberts gives an observer’s view of Australian manufacturing over more than four decades, our lost opportunities and where semiconductors could have fitted in. When it comes down to it, the story of disappointment that has been the lack of development of a…

Australia’s place in the semiconductor world: The industry in Australia and its opportunities

To close out the first week of our editorial series, Australia’s place in the semiconductor world, we turn again to the analysis of Steven Duvall and Glenn Downey. In part three of their four-part feature, they describe what currently exists in Australia, and the challenges to growing this. 1) Introduction This article continues our four-part…

Australia’s place in the semiconductor world: the current ‘state of the world’

In the second day of our Australia’s place in the semiconductor world editorial series, Glenn Downey and Steven Duvall provide part two of their four-part feature. Here is a look at what certain nations are doing to respond to the challenges of the era. 1) Introduction The article continues our four-part series on semiconductors and their…

Batteries of gravity and water: we found 1,500 new pumped hydro sites next to existing reservoirs

By Andrew Blakers, Australian National University; Anna Nadolny, Australian National University, and Ryan Stocks, Australian National University In eight years, Australia wants to be four-fifths powered by renewables. Solar and wind investment is pouring in. But to firm the renewables and overcome the intermittency, we need overnight energy storage. That’s why there’s so much interest…

Australia’s place in the semiconductor world – series introduction

Today @AuManufacturing launches our newest two-week editorial series, examining Australia’s participation in perhaps the most advanced manufacturing sector of them all. By Brent Balinski.  I heard it said recently that as Covid forced everybody to learn a little about virology, supply shortages and world politics are forcing everybody to learn a little about semiconductors. From…