Should we worry about wasting renewable energy? Here’s why ‘spilling’ excess power is expected – and efficient

By Dylan McConnell, UNSW Sydney In Australia’s electricity system, more and more energy from sunlight and wind is being “spilled” – or not converted to electricity. In the last year, the amount of renewable energy spilled was roughly equivalent to the annual consumption of 750,000 typical households, or three months of consumption for the state…

Printing to win

By Paul Gover Seconds count in motorsport and anything that can help to beat the clock – even a humble 3D printer – can provide a winning edge. That’s why engineering expertise forms the foundation for the most successful team in Australia’s homegrown Supercars racing over the past decade and why it has a growing…

Towards 3% R&D – what we learned over four weeks

By Peter Roberts If @AuManufacturing’s editorial series – Towards 3% R&D – Turbocharging Australia’s Innovation Effort – has taught us anything, it is not the national myth of plucky Australians being an inventive people battling to commercialise their ideas. Towards 3% has taught us that unlike leading nations, Australia doesn’t have a supportive innovation ecosystem…

Towards 3% R&D – a national business R&D action plan by Dr John Howard

Today we conclude our editorial series – Towards 3% R&D – Turbocharging Australia’s Innovation Effort – in which @AuManufacturing has exposed the issues eroding Australian R&D. In this edited excerpt Dr John Howard proposes A National Business R&D Strategy and Action Plan. Download the full paper at the foot of this article. The structure of…

Towards 3% R&D – Knowledge diffusion a key by Elliot Duff

Today in our editorial series – Towards 3% R&D – Turbocharging Australia’s Innovation Effort – Elliot Duff identifies the issue as a lack of capability in diffusing knowledge through the economy to its grass roots. Knowledge Diffusion in Australia While doubling R&D spending to 3% will help turbo-charge the Australian innovation system, it is essential…