Graphinex opens Townsville anode demonstration facility

Battery anode material company Graphinex has opened its Townsville demonstration facility, which has received $5 million in federal and state government backing.  According to a statement from federal resources minister Anthony Chisholm on Friday, the site will process graphite ores sourced from the Graphinex Esmeralda Graphite deposit, approximately 500 kilometres west of Townsville, and will…

Methane-to-turquoise hydrogen catalyst project awarded $492,526 grant from AEA

A team including energy technology company 1414 Degrees has been awarded an Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) Ignite grant of $492,526 for a project progressing a proprietary hydrogen reactor. According to a statement to the ASX-listed company on Tuesday, the grant is for catalyst development concerning its SiPHyR (Storage integrated Pyrolytic Hydrogen Reactor) technology, and involves…

Sparc Hydrogen, University of Adelaide awarded $2.75 million AEA grant to support direct solar-to-hydrogen technology work

Sparc Hydrogen and the University of Adelaide were awarded $2.75 million under the Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) Innovate program, with the grant to support activities around the company’s photocatalytic water splitting (PWS) reactor technology at Roseworthy, South Australia. In a statement, ASX-listed graphene business Sparc Technologies – which is part of the Sparc Hydrogen joint…

How Australia’s grant system is currently locking $33 million from those doing the heavy lifting

Australia’s grant system is working exactly as designed. And that’s the problem, writes Paul Carmignani, Managing Director of Powertech. Right now, if you’re a small business or a not-for-profit, there’s likely a funding stream available to help you test an idea, buy equipment or build capability. If you’re a multinational or a university, there’s even…

NAIF provides $50 million loan facility to expand Element 25’s Pilbara manganese project

Minister for Northern Australia Madeleine KIng has announced that the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) will provide a loan of up to $50 million to help Element 25 expand its manganese project in Pilbara, Western Australia and serve growing demand from the electric vehicle battery market.  According to a statement from King on Tuesday, the…

Robotics company Contactile says new grant will help it get a grip globally

Sydney-based robotics company Contactile has been awarded a Commercialisation and Growth grant under the federal government’s Industry Growth Program. According to a statement from the company on Wednesday, the recent grant will support commercialisation of “a next-generation robotic gripping system that endows robots with a human sense of touch”, launching the gripper into Australian, European,…

Grants for seafood waste, pallet projects and other circular efforts expected to create 72 Queensland jobs

Five million dollars in grants has been awarded to eight projects under Queensland’s Circular Economy Investment Program, including a robotic pallet dismantler, oyster shell waste in render and plaster products, and newly-developed materials from rigid plastic waste. According to a statement from the state environment department on Monday, the grants awarded were worth between $250,000…

iMOVE CRC launches $2 million impact fund 

The iMOVE Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) has launched a $2 million second round for its Impact Extension Program, which is open to organisations including established businesses, universities and startups “looking to fund their transport related innovation.” In a statement launching the program on Thursday, iMOVE said the initiative aims to “to identify and support Australia’s…