By Grant Douglas, CSIRO There are around 440 nuclear power plants operating in 32 countries around the world, supplying some 10% of the world’s electricity. Another 60 reactors are under construction, and 300 more are proposed. Australia has only one reactor, used for research and medical purposes. But Australia typically produces more than 5,000 tonnes…
Rux Energy wants to be the first in the world to increase hydrogen storage density with novel molecular sponges. Brent Balinski speaks to founder and CEO Dr Jehan Kanga. Metal organic frameworks have only really been studied since 1999, says Dr Jehan Kanga (pictured), who studied a PhD on these nanoporous materials and is now…
Edge computing developer Aicraft has announced the successful launch of its first edge computing device, Pulsar (pictured) to space on board the Antaris Inc. satellite JANUS-1. The company combines expertise in AI, semiconductor technology and power electronics to deliver a range of products that feature high computing capacity and small size, weight and power (SWaP).…
By Ravi Naidu, University of Newcastle They stop your food from sticking to the pan. They prevent stains in clothes and carpets. They help firefighting foam to extinguish fires. But the very thing that makes “forever chemicals” so useful also makes them dangerous. Forever chemicals – the catchier name for the class of chemicals known…
Queensland govt welcomes applications for Manufacturing Hubs Grant Program This week Queensland manufacturing minister Glenn Butcher announced that the state government’s Manufacturing Hubs Grant Program (MHGP) is open for a third round. The announcement was hosted this week at Mecha, a winner of $230,000 in grant support under the program’s first round, supporting a new…
By Hussein Dia, Swinburne University of Technology Four years ago, then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison famously claimed electric vehicles (EVs) would end the weekend. “It’s not going to tow your trailer. It’s not going to tow your boat. It’s not going to get you out to your favourite camping spot,” he said. His comments drew on…
Luyten believes it can extrude an answer to housing affordability problems. Brent Balinski speaks to CEO and founder, Ahmed Mahil. Not universally, but generally speaking, Australian startups don’t beat you over the head with their vision or tell you, in no uncertain terms, that they’re going to change the world. Occasionally there will be contrasts…
Dovetail Electric Aviation began in 2021 and is chasing a market estimated at $US 15 billion for retrofitting electric propulsion systems onto small airplanes. Brent Balinski spoke to co-founder Rachael Barritt about their story so far. A bit over two years ago, this website reported with sadness that MagniX – an Australian-born world-leader in electric…
By Ian Mackinnon, Queensland University of Technology and Richard Taylor For most of us, transmitting power is an invisible part of modern life. You flick the switch and the light goes on. But the way we transport electricity is vital. For us to quit fossil fuels, we will need a better grid, connecting renewable energy…
There are mixed signals from government when it comes to sustainability, according to Holloway Group. Brent Balinski speaks to the company’s Matt Holloway and Jim Prior. Last week Victoria banned the sale of single-use plastics, following a similar ban in November in NSW. Among the banned items are single-use expanded polystyrene food and drink containers.…