Australian Innovation

“Business is essential to solving the climate crisis because that is what business is best at: innovating, changing, addressing risks, searching for opportunities.” – Richard Branson.

Global studies and accolades regularly declare Australia as one of the most creative and innovative countries in the world.

Over the past 40 years, we have been using that creativity to come up with innovative solutions to climate change. Australians have:

held the world record for the highest efficiency silicon solar cell for three decades
invented the world’s most widely deployed electricity generation technology
developed the world’s largest carbon capture and storage demonstration project
built the largest high-concentration solar array in the Southern Hemisphere
Made concrete from carbon dioxide
Developed software that enables utility companies to integrate renewables at scale
Created the world’s only solar roof tiles that can provide both electricity and heated water

Australian Innovation Highlight

Billionaire software developer and philanthropist Mike Cannon-Brookes has set aside $12 million to install as many as 100 stand-alone solar and battery units in 100 days to provide off-grid power to hard-hit bushfire communities.

The aim is to replace the use of diesel generators, installed after the massive bushfires destroyed power lines and other equipment. Costs of electricity will fall by between 20 and 50 per cent, Mr Cannon-Brookes said, adding the units should be able to operate for 20 years…

Climate innovation database

We have gathered a database of Australian innovators for clean energy, waste reduction, carbon emissions and social innovation. If you know of any Australian innovators that are missing, please contact us and let us know.

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FutureFeed

CSIRO developed a cost-effective seaweed feed additive, which uses a variety of Australian seaweed to significantly reduce livestock’s methane emissions

Location:

QLD

Technology:

Emissions Reduction

Organisation type:

Research organisation

Future Grid

Invented breakthrough smart grid software which integrates, processes and virtualizes grid data so that Utilities can integrate renewables at scale.

Location:

VIC

Technology:

Clean energy

Organisation type:

Start-up

Envirostream

Australia’s first lithium battery recycling facility which recovers around 95% of the materials contained in a battery for re-use.

Location:

VIC

Technology:

Waste Reduction

Organisation type:

Established company

CSIRO Stored Energy Integration Facility

Facility to evaluate energy use and storage solutions to lower energy emissions and costs for commercial businesses.

Location:

NSW

Technology:

Clean energy

Organisation type:

Research organisation

CSIRO Renewable Energy Integration Facility

World-class facility to test new grid management technologies in a real-world environment using a variety of electrical generation and load types including solar, gas, turbine and battery storage.

Location:

NSW

Technology:

Clean energy

Organisation type:

Research organisation

CSIRO NexGen Solar

Developing printable solar cells made from organic materials, perovskite semiconductors and multi-junction devices which will be lighter, more flexible, attractive and cheaper.

Location:

NSW

Technology:

Clean energy

Organisation type:

Research organisation

CSIRO Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST)

The largest high-concentration solar array in the Southern Hemisphere demonstrating how solar energy can ‘supercharge’ natural gas, solar air turbine research, combining solar power with the energy industry’s most state-of-the-art turbines, showing how solar power can still be used when cloudy or after dark.

Location:

NSW

Technology:

Clean energy

Organisation type:

Research organisation

CSIRO bioDICE

Direct Injection Carbon Engine (DICE) is being modified to run on a Micronised Refined Carbon (MRC) made from waste woody biomass. Has the potential to markedly increase the cost competitiveness and environmental credentials of biomass for electricity.

Location:

National

Technology:

Waste Reduction

Organisation type:

Research organisation

CSIRO

Developed a metal membrane (called the The Catalytic Membrane Reactor) to extract pure hydrogen from ammonia, paving the way for a new export market. Also modifying standard diesel 4-stroke engines so ammonia can be used as a fuel.

Location:

NSW

Technology:

Clean energy

Organisation type:

Research organisation

CSIRO

Cutting-edge solar-powered system using concentrating solar thermal technology that can cool Australian commercial buildings, achieving greater energy efficiency.

Location:

NSW

Technology:

Clean energy

Organisation type:

Research organisation

CO2CRC Otway Project

The world’s largest carbon capture and storage demonstration project.

Location:

VIC

Technology:

Emissions Reduction

Organisation type:

Research organisation

CLOey

Converts food waste into nutrient rich soil conditioner in 24 hours.

Location:

VIC

Technology:

Waste Reduction

Organisation type:

Start-up

Climate Communicators

Partners with Australian weather presenters to include climate information and graphics in their weather segments.

Location:

VIC

Technology:

Social Innovation

Organisation type:

Research organisation

Carnegie Clean Energy

A low-impact energy generation device which harnesses the immense potential stored in the Earth’s oceans.

Location:

Technology:

Clean energy

Organisation type:

Established company

CarbonNet

Bringing together multiple carbon dioxide capture projects in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley, transporting CO2 via a shared pipeline and injecting it into deep underground, offshore storage sites in Bass Strait.

Location:

VIC

Technology:

Emissions Reduction

Organisation type:

Government

Australian Innovation

Global studies and accolades regularly declare Australia as one of the most creative and innovative countries in the world.

Australian Innovation Highlight

Climate innovation database

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