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From Nuclear Science to cleaning up waste water
Sydney company Bio-Gill Environmental has been granted the rights to commercialise unique water treatment technology developed by ANSTO, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation. The system uses microorganisms and “biological gills” to treat wastewater for reuse in a low energy, low cost process. The Bio-gills are manufactured using nano-particulate membranes incorporated into a unique bioreactor, which effectively operates as both a “stomach” and a “lung”. Bacteria and other microorganisms “eat” waste out of the water and “breathe” air to grow and multiply.
“Bio-gills can be differentiated from existing wastewater treatment processes because they do not rely on high energy systems to aerate the water,” said CEO John West. “This offers the opportunity of approaching users and clients on a different costing basis, where it is now cheaper to reuse wastewater instead of discharging it to sewer.” The system was successfully piloted in 2008 in an installation at the Lane Cove Tourist Park, with grey water upgraded to a standard capable of being used in laundries and for flushing toilets. That pilot is now the basis of a decentralised grey water treatment system being designed for commercial applications.Applications for patents have been accepted in Australia and New Zealand, and granted in Singapore and South Africa. Meanwhile, the technology will be unveiled to the North American market at the Globe 2010 environmental convention in Vancouver, Canada next March.
Using old batteries to store renewable energy
Nissan Motor Co and Sumitomo Corporation have announced joint plans to initiate a business venture to "Reuse, Resell, Refabricate and Recycle" lithium-ion batteries previously used in electric cars, giving them a "second-life" as energy-storage solutions in markets worldwide.
The "4R" business model defined by the two companies is designed to capitalize on the supply of reusable lithium-ion batteries as electric cars achieve widespread marketplace acceptance. Today there is no existing supply of large-capacity reusable batteries, but by 2020 in Japan, the demand for "second-life" batteries is expected to reach the equivalent of 50,000 electric-cars per year at the minimum, as demand grows for an increasing range of energy-storage solutions.
Nissan has committed to bringing electric vehicles to the mass market by fiscal year 2012. As consumers increasingly choose zero-emission cars, demand for second-life batteries is expected to grow as the supply of reusable batteries from electric cars rises.
Even after the end of normal vehicle life, the high-performance lithium-ion batteries used by Nissan will retain 70 to 80 percent of residual capacity and can be reused and resold to various industries as a solution to energy-storage.
CSIRO’s Newcastle centre to tackle grid issues
The CSIRO Energy Centre in Newcastle aims to help transform Australian electricity networks and lower greenhouse gases. CSIRO established the Renewable Energy Integration Facility to develop new grid management technologies that will allow greater penetration of renewable, low-emission energy resources into electricity networks.
The facility will also be used to develop automatic fault detection techniques to help improve electricity supply reliability and reduce blackouts. The $1 million facility will be used for in-house research, as well as collaborative projects with industry and other researchers.
Find the Root Cause!
To really get business improvement it is usually necessary to find the root causes of bottlenecks or other barriers to achieving best outcomes. In case you have wondered what some of the tools to do this may be, here are some explained.
Fuel from Algae
Australian scientists are achieving the world's best production rates of oil from algae grown in open saline ponds thanks to a joint $3.3 million project led by Murdoch University in Perth, and involving the University of Adelaide. The project now leads world algae biofuel research after 12 months of consistent results. Construction of a multi-million dollar pilot plant to test the whole process on a larger scale will now begin at Karratha in January and is expected to be operational by July. Dr David Lewis from the University of Adelaide said a key aspect of the project is to show that commercial levels of algae can be grown without competing for resources with food crops.
Saving too much water???
Managing director of agricultural research consultancy Arris, Dr Daryl Stevens, says inflows to most Australian sewage treatment plants are declining dramatically, especially in drought-affected country towns, as people become water smart and take up recycling opportunities. He warns existing sewage systems, which are designed around a certain volume and concentration of waste to water, may struggle to cope with the changing conditions. Dr Stevens claims wastewater volumes have already dropped dramatically at many sewage treatment plants - “on average [volumes are down] 25% across the country, but in peak dry periods, which are coming up, it can get as low as 50%” – and this situation will only get worse as more people respond to climate change concerns.
"One of the tricky things is the whole sewage system is designed on a certain volume of water flushing through it to carry all the solids that are mixed up in the water," he explains.
 According to Stevens, “water restrictions, more efficient water-using appliances and recycling of water in homes and on farms are all contributing, and Australia's sewage system may struggle to cope with waste. We need to look at the recycled water issue on a whole of system basis rather than on an individual site basis,” he said.
Mandatory composting in San Francisco – sign of things to come?
Tossing food scraps into the garbage can is a crime - at least in San Francisco. San Francisco has become first city in the USA to require people and businesses to properly dispose of their organic garbage waste. While mandatory recycling laws are something starting to take shape in several cities across America, San Francisco is moving things a step further by requiring all residents to compost.
Career Development Tip
Is it really harder to find a job when you’re unemployed vs. employed? According to recruiter, HR consultant, and business CEO turned author and commentator, Peter Weddle, yes it is. While it may not be fair to those who were laid off because of the economy, it’s the reality many people have been forced to face. But, there is good news. Read Weddle’s article, “The Job Market Version of Catch 22,” to see how you can improve your chances, as well as how to best position this ‘time of transition’ on your résumé.
Your Ideas, Innovations or Events?
If you want publicity for an idea, innovation or technically related event, contact the I&I editor, Colin Seaborn on 4254 0200 or 0419 841829 or click here->
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