19 minute read
Energy, Waste & Recycling
Solar pioneer wins biggest European innovation prize
UNSW Sydney Scientia Professor Martin Green has been awarded the 2022 Millennium Technology Prize for leading teams to develop the world’s most efficient silicon solar cell technology. Image: Anna Kucera
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UNSW Sydney Scientia Professor Martin Green has been awarded the 2022 Millennium Technology Prize for leading the teams which developed the world’s most efficient, and therefore most commercial, silicon solar cell technology.
Prof. Green and his Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell (PERC) were awarded the biennial prize by Technology Academy Finland. The €1 million prize highlights the impact of science and innovation on society.
The PERC cell technology has helped increase the conversion efficiency of standard solar cells by more than 50% in relative terms from 16.5% in the early 1980s to 25% in the early 2000s.
“The Millennium Prize not only recognises my contribution to photovoltaics [the conversion of light into electrical power], but also the achievements of my students and research colleagues at UNSW, as well as those of the broader photovoltaic (PV) research and commercial community.
“I believe this prize will increase my credibility as a spokesperson for what needs to be done to address climate change. We need to switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy to sustain the trajectory of human civilisation on our shared planet. A huge transformation of historic significance is underway.”
It’s as a result of Prof. Green’s innovations and advances in PV technology that solar energy is now considered instrumental in the global transition to renewable energy and decarbonisation. PERC cells now account for more than 90% of world production of silicon solar modules.
When sunlight – as particles called photons – enters a cell, it excites the electrons within the silicon. In this excited state, electrons can move through the cell, creating electric current. Prof Green’s work improving top and rear surfaces of the PERC cell enables electrons to maintain this excited state for longer, resulting in greater and more efficient energy generation.
As at the end of October, the Australian Energy Market Operator data showed that Australia’s rooftop solar was producing more than all fossil-fuelled generation combined, showing the power of household and business consumers. And it is also remarkable that this occurred during a weekday, as such records usually occur on weekends when there is lower demand.
Prof. Green and his team are now working on combined cell technologies to reach 40% solar cell efficiency by exploring options such as stacking cells on top of each other.
“Solar cells are increasingly used to replace large power stations that use fossil fuels. In 2021, 20 countries or regions including Australia, Chile, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Vietnam and California generated between 8% to 25% of their total
electricity supply from solar energy, with this number growing quickly,” Prof. Green said.
“The rapid cost reductions in solar energy that my work has facilitated have come just in time, right at the point when the importance of acting immediately to address climate change has become overwhelmingly obvious.”
UNSW Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Attila Brungs applauded Prof. Green for this remarkable achievement.
“On behalf of the entire UNSW community, I extend my warmest congratulations to Martin for this tremendous achievement. The drastic reduction in costs of photovoltaic solar systems in recent years is directly related to the scientific efforts of Martin and his team at UNSW. The PERC technology has had – and continues to have – a transformative impact on the global energy sector and has greatly accelerated the global fight against climate change.
“UNSW leads the world in solar technology development, and the Millennium Technology Prize further cements Martin’s position as the world’s foremost pioneer in this space.”
The 2022 Prize drew 40 nominations from the fields of life sciences, energy and the environment, ICT and smart systems, and new materials, processes and manufacturing. It is regarded as one of the world’s top academic awards on the IREG List of International Academic Awards.
Finkel helps Hysata deliver electrolyser to the world
Former Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel AC is now chairing Hysata’s new global advisory council which will guide the company on how best to deliver its electrolyser technology to international markets.
Dr Finkel spearheaded creation of the national hydrogen strategy and the independent review into the national electricity market. Hysata is an Australian company which is developing an electrolyser based on what Dr Finkel believes is the world’s most efficient electrolysis cell, coupled with simplified plant. Electricity makes up most of the cost of green hydrogen so the lowest cost hydrogen is expected to rely on the most efficient electrolyser.
“Green hydrogen will fill the gaps where electricity falls short,” said Dr Finkel. “It could be in transport to power trains and trucks and long-distance aeroplanes, or it could be used as a chemical to replace metallurgical coal in steelmaking and fertiliser production.”
“The challenge is to minimise the waste when using precious renewable electricity to produce green hydrogen. The reason I am so excited by Hysata is that they have the highest efficiency electrolyser design and an expert team to take it to commercial reality,” Dr Finkel concluded.
Dr Finkel will hand-pick a team of international experts in science, technology and policy to make up the remaining council positions. The council will advise Hysata on its strategy for delivering its electrolyser globally into multiple customer segments including steelmaking, heavy transport and the chemical industry.
The news follows Hysata’s recent announcement of $42.5 million AUD from international investors in its Series A funding round.
“Our mission is to lead the world in green hydrogen production through our high efficiency electrolyser technology (41.5 kWh/kg). We are immensely proud to have such an esteemed chair of our Global Advisory Council as Dr Finkel. His expertise in renewable energy and hydrogen is unparalleled, his international reputation and relationships are well known and we welcome his support and guidance as we accelerate towards commercialisation” said Paul Barrett, CEO of Hysata.
“We have been making tremendous progress on our technology, building our team and interacting with hundreds of customers globally. The next phase of work involves scaling up our
Alan Finkel AC has joined electrolyser company Hysata
technology and deployment into pilot projects as we ready the company to get to commercial scale. We look forward to working with Dr Finkel to deliver our era-defining electrolyser technology,” Barrett said.
Dr Finkel is a distinguished neuroscientist, inventor, researcher, educator, philanthropist and policy advisor. As well as his role as Chief Scientist, Dr Finkel also advised federal government on low emissions technology and established seven key international partnerships to accelerate its development and use.
Hysata hysata.com
Low-carb aluminium for lean, green manufacturing
Industry sectors, including construction, renewable energy, transport and marine, are increasingly looking for lower carbon options for their products. Capral Aluminium now supports this demand with new LocAl® products boasting up to 75% lower carbon emissions than global averages.
The LocAl® aluminium range includes two lower carbon aluminium options: LocAl® Green with carbon emissions of 8kg CO2e/kg Al* and LocAl® Super Green at 4kg CO2e/ kg Al*, which are amongst the lowest carbon aluminium available.
Capral has committed to reaching Net Zero emissions by 2050 and Luke Hawkins, General Manager Supply and Industrial Solutions, said LocAl signals a shift in procurement strategy.
“In 2022, 22% of the primary aluminium billet Capral uses in its eight local extrusion presses has a carbon content lower than eight kilograms CO2e per kilogram of aluminium,” said Hawkins.
“Approximately 300 tonnes have a certified carbon content lower than four kilograms of CO2e per kilogram of aluminium. The market is looking for this product, and as Australia’s largest extruder of aluminium, we must make it available.”
Aluminium’s versatility and recyclability has earned it a reputation as the ‘sustainable metal’, yet the four aluminium smelters producing primary aluminium within Australia consume approximately 10% of the national energy grid.
The main carbon emissions from aluminium production come from the electrolysis stage in smelting. Around 60% of the aluminium sector’s greenhouse gas emissions are from the production of electricity consumed in smelting.
Michael O’Keefe, General Manager of Marketing & Technology, said the global average carbon emission for primary aluminium production is approximately 16.8 kg CO2e/kg Al.*
“At eight kilograms of carbon emissions per kilogram, the LocAl Green has 50% lower carbon emissions than the global average for primary aluminium. At four kilograms, LocAl Super Green is 75% lower.”
As well as lower carbon emissions, the primary aluminium offered under the LocAl® brand is sourced exclusively from Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certified smelters which are committed to raising standards in responsible procurement and sustainable production of aluminium. *Based on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emission ex smelter.
Capral
capral.com.au
Circular Australia applauds redirected budget spend
Independent not-for-profit organisation, Circular Australia, has welcomed the federal government’s October budget 2022-23 which it believes has responded well to Australians’ call for action on climate change and climate resilience.
The organisation works with industry, government, research partners and communities to accelerate a transition to a circular economy, which its CEO Lisa McLean believes can unlock $2 trillion in opportunities for Australia.
“A circular economy is based on three principles: design out waste, keep materials in the economy for as long as possible — at their highest value — and ensure regenerative systems to promote biodiversity,” said McLean.
“We are inspired to see the federal government lead a uniform commitment to the circular economy across the states and territories and to keep funding intact for important circular economy approaches that can unlock a $2 trillion economic opportunity for Australia.
“This ongoing funding recognises that the Albanese government leaves no stone unturned on Australia’s journey to net zero.”
Circular Australia particularly welcomed funding that was redirected to support core carbon and waste initiatives, and climate and sustainability measures which included $60 million more funding for plastics recycling and a target to reduce hospital plastic waste.
The funding follows a show of unity on the potential for a circular economy by Australia’s Environment Ministers who last month committed to: •design out waste and pollution and keep materials in use, fostering markets to achieve a circular economy by 2030; and •to establish a national nature repair market, and conserve 30% of landmass and marine areas by 2030.
Budget benefits for the circular economy include:
Made in Australia
Circular economy opportunities are supported through industry and manufacturing investment including: •$113.6 million for manufacturing upgrades to reduce carbon output and invest in regions for example: biotechnology, advanced manufacturing and low carbon zinc. •$15 billion for the national
Reconstruction Fund investing in manufacturing technologies to help the transition to net zero emissions.
Recycling and infrastructure
•$225M Recycled Modern
Manufacturing Fund over four years for recycling infrastructure, including: - An additional $60M for plastic technologies •$8M over four years for Building
Australia’s Circular Waste Economy including Implementing a Remade in Australia Scheme •$2.5M over 2 years for Incentivising
Recycling Behaviours – supporting small business to adopt the
Australasian recycling label •$9M for the Product Stewardship
Investment Fund for this financial year with forward funding ending next financial year with a $1.6M allocation, including: - Adding mattresses and hospital plastics to the product stewardship commitments •$90 million to employ and upskill up to 1,000 Landcare Rangers to
conserve and restore •A new nature repair market will be established (no funding earmarked yet) to reward farmers and other landholders for their work in restoring and protecting nature. •The budget also provides $141m over 10 years to develop Carbon Capture
Storage for industries such as cement manufacturing in hard-toabate industries
First Nations leadership
Australia’s First Nations peoples have been leaders and designers of circular economy approaches for millenia. This budget provides: •$105.2 million to support First
Nations people in their local response to climate change - with the development of a First
Nations Clean Energy Strategy and
Community Microgrids Program to drive local self-sufficiency in the renewable energy transition. •A new Torres Strait Climate Change
Centre of Excellence will also be established to design and deliver local adaptation and mitigation building on existing initiatives such as the
Climate Warriors training program.
Transparent climate action
The Government has enshrined in law its emissions reduction targets of 43 % by 2030 and net zero by 2050 with the following allocations: •$47.1m over four years for the
Climate Change Authority, which has been expanded after having its funding slashed by the Coalition •$306.5m for community batteries and and solar banks •$275m for electric and zero emissions vehicle charging •$7.1 million going to reduce the
Government’s own emissions to net zero by 2030. •$39.1 million to improve the Australian
Public Service’s climate expertise,
including by rebuilding Treasury’s climate modelling capability. •$42.6 million over four years to restore the Climate Change
Authority, expanding its role after the Morrison Coalition cut funding and introducing an Annual Climate
Change Statement to Parliament to increase transparency around climate-related spending in the budget. •$1.9bn “powering the regions” fund to support jobs and emissions cuts in regional areas.
Water, environment, biodiversity
•$1.8 billion to protect, restore and manage the natural environment, including: - $91.1 million over six years for the restoration of urban waterways and local biodiversity - $224.5 million to the Threatened
Species Action Plan (2022–2032).
This falls shorts of researchers estimates that $1.7 billion is needed per year to recover Australia’s listed threatened species •$224.5 million to help save
Australia’s most imperilled native species. •$91 million for the first round of the $200 million election promise to improve local waterways through the Urban Rivers and Catchment
Program. •$10.8 million to improve ocean and marine park management •$66.5 million to support 10 new
Indigenous Protected Areas as part of the pledge to conserve 30% of Australian land and sea by 2030 to be announced at the
UN Biodiversity COP meeting in
December 2022 •The establishment of a new
Environmental Protection Agency to ensure environment laws are enforced
A GR silent pump fills a DC10 ahead of its firefighting effort in Australia
Fight fires with Gorman-Rupp pumps
ACT Emergency Services contacted Hydro Innovations when it was searching for a pump to handle flow through three pipes to deliver volume retardant to the DC10 aircraft fighting bushfires in NSW & Victoria in 2019/2020.
The mission
Assisting firefighters on the ground, the US-based company Aerial Firefighting-AGAIR was operating three DC10s in Australia in conjunction with many other aerial appliances including the single-engine attack tankers, large air tankers and helicopters.
The situation was critical: capability to fill and turn around the DC10 aircraft as quickly as possible was now the mission. After a successful trial of a Gorman-Rupp 4” pump (T4A3S-B coupled to a diesel engine), this seemed to be the answer.
Fortunately, Hydro Innovations, the Australian distributor for Gorman-Rupp pumps, was able to supply a 6” Gorman-Rupp T6A60S-B pump coupled to a John Deere 4045TF280B diesel engine was made ready for immediate dispatch.
The pump is one of Gorman-Rupp’s ‘Super T’ range of self-priming centrifugal pumps, renowned for their rugged construction, reliability and priming lift capability. They are heavily used by water authorities, councils and industries where reliability is critical. Once in place with manifolds, valves and associated pipe work, the first fill commenced, taking just 15 minutes to deliver 35,000 litres of retardant into the three tanks mounted under the aircraft.
The results
An issue that needed addressing was the tendency of the fluid to foam when delivered at full speed, preventing tanks from being filled to capacity.
This was overcome by the variable speed control system of the pump, which allowed flow rates to be slowed towards the end of the pumping cycle, reduced foaming, and enabled retardant to be delivered up to the top of the tanks. Phil Rothheudt from Hydro Innovations had the privilege of commissioning and inspecting the new Gorman-Rupp unit operating at ACT Emergency Services’ Canberra Airport base. He was also given a guided tour of the DC10, and shown how the fire-fighting process comes together.
The aircraft is crewed by five: two pilots (captain & co-pilot), an engineer and two mechanics. The pilot brings the giant DC10 down to just 200 feet above the tree tops and begins his drop, while the engineer controls the release of the retardant. As the pilot explained, at this point it’s very much “hands-on flying” and obviously precarious.
As the weight of the retardant comes off the aircraft, the plane wants to climb suddenly, which can result in a dangerous stall situation. So the pilot has his hands full keeping the DC10 level and at the same time avoiding the topography. Speed and height is critical in the effectiveness of the drop: too low and the retardant doesn’t spread effectively over the fire ground, too high and it thins out too much to be effective.
Likewise, if the aircraft is flying too fast, the retardant can cause a ‘shadow’ effect behind the trees, meaning they’ll continue to burn on their dry sides. If it flies too slowly, again it doesn’t cover enough ground to be effective. Once each mission is complete, it is back to base for a refill of retardant and a top-up of fuel if required and then back out again. The fast turnaround times enable the planes to quickly continue delivering their precious cargo. The staff at Hydro Innovations feel privileged to have supplied world-leading Gorman Rupp pumps to support the critical fire-fighting effort.
Hydro Innovations
hydroinnovations.com.au
GENOX WASHING PLANTS. INTELLIGENT, COST-EFFECTIVE PLASTIC RECYCLING SOLUTIONS. THAT’S APPLIED THINKING.
Genox Washing Plants are high performance recycling systems for rigid or flexible plastics from various sources, including materials with high contamination levels. These modular systems are capable of processing general plastics including HDPE and PET bottles, PP woven bags and PE film (post-consumer or agricultural).
Call: Email: Visit: 03 9706 8066 sales@appliedmachinery.com.au appliedmachinery.com.au genoxmachinery.com.au
The right compressor
It’s not surprising there are many types of compressors on the market — most processing, manufacturing and materials handling operations use compressed air as the main energy source to power a wide range of industry applications.
Choosing the right compressor is vital to ensure the right output to match demand at the lowest possible input energy costs. Kaishan’s range of compressors runs from three to 400kW.
There are three reasons to buy and install a new air compressor — for new industry installations, to upgrade to meet increased demands or to replace an old, troublesome unit.
New operations
When shopping for a compressor or compressed air system to power a new venture or application you should consider:
Types: Rotary screw, single or twostage, tank mounted, compact and/or portable? With the wide selection of types, brands and capacities, it can be confusing to find the right compressor to meet needs.
Environmental conditions:
Certified food grade lubricants are used in sophisticated compressors to comply with production and processing requirements. Advanced compact and industrial compressors are made to supply pollutant-free air with minimal noise and vibration.
Larger compressor manufacturers offer custom design and adaptation to suit industries such as mining, marine and scientific applications. Special casings and component materials are used to ensure compressors can efficiently operate under harsh conditions.
Calculating ahead: Major air compressor suppliers can assist with trained technicians to assess the air power needs of any installation for current and future demands.
Variable speed: When load requirements fluctuate through varied applications and usage, the energy saving benefits of compressor speed that is governed by demand far outweigh the additional capital cost of variable speed control.
Design the system: Major air compressor suppliers offer an expert design service to meet needs before specifying and installing the right compressor and system to optimise application performance and efficiency.
Upgrading: When current systems are not coping with air power due to growth in demand or additional operations, it is time to upgrade the old compressor and reassess the whole system.
Larger, higher-powered mod-
els: Today’s advanced compressor technologies have produced models that deliver higher capacities without necessarily having larger power input. Two-stage rotary screw configurations, permanent magnet motors, variable speed frequency and orbital scroll technologies are advanced, energy-saving initiatives that deliver higher output air whilst reducing input energy costs.
Integrating a new compressor:
Most air compressor specialists will inspect and assess the suitability of a system upgrade. It may be necessary to also replace filters and introduce new, advanced components into your air lines to cope with higher pressures and increased demand.
Integrating variable speed control:
VSC, if applicable and beneficial to your expanded operations will not only save you on power bills but will reduce unnecessary load on the entire system. Adding VSC will reduce costs and maintenance which will more than pay for itself in a relatively short time.
Trade-ins: Compressed air companies can assess and provide a discount on new equipment providing the old compressor is in reasonable condition and can be reconditioned for resale.
Out with the old
Same type, size, brand: Chances arethe old compressor is old technology, so it is best to consider what replacement compressor would improve the system while saving on energy and maintenance costs.
If the system’s output demand has not changed, then it is likely that a modern, efficient, lower-powered unit will do the job while significantly reducing energy bills.
Upgrade to integrate: If you are not increasing the load with a new compressor then there is usually no need to change the components of your current system, however it is recommended that an expert assessment of the entire system be carried out to ensure it is sound and efficient in delivery of the air output required.
Boosting longevity
Selection: If compressors are inadequate for the demand, they work harder whilst returning poor performance with excessive wear and tear and shortened operating life — whereas the right compressor to meet demand will have a longer life.
Regular maintenance: Choosing the right compressor to suit your application means planned efficiency of operation and minimum wear and tear to compressors, system components and end use machinery.
Small compact and portable workshop compressors need regular checks to make sure they are clean, correctly lubricated and that hoses and fittings are airtight and in good condition. They should be protected from dust, grime and air pollutants where possible and turned off when not in use.
Large industrial machines and systems need regular, professional maintenance to ensure peak performance and minimal downtime. Compressed air technicians will inspect, clean, replace filters and maintain industrial compressors and systems on call or on a contracted schedule.
Kaishan
kaishan.com.au
