Although the Clean Technology grants have proved both effective and popular, the government has put the grants on ‘pause’ subject to a full budget review. As one of the major barriers to organisations implementing efficiency plans is cashflow, the freeze is a real blow for Australian businesses. Despite the freeze, the temporary pause on these grants needn’t mean the end of Australian businesses’ efficiency plans. There are still ways to implement efficiencies without the need to invest heavily. [ + ]

waterAustralia has a mission to create growth and international business opportunities for companies that supply to the water sector. Les Targ, CEO waterAustralia, talks to Sustainability Matters about the organisation’s achievements to date and what he sees for the future of the water industry. [ + ]

Some Australian electric utilities operate a substantial number of diesel-fuelled power stations for remote communities that are too distant to connect to the main electricity grids. These communities can include hundreds of residents, along with local commercial activities and civil infrastructure to support the region. The wet season can make it difficult to access some communities by road for up to 1-2 months. Photovoltaic (PV) power generation has been identified as the most consistent source of renewable power to cover the daily power consumption profile of these communities. [ + ]

Each year, millions of tonnes of waste materials are sent to landfills across Australia. While Australians are very good at recycling, there will always be waste that is not physically able to be recycled, or where it is not financially viable. Much of that waste, however, has a significant energy content, and a large portion of that energy is from renewable sources. [ + ]

Two of Australia’s leading clean-up scientists have urged governments and policymakers to earmark a portion of the carbon tax to cleaning up the mess that may be left by the nation’s old coal-fired power stations as they shut down. [ + ]

Australia’s water supply is far from plentiful, so water recycling is a key method of managing this precious resource. But many Australians are still opposed to the use of recycled water - especially when it comes to their drinking supplies. [ + ]

Murdoch University researchers have come up with a potential solution to one of sustainable energy’s greatest challenges: power storage for use in non-generation times. [ + ]

Since November 2010, construction has been underway at AUT University for the city campus’s new sustainable learning complex, the WG Precinct. It has been a long wait, with planning having begun in 2006, but the project is nearing completion and will officially open in February 2013. [ + ]

The rotten egg gas leaking from sewer pipes and costing billions of dollars worldwide in odour control may soon be far less of a problem, thanks to new research discussed at the 2012 International Water Association (IWA) conference last week. [ + ]

ABB has delivered four IRB 660 palletising robots to the Datong Coal Mine Group, China, to be used in the Tashan coal mine. Supported by brick machinery components from Shandong GONGLI, the ABB robots will play a key role in producing bricks primarily for adobe palletising. [ + ]

Since 1752, the Wenning family in Germany has run a successful agricultural business and distillery. Thirty years ago, they took the first pioneering steps towards on-site biogas production. Together with the help of Atlas Copco, they now have evolved into an award-winning energy producer, using 50% less power than other, comparable plants. [ + ]

The Australasian Waste & Recycling Expo (AWRE) is supported by the Waste Management Association of Australia (WMAA), plus several other key waste and recycling industry bodies. The trade show will be held from 21-22 November 2012 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour. [ + ]

Autonomous Energy has designed, installed and commissioned a 60 kW Solar PV system at Pymble Ladies’ College. The system was installed in two phases, the first phase (16 kW) was commissioned in July 2011 and the second phase (60 kW) went live in February 2012. [ + ]

Xylem, a global water technology company focused on addressing the world’s most challenging water issues, has been placed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index in its first year as a standalone company. [ + ]

Albury City Council has adopted a non-conventional approach to the provision of water and sewer infrastructure for Nexus, the city’s new 187 hectare precinct for large and heavy industry. [ + ]