UniQuest promotes Australian innovation at world water conventions

Monday, 28 May, 2012

UniQuest will promote more than 20 cleantech innovations at two major international water industry events over the coming weeks. The company’s Commercialisation Manager, Dr Paul Barrett, is presenting at the annual BlueTech Forum in San Francisco this week, then returning to Brisbane for the International Water Association’s Leading-Edge Conference on Water and Wastewater Technologies from 3-7 June.

UniQuest Managing Director David Henderson said both events would showcase the efforts of Australian university researchers to address the global issues of energy, natural resources management and environmental sustainability.

“Dr Barrett has been invited to participate on two panels at the BlueTech Forum, highlighting the interest that international industry partners are taking in our scientists’ multidisciplinary approach to water and energy research,” Henderson said.

“The agendas are appropriately titled ‘Biotechnology - The Next Tech Frontier for Water Treatment’ and ‘Innovation from three of the World’s Leading Water Hubs: Israel, the Netherlands, and Australia’.

“Both conferences also represent excellent opportunities for networking and distributing a special cleantech edition of UniQuest’s technology newsletter, The Deal Sheet.”

University of Queensland (UQ) start-up Bilexys will be featured, following its recent success in the international Imagine H2O awards program.

Other projects that will be promoted include: a low-cost solution for preventing sewer corrosion and odour (Cloevis); a low carbon footprint alternative for producing hydrogen (AquaHydrex); an enhanced wastewater treatment (GemFloc); reversible surfactants for stabilising and breaking emulsions and foams (Pepfactants); and ceramic membranes for low-energy desalination and salt recovery (Ceramipore).

UniQuest will also be showcasing Australian cleantech innovations at Singapore International Water Week events in July and the Water Environment Federation’s Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference in New Orleans at the end of September.