Innovative solutions tackling pollution, energy efficiency, renewable energies, green buildings, smart electricity grids and new transportation systems were among the 70 entries in the Australian Clean Technologies Ideas Competition.
Announcing 11 finalists, Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr said all entries highlighted the world-class calibre of Australian business creativity.
Senator Carr said as part of being shortlisted, the finalists were mentored by the Department and competition partners during an intensive workshop covering crucial business know-how and skills to help make their ideas a commercial reality.
The competition winner will be announced at an awards dinner in Sydney on 6 October 2011. At the dinner, firms will have the opportunity to network with fellow clean technology innovators, see cutting-edge clean technology solutions and gain an understanding of what Australian innovation can offer to the world.
The winner will represent Australia at the international Cleantech Open Global Ideas Competition in the United States, competing against entrants from 90 countries.
Listed below are the finalists and their creative solutions.
AquaGen Surge: DriveWave energy system that has its energy conversion system above water for reduced costs and improved efficiency.
AquaHydrex: An inexpensive, integrated solar-powered water-splitting technology that enables onsite manufacturing of hydrogen for use in industrial processes.
Calcination Energy Storage: Combining molten salt technology with the chemical dissociation reaction of lime calcination to store energy.
Cogen Microsystems: A cost-effective hybrid solar energy system using a heat engine and low cost solar thermal collectors to generate electricity and hot water.
DrainWave: Enabling low flow water appliances through pulsing water through existing plumbing systems.
Eco Whisper Turbine: A unique, efficient and virtually silent 20kW horizontal axis wind turbine that utilises a unique blade design and an outer cowling/ring to ensure optimum energy conversion.
LubeMaster: A centrifuge technology that provides ongoing cleaning of oil in a more efficient way than standard pore membrane filters.
SMAC Technologies: A patented, proven and highly energy efficient, low cost air conditioning technology that reduces AC energy consumption by 30% to 85%.
SolMax: Combining existing roofing and solar products to produce a cheap, efficient solar concentrator.
Sundermann Water Power: Bi-directionally low-head water turbine designed to maximise operational efficiency in slow water flows.
YellowDot Energy: Solar-powered high-flow groundwater extraction system using control algorithm to optimise water flow.
The competition is a key initiative of the Federal Government’s Supplier Advocate Program and is supported by Enterprise Connect, Commercialisation Australia, the CSIRO and Austrade.