Archived News for Engineering Professionals - July, 2011

Researchers from the University of New South Wales’ Photovoltaics Technology Transfer Team, working with solar technology firm Centrotherm, have achieved a new world benchmark of 19.4 percent efficiency for a mass-produced, crystalline silicon solar cell.

Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) head Dr Stephen Gumley has announced his resignation, effective immediately.

A $1.2 billion Clean Technology Program will assist manufacturing industries over the next seven years, as part of the Federal Government's carbon price policy.

Three major energy innovation initiatives have been announced as part of the Federal Government’s carbon price package.

The Australian steel manufacturing industry will benefit from a $300 million package as part of the Federal Government’s carbon price policy.

The Steel Transformation Plan will encourage investment and innovation in the steel manufacturing industry and will be complemented by a small increase in free permit allocation from 2016-17 onwards.

As part of the package to support jobs, the steel industry will be eligible for 94.5 per cent assistance under the Jobs and Competitiveness Program to shield it from the full impact of a carbon price.

The Jobs and Competitiveness Program will provide assistance of $9.2 billion over the first three years

from 1 July 2012 to support businesses within emissions-intensive trade-exposed industries that face international competition from companies in countries yet to introduce comparable costs on carbon.

The Productivity Commission will review the treatment of the steel industry as part of the EITE assistance review in 2014-15, and three years’ notice will be provided of any changes to assistance arrangements consistent with the treatment of all EITE activities.

Further information is available here.

Up to 50 emissions-intensive industrial activities, such as steel, aluminium, cement and zinc manufacturing,  will be eligible for assistance under the Federal Government’s new $9.2 billion Jobs and Competitiveness Program.

The latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that engineering construction activity remained strong in the March 2011 quarter, with the total value engineering construction work done  rising by 3.8 per cent.

Perth-based project management company, Calibre Global Pty Ltd, has acquired 100% of Minerva Engineers Pty Ltd, a Melbourne based engineering business with expertise in mining and materials handing engineering and design.

The South Australian Government has set aside land as part of an agreement with the Australian Government that confirms that the multi-billion dollar Future Submarines will be constructed in Adelaide.

Thiess is to play a more significant role in delivering electricity infrastructure in New South Wales under an alliance with one of Australia’s largest energy network providers, Ausgrid.

In its annual report to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), Infrastructure Australia has warned that ‘frustratingly slow’ progress of reforms to infrastructure planning and delivery has caused a slowing of Australia’s productivity.

One of the world's outstanding engineering schools, the Melbourne School of Engineering, is inviting applications for up to fifteen continuing appointments from engineering scholars of international distinction, committed to excellence and innovation in education and research.

Australian researchers have invented nanotech solar cells that are thin, flexible and use one hundredth the materials of conventional solar cells.

Engineering, infrastructure and project management consultancy, Meinhardt Group, has announced the appointment of Peter Galvin as Director of Strategy and Operations in Australia.

Australia’s skills shortage is a major constraint on the growth of the liquefied natural gas industry, according to Macquarie Private Wealth.

FMC technologies has been awarded a contract to supply subsea production and associated topside systems to Shell’s Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) facility at the Prelude Gas Field off Australia’s north west coast.

The Defence Department’s new Independent Project Performance Office (IPPO) has begun operating to monitor all major Defence capital acquisition projects.

The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) has undertaken to elect a target of one-third women among its annual election of new Fellows from 2012.

The Academy adopted a Gender Equity Policy in November last year which “recognises leadership is needed to address the gender imbalance both within the Academy membership and its activities as well as more broadly in promoting women in senior level in technological sciences and engineering in Australia.”

ATSE has also endorsed the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles and the development of a Program of Action to back its Gender Equity Policy (including implementing the gender targets for membership) by an ATSE Gender Equity Implementation Group.

ATSE Fellow and Director, Professor Susan Pond, has been appointed to lead the initiative in conjunction with the ATSE President, the Board and the ATSE Chief Executive Officer.

Under the Gender Equity Policy, ATSE will promote women within its own organisation, engage with other organisations on gender equity issues, and promote of women in technological sciences and engineering and career development of younger women.

In reaffirming its commitment to the importance of the full participation of women in technological sciences and engineering in Australia, ATSE’s Gender Equity Policy highlights that women constitute a wealth of talent and creativity. Both the private and public sectors need to adopt mechanisms that enable women in technological sciences and engineering to actively contribute to Australia’s prosperity and productivity.

More information is at http://www.atse.org.au 

Parsons Brinckerhoff’s Australia-Pacific operations have achieved an A+ rating for its third annual sustainability report.