Renewable hydrogen produced at Hydrogen Park South Australia (HyP SA) in Adelaide will be delivered to Whyalla, showcasing the possibilities of locally produced hydrogen.

From this week, a custom tube trailer will collect shipments of up to 370 kg of the renewable gas from HyP SA’s plant at Tonsley Innovation District as part of a partnership between Australian Gas Networks — part of Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) — and BOC, a Linde company.

The green hydrogen will be used in the production of high-purity argon supplied to the Whyalla steelworks and local industry. HyP SA can produce approximately 175 tonnes of hydrogen per annum and this is expected to be the first of many weekly deliveries to the Steel City.

The new Adelaide-based hydrogen supply chain will replace current deliveries to BOC’s South Australian customers from Victoria, eliminating the costs associated with 117,000 km in annual transport and saving approximately 122,000 kg of carbon emissions per year. Since May 2021, HyP SA has supplied up to 5% blended renewable gas to more than 700 homes in Mitchell Park. By the end of this year, it will supply more than 3000 homes in the surrounding suburbs.

AGIG aims to deliver at least 10% renewable gas across its distribution networks by 2030 and has set itself an ambitious target of 100% renewable gas conversion by 2040, and by no later than 2050.

HyP SA at Tonsley was the first of several renewable hydrogen projects AGIG is developing around Australia.

South Australia’s Premier, Peter Malinauskas, said: “This is an exciting glimpse into the future possibilities of renewable hydrogen produced right here in South Australia.

“Renewable hydrogen is a key part of our clean energy future, and this exciting project is helping businesses push the frontiers of renewable hydrogen. The real-life application of this facility reinforces widening community recognition of hydrogen’s benefits.”

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/energy/news/local-supply-of-green-hydrogen-for-sa-industry-509946096

One of the most obvious material impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the waste it produces: personal protective equipment (PPE) such as single-use masks are used and sent to the incinerator or landfill — or worse, make their way onto footpaths, roads and waterways.

Now researchers from RMIT University have developed a solution that can use disposable healthcare materials like masks, gloves and isolation gowns as a strengthening ingredient for concrete. The studies found shredded PPE could increase the strength of concrete by up to 22% and improve resistance to cracking.

Medical waste is a natural side effect of sanitary healthcare environments but COVID has been a major source of it since the pandemic began. About 54,000 tonnes of such waste is now being generated each day in the form of protective gear.

Three papers have been published by the RMIT scientists across three journals (Case Studies in Construction Materials, Science of the Total Environment and the Journal of Cleaner Production) looking at how to deal with this waste.

The three studies looked respectively at disposable plastic isolation gowns, nitrile gloves and surgical masks that had been shredded and added to concrete at various volumes between 0.1 and 0.25%.

The findings report various physical attributes of concrete could be improved: rubber gloves boosted compressive strength by up to 22%; isolation gowns increase resistance to bending stress by up to 21%, compressive strength by 15% and elasticity by 12%; and face masks improved compressive strength by 17%.

Of course, for sanitary reasons the waste equipment is quarantined and washed prior to being used.

The RMIT team’s industry partner, Casafico, which concentrates on recycling waste into construction material, is now planning on using the findings of these studies for a field project.

“We urgently need smart solutions for the ever-growing pile of COVID-19 generated waste — this challenge will remain even after the pandemic is over,” said first author, PhD researcher Shannon Kilmartin-Lynch.

“Our research found that incorporating the right amount of shredded PPE could improve the strength and durability of concrete.”

Joint lead author Dr Rajeev Roychand said construction industries would be able to both play a part in reducing waste while also benefiting from its strengthening properties.

“While our research is in the early stages, these promising initial findings are an important step towards the development of effective recycling systems to keep disposable PPE waste out of landfill,” Roychand said.

Corresponding author and research team leader Professor Jie Li said PPE waste, both from health care and the general public, represents a substantial problem for the environment and a challenge to be surmounted.

“We have all seen disposable masks littering our streets, but even when this waste is disposed of properly it all ends up in landfill,” Li said.

“With a circular economy approach, we could keep that waste out of landfill while squeezing the full value out of these materials to create better products — it’s a win on all fronts.”

The team will next be looking into combining the different sorts of healthcare waste to see how different ratios of the material can benefit the concrete, with field trials on the horizon.

The researchers are hoping to collaborate with businesses and organisations in the healthcare and construction industries to further develop the research.

Image credit: RMIT University

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/waste/case-study/research-ppe-waste-can-make-for-stronger-concrete-1535754189

CO2CRC, an organisation researching carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS), has welcomed the federal government’s decision to award new greenhouse gas permits in WA and the NT.

On 24 August, the approval of two offshore greenhouse gas storage (both carbon capture and storage, and CCUS) sites was announced by Resources Minister Madeleine King at the Northern Territory Resources Week. These are the first such sites approved since 2014.

The permits were granted to a joint venture between INPEX, Woodside Energy and TotalEnergies in the Bonaparte Basin and Woodside in the Browse Basin. The three companies are members of CO2CRC.

“Australia has the capacity to continue to be an energy export leader, at the same time as developing a domestic offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS) industry. CCS is a safe, key proven technology that can support the petroleum sector in its low carbon transition,” King said.

“As we continue to take action to reduce emissions, I will work to ensure Australia remains an attractive destination for investment while maintaining our position as a world leader in the resources sector.”

CO2CRC has welcomed the announcement and its CEO Dr Matthias Raab said that CCUS would play an important part of Australia meeting its emissions targets.

“This is a clear signal that the Albanese government is committed to their target of 43% emissions reduction by 2030. CCUS is a proven, safe, large-scale emission reduction technology that will enable Australia’s industry to transition to a net-zero future,” Raab said.

“We are delighted that Minister King has acknowledged that CCUS has a substantial role to play in driving Australia towards a lower emissions future. CCUS is a very significant option for certain industries to drive down their emissions permanently and immediately at a competitive cost.

“Geological storage of carbon dioxide allows emission abatement at scale. It is immediate and permanent and we are building technology for very large emission reductions.

“Australia is well positioned to be at the forefront of the global scale-up of CCUS technologies. It has some of the world’s best deep sedimentary basins in which to store carbon dioxide, an internationally recognised resources industry, ready access to the latest CCUS technologies, expertise, and globally renowned researchers.

“CO2CRC congratulates its industry member companies Woodside Energy, TotalEnergies and INPEX on the award of the Greenhouse Gas Permits and echoes Minster King’s comments that it is time to put the talk of CCUS into action.”

CO2CRC operates the Otway International Test Centre that it uses for CCUS purposes, including providing trials and demonstrations for business and scientific institutions. The organisation is also working to produce low emissions technologies, and collaborated with the CSIRO on the Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS) study.

Image credit: iStock.com/Petmal

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/energy/news/new-carbon-storage-sites-announced-for-wa-nt-1252300889

Petroleum-based plastic waste presents an untapped source of carbon-based chemicals that can serve as the starting material for useful durable materials and fuels. Very little plastic is currently recycled, mainly for economic and practical reasons. But Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) scientists are trying to change the dynamic by applying their expertise in efficiently breaking chemical bonds. Their plastics recycling innovation was recently presented at the American Chemical Society fall meeting in Chicago.

The new method is designed to upcycle plastics to valuable commodity chemicals and simultaneously increase conversion to useful products while using less of the precious metal ruthenium.

“The key discovery we report is the very low metal load,” said Pacific Northwest National Laboratory chemist Janos Szanyi, who led the research team. “This makes the catalyst much cheaper.

“This research shows the opportunity to develop effective, selective and versatile catalysts for plastic upcycling.”

It’s well known that adding hydrogen — a reaction known as hydrogenolysis — to difficult-to-recycle plastics like polypropylene and polyethylene presents a promising strategy to convert plastic waste into value-added small hydrocarbons. This process requires catalysts to make it economically feasible and that’s where the PNNL-led research excelled.

The research team discovered that reducing the amount of the precious metal ruthenium actually improved the polymer upcycling efficiency and selectivity. In a study recently published in ACS Catalysis, they showed that the improvement in efficiency happened when the low ratio of metal to support structure caused the structure to shift from an orderly array of particles to disordered rafts of atoms.

To make the method practical for use with mixed plastic recycling streams, the research team is now exploring how the presence of chlorine affects the efficiency of the chemical conversion.

“We are looking into more demanding extraction conditions,” said chemist Oliver Y Gutiérrez, an expert in industrial applications for catalysis. “When you don’t have a clean plastic source, in an industrial upcycling process, you have chlorine from polyvinylchloride and other sources. Chlorine can contaminate the plastic upcycling reaction. We want to understand what effect chlorine has on our system.”

This fundamental understanding may help convert waste plastic that would usually end up as pollution in the environment into useful products.

Image credit: iStock.com/sutiporn

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/waste/news/plastic-upcycling-from-waste-to-fuel-for-less-818170665

Research has been facilitated by the NSW Smart Sensing Network (NSSN), in partnership with universities and government partners, to understand NSW’s water networks and their potential future.

Researchers from the Australian National University (ANU), Macquarie University (MQ), UNSW and the University of Sydney, as well as from the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE), have worked together to trial new technologies and use data modelling techniques to boost the state’s water management capabilities.

DPE Water Chief Knowledge Officer Mitchell Isaacs said: “Exploring new technologies means we can better serve the community in a rapidly changing environment. The unprecedented weather events of recent years have highlighted the need to understand the complexities of natural water systems better. The outcomes of this study have shed light on ways we can improve our world-leading water monitoring network.”

NSSN Co-Director Professor Benjamin Eggleton said: “The collaboration has brought together leading researchers to develop a holistic solution to water management. The team has investigated a range of integrated technologies, from quantum sensors capable of mapping underground aquifers to low-cost sensors collecting highly localised data, that respond to the problem of great distances in Australia and remote sensing through satellite imaging.”

Associate Professor Willem Vervoort, Director of the ARC Training Centre in Data Analytics for Resources and Environments (DARE), said: “Cumulatively, this work has demonstrated the importance of collaboration between multidisciplinary research teams working in close harmony with government agencies. Through continued and regular discussions between the partners, the project has produced a roadmap to improve integrated and evidence-based management of water resources in NSW.”

The research covered a range of topics and areas. The ANU scientists used NASA satellites to analyse gravity’s effects on water to understand how it moves across the landscape. The MQ researchers looked at how low-cost sensors could be used for high-resolution special sensing.

The UNSW team lent to the project their understanding of hydrology and analysed the recharge mechanisms of aquifers, while modelling from the University of Sydney’s DARE turned up information about how uncertainty of water measurements can be addressed.

The report about these research activities is available from the NSSN website.

Image credit: iStock.com/tsvibrav

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/waste/news/research-into-nsw-s-water-management-released-1330646244

A study from University of South Australia researchers has analysed the structural integrity of walls made of tyres packed with earth, finding that they may represent a useful way of using a material that is otherwise an environmental concern.

When they are no longer safe for use on cars, trucks and other automobiles, end-of-life tyres represent something of a sustainability problem. They do not naturally break down, cannot be easily recycled into other materials and take up a lot of space. Australia alone generates 55 million of these tyres per year. As such, finding practical uses or methods of reusing them is a point of constant research.

Tyres have long been used as building materials. However, since their structural integrity had not been properly analysed, their use by architects and engineers has been limited.

The South Australian research team, which was supported by Tyre Stewardship Australia, evaluated the viability of tyres that had been filled with earth and then closed up with cardboard, creating what is known as a tyre-encased-soil element, or TESE. The researchers created a wall with these TESEs and applied various stress tests in order to understand exactly how they could function as building materials.

According to Dr Martin Freney, one of the study’s authors, the tests revealed that the wall was as structurally sound as conventional walls used in homes.

“The wall we tested was the first of its kind to be scientifically tested in this fashion, and all the data indicates tyre walls can be extremely strong and safe structures,” Freney said.

“While that structural integrity has been observed for many years in applications such as the retaining walls in earth-sheltered, Earthship homes, the lack of supporting data has prevented wider uptake of tyre walls by engineers and architects, and we’re hoping this study will change that and expand the range of projects in which these walls are used.”

The research even suggested that walls constructed using the TESEs would have some benefits over conventional ones, such as their drainage capacity or shock-absorbing ability.

“Not only are the tyre walls as structurally sound as concrete or wood sleeper retaining walls, they are also extremely resilient,” Freney said.

“Unlike a concrete wall, we found these walls have the ability to ‘bounce back into shape’ following impact, such as from an earthquake.

“And if a drainage material such as recycled concrete rubble or crushed bricks is used to fill the tyres, they also offer excellent drainage, which can be a major consideration in many retaining wall scenarios. Furthermore, the use of recycled fill materials reduces the environmental impact of the wall.”

While only one wall composed of TESEs was analysed during the study, modelling suggests other designs would be viable too. The researchers think that old tyres would thus make for a useful and sustainable building material.

“We really believe this research provides a strong evidence base for the expanded use of tyre walls in housing and other applications, and the next step will be to engage with an industry partner to develop a range of real-world applications for tyre walls.”

The research was published in Engineering Structures.

Image credit: iStock.com/Helior

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/waste/case-study/old-tyres-make-strong-walls-study-finds-1027222742

A training centre will launch within The University of Queensland (UQ) to concentrate on the development of sustainable plastics.

The $13 million Australian Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Bioplastics and Biocomposites will be based at UQ’s School of Chemical Engineering. It aims to reduce large-scale plastic pollution.

Associate Professor Steven Pratt, the Centre director, said that the training centre and its scientists will be working towards the development of bio-derived and biodegradable plastics that have a minimal environmental impact.

“Every year it’s estimated more than 10 million tonnes of plastic leaks into oceans as part of the almost 400 million tonnes of plastic that’s destined for landfill,” Pratt said.

“Urgent change is needed, and biodegradable bioplastics, along with their natural fibre composites, will be pivotal.

“It’s an exciting prospect to work toward manufacturing a commercially available plastic with exceptional properties but without the legacy of accumulation in the environment.”

According to Pratt, the market for high-quality bioplastics is growing at a rapid pace, both on the local and international levels.

“But we need to consider their full life cycle, from the sustainable resources to make them right up to their end of life,” Pratt said.

The training centre is a partnership between UQ and The Queensland University of Technology. They will be working alongside the Queensland Government, Kimberly-Clark Australia, Plantic Technologies, Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation, Minderoo Foundation and the City of Gold Coast.

Kimberly-Clark Australia Managing Director Belinda Driscoll said the company had set itself a goal of reducing its use of fossil-fuel plastics by 2030.

“This partnership with the University of Queensland takes an important step toward creating more sustainable products and reducing our environmental footprint,” Driscoll said.

Plantic Technologies Chief Technology Officer Nick McCaffrey said the company was looking forward to expanding the science and engineering behind its products.

“The research outcomes could further improve bio-based materials and extend the shelf life of packaged foods,” McCaffrey said.

Image caption: Industry partners receiving a tour of the new laboratory facilities in the Andrew N. Liveris building. Image credit: Anjanette Webb — Capture Studio.

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/sustainability/news/green-plastic-research-centre-to-open-181268933

The Department of Defence (Defence) has been working with Veolia to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill in the form of disposable coffee cups.

Veolia has partnered with Defence and the Army & Air Force Canteen Service (AAFCANs) to collect and recycle over 45,000 single-use coffee cups from the Williamtown RAAF base near Newcastle. This relationship is the first step in the process of completely removing this sort of plastic-lined, disposable cup across all Defence bases in Australia.

Such cups are classified as “hard to recycle” due to the specific treatment that they need to undergo in order to remove their plastic layer, which serves as a way of protecting the paper shell. Typically these cups are sent to landfill due to the difficulty of this process.

As part of the plan to tackle this problem, Veolia and Defence have instituted a trial of cups with removable linings, installing seven dedicated recycling bins for easier disposal. Over nine months, almost 50% of the coffee cups used on site were collected in these bins.

Tony Roderick, Veolia’s chief operating officer for waste, said the results of the trial have been very promising.

“We have seen a clear, upward trend in the use of dedicated recycling bins by the men and women at Defence which is really encouraging and something we’re confident will continue to grow,” he said.

“It takes effort from everyone to drive environmental change. Working with Defence on this progressive initiative, we saw a peak rate of an incredible 82% recycling in the last month of the initial trial. This is what ecological transformation looks like.”

Defence has introduced stronger policies since it introduced the recycling program, such as those that reduce waste and make waste management more efficient under its National Waste Policy Action Plan. This includes a goal to eliminate problematic and unnecessary plastics by 2025.

Roderick said the initial trial is just the first component of a larger sustainability strategy.

“Working closely with Defence, we are now looking to undertake a trial of compostable cups that will test new and better ways to reduce impact on the environment,” he said.

“You can’t help but be excited by the fact your caffeine hit doesn’t have to come at the expense of the environment.”

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/waste/case-study/combating-plastic-waste-one-coffee-cup-at-a-time-227737338

CSIRO has taken the opportunity to showcase some recycling innovations during this year’s National Science Week, which started 13 August and runs until 21 August.

The Smart Bin Technology, developed with the University of Technology Sydney, uses Internet of Things (IoT), sensors, robotics, AI and infrared spectroscopy to sort recycling into specific sorts of plastic, metal and glass.

The proof-of-concept device is designed to improve recycling and reduce contamination in waste streams. Currently, NSW only recycles about 10% of the 800,000 tonnes of plastic waste it produces each year.

CSIRO also supports turning waste into a resource. Victorian small business Casafico creates commercial construction materials from recycled glass, newspaper and polystyrene, much of which is sourced through online waste exchange marketplace ASPIRE, which spun out of CSIRO in 2013.

CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said development of new technologies was central to the organisation’s collaborative mission to end plastic waste, with a goal to reduce plastic waste entering the environment by 80% by 2030.

“Solutions from science that will grow our circular economy take collaboration at every stage of the innovation process — from understanding plastics at a molecular level to reinvent the way plastic is used, made and recycled, through to commercialising solutions that use new technologies like this Smart Bin, which is now in discussions to go to market, and spinning out new companies like ASPIRE to grow new circular economy jobs,” Marshall said.

“Science can transform our economy into a circular one that renews and reuses what we previously discarded, creates higher paid jobs, advances new Australian technology and protects our environment, while inspiring the next generation with what’s possible — during National Science Week and throughout the year.”

CSIRO Principal Research Scientist Wei Ni said: “Smart Bin Technology could be used at venues like shopping centres, schools, cinemas, coffee shops and airports. It will improve recycling rates because it is so easy to use and could ensure that materials can be recovered for reuse.”

UTS researcher Professor Ren Ping Liu said: “Working with CSIRO, we have developed the latest IoT and AI technologies to build this amazing Smart Bin. It can simplify the recycling process and improve efficiency for waste classification and sorting. The Smart Bin will help to promote the circular economy and contribute to a carbon neutral future.”

Casafico Head of Communications Samantha Mucci said: “Sourcing waste materials through Aspire helps us to become carbon positive, to save scarce natural resources and divert waste away from landfill.

“We can’t underestimate how small changes can make a huge difference. It’s great to see the next generation are learning that.”

Image credit: iStock.com/lukbar

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/sustainability/news/csiro-unveils-recycling-boosting-technologies-555087677

All-Energy Australia 2022 is running this October, with a slew of talks, product demonstrations and information sessions. The event is supporting the clean energy industry’s growth and Australia’s transition to renewables.

Visitors can expect to see over 290 suppliers in attendance and to rub shoulders with more than 10,000 industry professionals. The event is organised with the Clean Energy Council and is running alongside the Waste Expo Australia.

Clean Energy Council Chief Executive Kane Thornton said: “Our industry stands ready to electrify Australia and establish our nation as a global clean energy superpower. We are on our way into the electric age, an age where Australia can be proud and powerful. It’s an incredible time of change and opportunity for our industry. All-Energy brings us together.”

New to this year’s event is the Energy Management Zone, with a dedicated theatre running sessions throughout the show about how to facilitate improved energy management and cost savings.

Also highlighted in the zone will be energy management technologies and services that support the reduction of energy bills and emissions. Topics covered will include agriculture, food and beverage manufacturing, metals and other materials manufacturing, residential buildings, commercial buildings and government operations.

The Clean Energy Council will be running its Solar Masterclass Series that offers information to solar installers who want to update their knowledge about design and installation issues facing the industry. Continuous professional development (CPD) points are available for eligible installers.

Robby Clark, Portfolio Director at All-Energy Australia, said: “The 2022 event takes place at a crucial time in our country where Australia’s clean energy transition is more important than ever. All-Energy Australia provides a platform for the industry to connect visitors with leading suppliers on our exhibition floor and drive conversations about the future of renewables at our multi-stream conference.”

The conference’s agenda will be announced in September.

All-Energy Australia 2022 runs 26 to 27 October 2022 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Registration is available online.

Image credit: iStock.com/Thurtell

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/sustainability/news/excitement-rises-for-all-energy-australia-445892194