Decarbonisation plans
The government-funded CSIRO haslaunched a $90 million fund to help commercialise technology breakthroughsin decarbonising Australia’s heavy industries such as agriculture and steel production.
But whileAustralia’s legislated climate change goals– to reduce emissions by 43 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050 – have been met with much relief by Australia’s innovation sector, many hope the budget will reveal more of the overarching incentives to decarbonise.
Doug McNamee, chief executive of Jolt, an electric vehicle infrastructure start-up, says an emissions standard is critical to incentivise the transport market towards electrification.
“Without a target to outlaw the sale of petrol cars by a certain date, global carmakers will just keep sending their petrol stock here because they can get full price for them,” Mr McNamee said.
He says the top-level climate goals are welcome, but little has been rolled out in the way of how cities and towns will adjust their planning to accommodate charging infrastructure. He hopes the federal budget will include funding for work that will plot a plan for the impending EV boom.
“We’re putting in as many EV chargers as we can at the moment, but without a co-ordinated strategy coming from the top down, we’re just going to have this lopsided market growth that won’t reach the targets at all,” he said.
Partnerships such as the University Trailblazer Program are critical to launching Australia’s technology into the market. But Li-S Energy founder Dr Lee Finniear, who developed its lithium sulphur battery with Deakin University, hopes the budget has carved out funding for a gigafactory to produce batteries for electric vehicles on a large scale.
“In Australia we are now behind the eight-ball,” Dr Finniear said.
“Europe has over 40 large gigafactories in construction or operation. We have none – zero – and our ambition as a country is not matched by action at the level that is needed.
“Plus we have advanced battery technology invented here, so we could be a powerhouse in advanced batteries, with the materials, scientific know-how and opportunity. We just need the commitment from government to partner with new industry to create a multibillion-dollar industry, rerisk our road to carbon zero, and supply thousands of new technology, well-paid jobs.”
https://www.copyright link/technology/federal-budget-2022-jobs-again-tops-tech-sector-s-budget-wishlist-20221020-p5brgp
| | The bosses of technology companies in the mining, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing and crypto sectors say funding for skills development and decarbonisation are urgently needed in Tuesday’s ... www.copyright link |
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