Australia’s got (green) talent

Austrade media release

Wednesday, 3 December 2008

The world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste city is searching for the best green technology and attracting Australian expertise is firmly on its agenda, with a visit from company executives this week.

Austrade’s Chief Economist, Tim Harcourt, said MASDAR - the government-owned Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC) - has US$15 billion (around $23 billion) in the kitty.

“They have a budget to source the best of the best and Australia will show them, and the world, that it is easy being green,” said Mr Harcourt.

Mr Harcourt, who returned this week from speaking at Denmark’s Energy Camp (part of the program leading up to the UN’s Copenhagen Climate Conference in December 2009), said that there is increased international confidence in the Australian Government and our environmental credentials.

“Signing the Kyoto Protocol, committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent by 2050, and expanding our renewable energy target to 20 per cent by 2020 has bolstered the world’s view of Australia and our ‘green brand’.”

Australian industry has strong environmental capabilities in many areas including engineering and project management skills for developing renewable energy infrastructure.

Solar energy research and water management is a particular strength as is our world class skills base to promote green building and eco-city development.

Australia is one of the Asia Pacific region’s leading financial services hubs, with expertise in carbon emissions measurement.

With the Government’s introduction of emissions trading in 2010 through the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, Australia will be well placed to provide carbon trading services to the region. 

“We are a practical country and in the past we’ve had to face-up to the realities of our geography - the so-called ‘tyranny of distance’ – so we’ve already discovered many solutions for tackling the impact of climate change on our wide brown land that people from desert nations will also appreciate,” said Mr Harcourt.

Austrade’s Trade Commissioner for Abu Dhabi, Elizabeth Gordon, said while much of the world is expected to be in recession next year, the UAE is expected to achieve economic growth rates of up to 6 per cent.

“Abu Dhabi has a sound economy, a fast-growing and youthful population, a well managed banking system, excellent infrastructure and a sophisticated business community familiar with western practices,” said Ms Gordon.

“It is using its oil reserves to fund its economic diversification efforts and to establish itself as a tourism, manufacturing, trade (re-export) and financial hub.

In 2007, bilateral trade was worth over AUD $5 billion, a doubling in just two years.

Export or investment-ready Australian companies offering niche or competitive products or services are best placed to make the most of the opportunities.

Australian companies with a unique green building, sustainability or renewable technology, who are interested in visiting the UAE, meeting MASDAR and other interested companies, are invited to express interest in joining an Austrade (Green Building) Eco City mission being planned for 2009.

Fact Sheet: Australian Green Expertise

Renewable energy

• The University of NSW, Centre of Excellence in Photovoltaics holds world records for high performing silicon photovoltaic cells in most categories.
• The Australian National University has also developed commercial solar technologies including the “Sliver Cell” now being commercialised by Origin Energy, the “Big Dish” and other solar thermal technologies.
• Companies such as Solar Systems and Wizard Power are developing large scale concentrating solar generation systems.  And Dyesol is a world leader in the development of photosynthetic dye solar cells. 
• Australia is leading the world in commercially funded development of hot dry rock geothermal technology.
• Several Australian firms have developed and are demonstrating innovative wave and tidal energy technologies. 
• Australian researches are progressing second generation biofuels through bio-prospecting algae and non-food woody biomass feed stocks, as well as developing innovative energy storage solutions.

Low emissions technologies

• Australia will lead an initiative to establish a Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute to help develop the technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from coal fired electricity plants and industry.

Engineering and project management for renewable energy infrastructure - Demonstrated expertise:

• Renewable resource mapping and site analysis, in particular for wind resources, and most recently demonstrated by the online Renewable Energy Atlas released by the Australian Government in November. 
• Project design and engineering – for example  Worley Parsons is one of the world’s leading energy and resource facilities engineering firms with operations in 34 countries and is now pursuing development of large scale solar thermal systems.
• Financial modelling and project finance management

Water management

• Irrigation, urban rainwater harvesting, grey water management and water reuse, waste water treatment, total water cycle management, water sensitive urban design, environmental biotechnology, and the provision of water services for desert communities are all areas of expertise.

Green building and eco-city development

•  Sustainable urban design and construction engineering.  Australian architects’ expertise in this field is demonstrated through the environmental achievements of the Sydney Olympics, and contributions to the recent Beijing Olympics such as PTW’s highly innovative Water Cube swimming facility.
• Efficient energy and water management technology integration in commercial office and retail buildings and manufacturing plantsBuilding technology innovations in areas such as heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, lighting, floor coverings, coatings and building automation
• Government regulations are setting increasingly stringent standards for water and energy efficiency, but the most demanding standards remain voluntary.  Australia sets three Green Star Awards for buildings, with six stars denoting world leadership.  An example of a six star building in Australia is Melbourne’s Council House 2, which features automatically opening windows to allow the building to ‘breathe’ at night, thermal storage materials, chilled ceilings and integrated wind turbines.
  
   

Carbon services 

• Australia is one of the Asia Pacific region’s leading financial services hubs, with expertise in carbon emissions measurement and carbon offsets. ;This capability can provide a strong basis for involvement in regional carbon trading activities such as development and trading of Clean Development Mechanism credits. 
• Australian universities and technical training institutions have established a strong reputation for the provision of high quality education to hundreds of thousands of international students.  This excellence in education is encouraging student and academic exchange in the fields of sustainable development, renewable energy and green building technologies. 

ENDS

Media contact

Samantha Mattila
Mob: +61 434 567 673

For further news and information from the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) visit www.austrade.gov.au//mediacentre.

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