Mark Swinnerton
Climate Tech

Green Gravity, which is turning old mineshafts into energy storage, raises $9 million

- October 16, 2024 2 MIN READ

A Wollongong startup converting disused mining shafts into long-duration energy storage has raised $9 million to turn the idea into reality. Green Gravity was backed by HMC Capital, BlueScopeX, New Zealand’s Pacific Channel and SCAP H, a subsidiary of Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation. BlueScopeX’s hosts Green Gravity’s demonstration plant at BlueScope’s Port Kembla Steelworks facility in… Read more »

Climate Tech

Westpac & CEFC underpin new $200 million climate tech VC fund

- October 8, 2024 2 MIN READ

Specialist climate tech investor Virescent Ventures is halfway towards its goal of creating a new $200 million fund thanks to backing from  Westpac and the government-backed Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC). Virescent Ventures hit the $100 million first close of its second climate technology investment fund (Fund II), following on from the first portfolio, managed… Read more »

Climate Tech

A deep dive into the turbulence facing sustainable aviation

- October 3, 2024 6 MIN READ

The path to sustainable aviation is encountering some turbulence. With Universal Hydrogen going belly up, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) projects stalling, and AirNZ scrapping their interim 2030 climate targets, it’s clear the sector is struggling to navigate the challenges facing this emerging field. The aviation sector currently contributes to 2.5% of global carbon emissions. Yet, as… Read more »

Climate Tech

New climate reporting laws, kicking off in 2025, passed the Senate last week. Here’s the opportunity for climate tech startups

- August 27, 2024 3 MIN READ

The Australian Senate passed the new laws last week, setting in place a new climate-related financial disclosure regime that kicks off at the start of 2025 for Australia’s biggest companies, then trickling down to others in the coming years. While the Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Market Infrastructure and Other Measures) Bill 2024 doesn’t sound like… Read more »

ARENA CEO Darren Miller
Climate Tech

Innovation Bay is seeking climate tech startups for the ARENA Renewables Startup Showcase

- August 21, 2024 2 MIN READ

The annual Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) Renewables Startup Showcase will return to Sydney in November and the hunt is now on for startups looking for investment to take part. Innovation Bay, the membership community for technology founders and investors, is collaborating with ARENA for the fifth year of the event, on Thursday, November 21.… Read more »

5b solar panels
Climate Tech

The giant Cannon-Brookes-backed SunCable solar farm in Central Australia just got approved

- August 21, 2024 2 MIN READ

The wildly ambitious SunCable renewable energy project, which plans to build Australia biggest solar farm in the Northern Territory, has been approved by the federal government. Officially known as the SunCable Australia-Asia PowerLink (AAPowerLink), the 12,000 hectare solar farm  – that’s 3000x the MCG precinct – will be built on a pastoral station between Elliot… Read more »

Brownee team
Accelerator

EnergyLab reveals the 10 startups in its latest climate solutions accelerator

- August 9, 2024 4 MIN READ

Ten startups tackling emissions challenges ranging from industrial heat to passive cooling solutions, energy storage and electric aviation, having been selected for EnergyLab’s 2024 climate solutions accelerator. EnergyLab is ANZ’s largest climate tech startup accelerator and innovation network dedicated to reaching net zero emissions and has supported more than 180 startups and 125 aspiring founders… Read more »

Business

Cannon-Brookes, Main Sequence and Blackbird-backed solar panels startup SunDrive sheds jobs, changes leadership

- August 6, 2024 2 MIN READ

A startup developing cheaper, copper-based solar panels, and backed by Australian tech royalty, has shed jobs and changed its executive leadership as part of a major restructure of the business  SunDrive’s investors include Atlassian founder Mike Cannon-Brookes, VCs Blackbird and Main Sequence, the federal government-backed Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and Clean Energy Finance Corporation,… Read more »

Business

Food waste startup Goterra is getting into the hotels business

- August 5, 2024 2 MIN READ

Climate startup Goterra is continuing to kick goals in industry collaborations, with the country’s largest hotel, the 878-room Hyatt Regency Sydney, installing the modular food waste management system onsite. It’s the second version of Goterra’s compact unit, which can also be found at Melbourne Airport, where fly larvae munch through more than two tonnes of… Read more »

Climate Tech

A Canberra experiment using EVs for power after transmission lines were cut shows they have a role to play in grid emergencies

- July 10, 2024 4 MIN READ

Electric vehicles are an increasingly common sight on Australian roads. Each one cuts carbon emissions by half compared to fossil fuel vehicles, but increases household electricity use by 50%. This extra electricity demand could be a major strain on the grid unless the charging of vehicles is coordinated. But the large batteries in electric vehicles… Read more »

energy
Climate Tech

Global investors are fighting for a slice of Australia’s $7bn green bond. Here’s why that’s a good news

- June 17, 2024 3 MIN READ

You might think government debt is bad, but it actually plays a crucial role in modern finance. Back when he was treasurer, Peter Costello famously declared that April 21 2006 would be known as Australia’s “Debt Free Day”. On this day, he proclaimed, the Commonwealth would eliminate its net debt and “pay off the mortgage”.… Read more »