Abstract Submission Closing Soon!

The National Sustainability in Business Conference will be held over 23 – 24 March 2017 in Brisbane. The Conference Program will involve keynote presentations addition to oral presentations, panels and interactive forums and will address the need for sustainable business practices, and what this means in today’s ever-changing world. Conference Topics Include: Renewable Energy Systems and Sources Think Local First Innovative Business Opportunities The Energy Market Trends, Policies and Strategies The Conference will bring together leading academics, thought leaders, opinion makers and industry experts to deliberate and discuss sustainability issues confronting Australia. The program will be designed to challenge, inspire, …

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Dr Paul Bannister, Director of Innovation & Sustainability at Energy Action

Dr Paul Bannister is Director of Innovation and Sustainability at Energy Action, Australia’s leading energy consultancy.  He sets strategic direction for Energy Action’s energy efficiency team, undertaking energy efficiency and engineering consultancy work across activities ranging from NABERS ratings to energy audits, building lighting and air-conditioning upgrades design and implementation, PV installations, computer simulation of building performance and energy policy. Paul has also been the primary technical developer of the NABERS Energy and Water rating systems since inception in 1999, developing NABERS methodologies for Offices, Shopping Centres, Hotels, Data Centres, Homes and NSW Hospitals (in development). Paul is recognized internationally …

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Urban Beehive co-founder calls for less chemicals, turf

The man who led the popular movement to place beehives around Sydney has called on Canberrans to put flowering plants in their backyard and end the dominance of turf and chemicals. Doug Purdie, co-founder of The Urban Beehive, said native bee populations were the ones that needed protection, and simple actions in suburban backyards could create the corridors for them to thrive and pollinate. “If everyone just planted a couple of things that flowered, it would make a big difference,” he said.  Ideally this would mean a garden where there was at least two plants flowering at all times of the year. Mr Purdie visited Canberra …

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Wood pellets proposed to replace coal used by thermal power stations

A renewable replacement for black coal burned in thermal power stations could be made by converting Tasmanian plantation wood into a pelletised biomass fuel. Private equity firm New Forests has started a $5 million feasibility study into a $130 million wood pellet plant for Tasmania’s Tamar Valley. If approved, New Forests’ hardwood plantation subsidiary, Forico, would supply 100 per cent FSC-certified plantation hardwood and softwood to the bioenergy pellet plant, according to Forico chief executive Bryan Hayes. “These pellets are able to go into an existing power plant without any modifications whatsoever,” Mr Hayes said. “These black pellets will directly …

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Introducing Dr Jennifer Alden

Dr Jennifer Alden is a Health Broker, her business Growing Change brings people together to activate ideas to improve community health and wellbeing.  Seeing the link between what we eat and how it affects our health and that of the planet, Growing Change was established to support local community food initiatives and to consult to organisations, government and community to create opportunities to strengthen local health, environmental and social outcomes in addition to supporting local food economies. With three decades experience working to improve health and wellbeing in the community Jennifer has a Doctorate of Public Health with a special …

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Introducing Tony Wood from the Grattan Institute

The National Sustainability in Business Conference will be held in Brisbane from the 23-24 March 2017. The National Sustainability in Business Conference theme ‘Renewables – Markets – Innovation – Opportunities – Capital’ will address the need for sustainable business practices, and what this means in today’s ever-changing world. Tony Wood joins us next March at the National Sustainability in Business Conference. Tony Wood has led the Grattan Institute’s Energy Program since mid-2011. Since then he and his team have delivered twelve major reports on energy and climate change and he has developed a strong profile with governments and industry, and …

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Abstract Submission Closing Soon!

The National Sustainability in Business Conference will be held in Brisbane over 23-24 March 2017. The Conference Theme of ‘Renewables – Markets – Innovation – Opportunities – Capital’ will address the need for sustainable business practices, and what this means in today’s ever-changing world. If your answer is yes to any of the questions below, we want to hear from you! Do you work in the field of renewable energy? Do you support local business and have the attitude “think local, buy local”? Does your organisation have sustainable business practices? What great, innovative ideas do you have for business start-up? …

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How New Systems Can Make The World A Greener Place

Global energy consumption has grown steadily over the past century. This trend, driven by population and economic growth, is set to continue in spite of rising efficiency of both production and consumption. The IEA estimates that over the period to 2035 the investment required each year to supply the world’s energy needs will rise steadily to $2,000 billion. In response to new opportunities such as renewable energy and smart technologies – and new policy goals – to reduce emissions and extend energy access, Distributed Energy Systems (DES) encompasses a diverse array of generation, storage, energy monitoring and control solutions. DES …

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Rushing to renewable energy targets puts sector’s reputation at risk

The last time an entire state blacked out was on the night the Beatles arrived in Sydney in 1964. So what happened in South Australia last week was rare and the repercussions could be vast. The key question is whether that state’s heavy reliance on wind turbines might have increased the risk of a state-wide blackout. More broadly, the event will supercharge concerns over how renewable energy is being integrated into a national grid that was not designed to cope with it. Wind presents two problems. First, it is intermittent, so all of it has to be backed up by …

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Pig poo power plant set to boost jobs and energy in northern Victoria

An ambitious plan to turn pig poo and food scraps into power is being developed in northern Victoria. The power plant, glasshouse and piggery expansion, called Waranga Green Energy, will be built at Stanhope, west of Shepparton. For over five years, it has been the dream of piggery owner John Bourke. The project is set to transform the quiet town of Stanhope, providing an additional 30 jobs and estimated $10 million per year for the local economy. The aim of the property is to develop a closed system for power and waste on the farm. Pig poo and straw from …

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