$1 MILLION TO GET QUEENSLAND’S SMART INNOVATIONS OFF THE GROUND

Queensland Government grants worth $1 million are helping industry to reduce the environmental impacts of fossil fuel consumption and water use.

Environment Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr today announced funding for six smart innovations in round 9 of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Queensland Sustainable Energy Innovation Fund (QSEIF) grants.

“These projects offer Smart State solutions to reduce energy and water use, and will help lead Queensland towards a future that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.

“There are so many great projects in Queensland and I’m pleased we’re able to help some of these get off the ground.”

QSEIF round 9 grant recipients:

• G James Australia, at Eagle Farm in Brisbane, will receive $200,000 to help develop a window panel to deflect sunlight further inside buildings, reducing reliance on electric lighting and cutting electricity bills;
• Horticulture bodyGrowcom will receive nearly $200,000 to build a plant at a banana packing facility just north of Cardwell, in far north Queensland, to convert waste bananas to biogas;
• Lumascape Lighting Industries, at Cleveland in Brisbane, will receive $195,000 to develop technology to better use light emitting diodes (LED) in outdoor light fittings;
• Iron Oxide Cement, at Minyama on the Sunshine Coast, will receive $200,000 to make cement from iron-rich industrial waste products;
• Rentbowl, in Cairns, will receive $108,500 to produce boiler fuel from grease trap waste; and
• Mulgowie Farming Company, near Laidley in southeast Queensland, will receive $150,000 to create a harvester platform that uses “smart wheels” for better manoeuvrability.

Ms Nelson-Carr said QSEIF funding would help these Queensland-based organisations to develop their innovative ideas to production stage.

“Each innovation has the potential to help with the overall reduction in greenhouse emissions and/or water consumption which helps ease global warming,” she said.

The next funding round for QSEIF has been announced and Queensland-based businesses are encouraged to apply.

Applications close on 27 October 2006.

For more information, phone the EPA Sustainable Industries Division on 3775 1999 or email sustainable.industries@epa.qld.gov.au

Since 1999, $3.8 million has been provided to 48 organisations that were willing to champion new technologies but needed help to get them to the next phase of commercialisation.

Media contact: Karla Steen 3336 8004 or Andie Gatti 3336 8002