Officials and startup execs from Australia and in particular the state of Victoria are making a swing through the high-tech centers of the U.S. this month. Australia has already minted a few interesting green startups: Ausra, the solar thermal company, and Ioteq, which purifies water for food processors with iodine, come to mind. In the U.S. the difficulty has sometimes been distance. VCs want the companies to move here before they will invest and some of the startups (Ausra excluded) don't necessarily want to move.
Still, it will likely be one of the more active regions for greentech in the future. University laboratories have an extensive history in areas such as solar. (The technology behind Suntech actually came out of the University of New South Wales.) Additionally, because of its heavy sunshine, big waves and severe drought, Australia will be a large end market for green equipment.
So what's interesting on tour?
Zeobond: The company makes cement that is 100 percent fly ash. Most of the time, fly ash cement from other companies only contains 15 percent to 18 percent fly ash, says Peter Duxson, business development manager for Zeobond. "We went the whole way," he said. The technology for doing this has actually been around since the 1940s, but hasn't been brought to scale, he said. The company will start small – try to sell cement for roadway projects and things like that – and attack skyscrapers later. That's the reverse strategy of some other cement companies like iCrete, but it's also safer. Sidewalks tend to cost less than large buildings.
Overall, the greenhouse gas emissions in making Zeobond cement are 80 percent lower than normal. It will also only sell for a slight, declining premium, he claimed. Price could be a tough barrier without carbon taxes.
Aqua Diagnostics: It makes water quality monitoring tools for dairies and food processors. In some jurisidictions, food processors and industrialsts get fined if their waste water contains too much waste. AD's machines can dynamically test water but without the noxious chemicals (mercury, etc.) found in current systems. The units are also portable and reasonably priced.
Aquatain: Sort of like Eleanor of Aquitane but spelled differently. A silicon membrane to prevent evaporation. Victoria has had strict rules on residential watering for the past four years and similar regs are coming to the U.S. A big market.
Ceramic Fuel Cell: A solid oxide fuel cell. The SOFC market has been around as long as the electronic book, and has progressed at about the same rate. But it may happen.
