ENERGY-EFFICIENT air-conditioning systems, wind turbine component manufacturing and efficient grinding mills are among Western Australian projects to receive federal funding in the first round of Climate Ready grants.
ENERGY-EFFICIENT air-conditioning systems, wind turbine component manufacturing and efficient grinding mills are among Western Australian projects to receive federal funding in the first round of Climate Ready grants.
ENERGY-EFFICIENT air-conditioning systems, wind turbine component manufacturing and efficient grinding mills are among Western Australian projects to receive federal funding in the first round of Climate Ready grants.
Bassendean-based Hofmann Engineering was allocated the largest single grant in the first round, receiving $5 million for its wind turbine project.
The grant will help Hofmann provide the only wind turbine precision component manufacturing capabilities in the Australasian region.
The company is currently engaging in research and development to improve wind turbine gear boxes to reduce breakdowns and increase service life.
Among the other recipients was West Perth-based Phase Change Products, which received $154,000 for the development of its energy efficient air-conditioning system.
The system uses a panel to store energy for cooling during the hottest part of the day, using 90 per cent less energy during peak periods and about half the energy used by conventional air-conditioners over a year.
"The system can assist significantly towards reducing energy consumption during the 'Beat the Peak' period of between 2pm and 6pm," Phase Change Products managing director Keith Coakley said.
"With energy infrastructure almost bursting at the seams, if we can alleviate that in any way we'd be very keen."
The government grant provided about half the funds needed for the 12-month project, with the remainder of the funds coming from private shareholders.
Corporate advisory firm Norvest Corporate is an investor in Phase Change Products, with Norvest chairman Graham Keys chairman of the company.
The company will start manufacturing both complete home air-conditioning systems and panels which can be fitted to new or exiting commercial systems, in two to three months' time. Mr Coakley said the company aimed to have about 1,000 systems in Australian homes before the start of next summer.
The federal government allocated a total of $27.7 million to 32 green projects in the first round of grants.The four WA grant recipients received a total of $7 million.
Robertson Technology was given $147,000 for its new thermodynamic methods for measurement of energy efficiency of motor-driven systems.
Technology Park-based Scanalyse was given $1.7 million to improve the efficiency of grinding mills and crushers, the largest consumer of energy on mine sites.