16 CRC Projects grants awarded

Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews has announced that the Australian Government will provide over $30 million to 16 projects under Round 7 of the Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) grants.

CRC-P grants support short-term industry-led collaborations to develop important new technologies, products and services that deliver tangible outcomes. Since 2013 the Coalition has committed $1.1 billion to new technologies through the CRC Program.

Round 7 of the program sees almost $30.5 million of government funding distributed as follows:

• $3 million to create solar farms with advanced energy storage, similar to lithium batteries and hydrogen fuel cells.
• $3 million to develop advanced hybrid batteries for affordable and fast response energy storage.
• $3 million towards the development of glass fibre dental materials to replace current materials containing toxic mercury.
• $2.9 million to design and manufacture an electric bus for the global market.
• $2.9 million towards creating high-speed encryptions that can withstand cyber attacks by quantum computers.
• $2.9 million to develop safe, uniform and traceable medicinal cannabis products and services.
• $2.8 million towards cost-effective commercial management of livestock waste.
• $2 million to enhance privacy technology for education service providers.
• $1.5 million to use smart 3D camera automation to improve pressure injury diagnosis and treatment in aged-care patients.
• $1.4 million towards creating testing kits to identify diseases and viruses in animals and plants.
• $1.3 million for the trial of battery-grade manganese production, which will utilise low-grade ores.
• $1.1 million towards a process which takes manganese that is uneconomical for steel manufacturing and converts it to material that can be used in battery production.
• $800,000 for the development of a new process for producing high-purity graphite for application in the battery manufacturing industry.
• $700,000 to further test an antibiotic that is effective against all classes of drug-resistant bacteria.
• $600,000 to develop technology for live monitoring of a milk supply chain allowing accurate predictions of milk supply.
• $500,000 to improve the productivity of coal seam gas wells.
   

“These 16 projects will bring together 77 industry and research partners with a common goal to grow the economy and create new jobs for Australians,” Andrews said.

“Bringing our small and medium enterprises together with our researchers is essential for driving innovation and economic growth.

“These grants will enable businesses to develop and leverage new technologies, products, processes and services, ensuring Australia can take advantage of new market opportunities.”

For more information on the successful projects, click here.

Image credit: ©alswart/Dollar Photo Club

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