INSIDE n National news roundup 1-5 n Science and technology 6-8 n Opinion 9-11 n Universities 12 n Technology business 13-16 n State roundup 17-18 n People 19 n Rural and resources 20-21 n Information technology 22 n In focus 23 ISSN 1320-8977 Linking Australian Science, MARCH 2009 Technology and Business n On the radar & jobs 24 image adapted from : Dr Evelyn Krull, CSIRO Land and Water, The biochar option online briefing ‘Biochar’ at the Australian Science Media Centre hile biochar is now increasingly recognised in the debate on climate change as a potential strategy for carbon pollution mitigation, there is relatively little understanding about the Wtechnology. The CSIRO has released a major report, Biochar, climate change and soil: A review to guide future research, that provides the current evidence and arguments for using biochar to sequester carbon and, in addition, produce secondary agronomic benefits. Biomass feedstock heated under controlled, oxyen-limited conditions produces combustible synthesis gas (‘syngas’), used for electricity generation or liquid fuel production, and bio-oil, a low grade by-product suitable as a fuel-oil substitute. A third combustible Biochar – bioenergy lifecycle. The potential benefits: carbon sequestration, product of the pyrolysis is biochar, a solid charred and carbon-rich residue bioenergy production, soil improvement. that is biologically and chemically very stable and, when used as a soil soil albedo, which is the extent by which it diffusely reflects sun light. On a amendment, has potential as a carbon sink. Due to its highly porous large scale this could actually contribute to global warming. structure, it could also improve water retention, increase soil surface area, Other considerations include potentially toxic compounds which and has been associated with increased nutrient use efficiency. could materialise in biochar, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and According to the report, the need to protect soils under an dioxins, as their concentration is inadequately researched. increasingly uncertain climate makes the apparent ability of biochar to While the potential contribution of char to the natural carbon increase the capacity for soil to absorb and store water vitally important. cycles through the addition of biochar in soil is receiving increased “It also appears that adding biochar to soil may be one of the only ways attention from the public and political circles, the report states that the by which the fundamental capacity of soils to store and sequester organic ”contribution that such strategies can have on climate change mitigation matter could be increased.” depends on attaining a much more extensive research base and detailed The report states that because pyrolysis is a more carbon-efficient economic analyses.” way to capture bioenergy compared with other bioenergy systems, Estimates that suggest that globally biochar could sequester around manufacture and storage of biochar would add significant benefits for 1 billion tonne of carbon per year within 30 years are based on studies climate change mitigation alone. If biochar can provide reliable agronomic which are in many cases conceptually or geographically limited, and often benefit, applying biochar to agricultural soils may command a value in constraint by limited experimental data, says the report. crop production in addition to a potential carbon credit. A particular combination of feedstock, pyrolysis technology, energy The report notes, however, that addition of biochar to soil could also conversion and by-product usage comprise a biochar-based system, and influence soil temperature, as the soil darkens and absorbs more solar alternative systems have different greenhouse gas balances. The qualities of energy, enhancing the cycling of nutrients and potentially extending the biochar are dependent on each process and also the material to which the growing season in seasonal climates. According to international research process is applied. The technology, according to the report, is still under cited in the report, soils enriched with char show a one-third reduction in development and not yet optimised to producing a product for use in soil. Page 11: Professor Paul Clark provides a regional perspective on Higher Education STUDIESCASE9 3rd ANNUAL CONFERENCE Harnessing the power of IP to sustain your organisation’s competitiveness 16 - 18 March 2009 The Grace Hotel, Sydney HEAR FROM & NETWORK WITH: • Adapting IP management for local conditions • Jane Perrier, General Counsel - Intellectual Property, Telstra • Ken Preshaw, Licensing Executive - AP Asset Team, IBM • Avoiding pitfalls in international • John Walker, Senior Manager - deal-making Intellectual Property Portfolio Management, CSIRO • Exploiting global IP to enhance the • Craig Glazier, Senior Counsel, Sun Microsystems Australia bottom line • Dr Deborah Rathjen, CEO, Bionomics • Rob McInnes, Principal, • Generating new revenue streams through Spruson & Ferguson, IP and Commercialisation Lawyers IP • Louise Denver, Communications Director, Corporate Affairs & • Creating and fostering an innovative Communications, Deloitte IP culture • Dr Anthony Coulepis, CEO, Cell Sense • Dr John Kapeleris, Deputy CEO, • Facilitating collaboration and enhancing Australian Institute for Commercialisation innovation • Alex Crossley, President, • Accelerating commercialisation of IP Product Development and Management Association of Australia (PDMAA) • Managing risks of commercialisation • Gavin Artz, General Manager, • Working with key service providers in Australian Network for Art and Technology (ANAT) IP commercialisation • Dr Lyndal Thorburn, Managing Director, Innovation Dynamics • Increasing your chances of industry- • John Collins, Partner, Clayton Utz • Melinda Upton, Partner, Blake Dawson focused grants • Anita Cade, Senior Associate, Blake Dawson • Decrease the cost of IP litigation • Richard Glenn, Assistant Secretary - • Eliminating the myths of IP in your Personal Property Securities Branch, organisation through targeted educational Australian Government, Attorney-General’s Department • Prof. Kamal Puri, Director - campaigns Intellectual Property Commercialisation Unit, • Establishing IP as a strategic asset Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries within your organisation • Michael Finney, CEO, bluebox/Queensland University of Technology • Strengthen & protect IP • John Lee, Partner, Griffith Hack • Raising the profile of IP in M&A’s • Peter Bray, NSW President, • Funding and valuing IP in changing Australian Interactive Media Industry Association (AIMIA) economic times • Dr Dimitrios Eliades, Barrister, P D Connolly Chambers • Lynne Peach, Partner, Minter Ellison • Controlling and protecting your digital IP • Jamie Munday, Partner, Ernst & Young • IP management under the Personal • Anne-Marie Perret, Partner, Ernst & Young Property Security Reform PLUS 2 ESSENTIAL WORKSHOPS: Endorsed by: WORKSHOP A IP analytics Led by: Dr Anthony Coulepis, CEO, Cell Sense and Strategic Industry Advisor, PaleoTechnology Australia www.ausicom.com www.aimia.com.au www.pdma-aust.org.au WORKSHOP B Negotiation skills and techniques for Media Partner: Researched by: IP commercialisation professionals Led by: Rob McInnes, Principal, Spruson & Ferguson Lawyers, Intellectual Property and Commercialisation 2 NatIONAL ROUNDUP Within the context of global climate change, the application of biochar-based strategies requires further research in order to provide All things nano answers that are applicable under diverse combinations of climate, The 2007-08 inaugural annual report on nanotechnology by the agriculture and energy production systems. The report identifies that: Australian Office of Nanotechnology provides an update on the n The use of various sources of feedstock and process conditions National Nanotechnology Strategy (NNS), and also a snapshot greatly affects the properties of biochar products, potentially of nanotechnology development globally, according to Minister for limiting their use. However, a rapid screening technique that Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Senator Kim Carr. provides the means for biochar products to be compared or Globally, the chemical industry dominates the nanotechnology matched to a particular use does not currently exist. arena in terms of maturity of R&D efforts and actual product n There is no established method to assess the stability of biochar commercialisation. In 2008, worldwide revenues are estimated to have (estimated to be from hundreds to tens of thousands of years). exceeded US$82 billion. The pharmaceutical and healthcare industries n The systematic evaluation of potentially harmful chemical are projected to post the fastest annual growth rates in terms of annual contaminants associated with the combustion process, as well as of revenues from nanotechnology based products over the next ten toxic substances within used feedstocks, is missing. Also, as biochar years. Revenues from products incorporating nanotechnology in the is very stable, the rates of applications need to be determined for semiconductors and electronics arena are projected to exceed US$1 individual soil types to avoid possible detrimental effects due to trillion by 2014. overapplication, that could result in reduction of soil productivity. In the Asia-Pacific region there are more than 250 nanotechnology n The extent of the effect of biochar on crop productivity may vary companies, a third of which are in China. Australia ranks fourth