• Riverland wines on the world stage at Vinexpo Asia
• Australia’s largest urban commercial microgrid opens at IKEA Adelaide
• Australia and Austria revolutionising wind power generation
• Rockburst Technologies to establish its first global office in Adelaide
• South Australia urged to bid for UN climate change conference
• South Australian tourism industry returns to pre-COVID normality
• Calls for EOI in $150 million regional leisure precinct in Adelaide Hills
• FedEx announces Adelaide gateway

Riverland wines on the world stage at Vinexpo Asia

South Australian Riverland wines were showcased to over 8000 visitors at the three-day wine trade fair, Vinexpo Asia.

The trip is part of the Riverland Uprising program, an industry-led initiative aimed at building the reputation of the Riverland as a producer of quality, Geographical Indication wines.

Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Clare Scriven said Riverland wine, as the largest wine region by volume in Australia, is the backbone of the South Australian wine industry and that the international support is welcome after the region’s recent floods.

“Diversification through exposure to new markets will be important in this recovery,” Scriven said.

“I am pleased these major international events will be shining a light on and finding new audiences for Riverland wine.”

Riverland wine promotional activity is funded by the Government of South Australia’s Project 250, a partnership with the South Australian Wine Industry Association that provides $250,000 a year for wine industry development initiatives until 2026.

– Elisabeth Marie

The $6.6 million eleXsys Microgrid. Photo: supplied.

Australia’s largest urban commercial microgrid opens at IKEA Adelaide

The IKEA eleXsys Microgrid consists of a rooftop network of 3,024 solar panels and a battery the size of three 40ft shipping containers.

The $6.6 million project is expected to free up enough energy from South Australia’s electricity network to power 370 homes a year with surplus energy stored in its battery able to be traded into the network during hours of peak demand.

Launched on Wednesday, May 24, the microgrid was designed and built by Planet Ark Power and will be owned and operated by Epic Energy.

Department for Energy and Mining Major Projects, Growth, and Low Carbon Director, Scott Oster said the project is another critical step in South Australia delivering a smart energy grid of the future.

“It is innovative solutions and forward-thinking like this that will be vitally important as we approach our target of 100 per cent renewables by 2030,” Oster said.

“With the plans IKEA has for renewable energy measures at the site, we hope it inspires other major retailers and IKEA customers to also play their part in South Australia’s energy transition.”

– Elisabeth Marie

eologix CEO Thomas Schlegl and Ping Services CEO Matthew Stead celebrate merger. Photo: Ping Services.

Australia and Austria revolutionising wind power generation

Lot Fourteen-based South Australian technology company, Ping Services is merging with Austrian-based sensor technology company, eologix.

The strategic merger will allow the combination of Ping’s continuous acoustic monitoring system and eologix’s on-blade sensor system to optimise wind turbine maintenance, decrease repair costs and increase power generation by delivering a complete blade monitoring solution.

“By combining our strengths, the joint system will be the only one on the market that offers wind farm operators a comprehensive, real-time picture of blade health and operation,” said eologix CEO Thomas Schlegl.

“A more complete picture of blade health means operators are empowered to recognise issues as soon as they emerge.”

Combining the technologies means data from both monitors will be sent to one receiver and can be viewed by the operator on one dashboard.

Ping will continue operations in Australia while eologix will remain in Austria, with both companies servicing the global market. 

While the merger is effective immediately, the first joint product will be launched later in 2023 under the combined business names ahead of a rebrand in 2024. 

– Elisabeth Marie

Canada-based Rockburst Technologies Oscar Malpica and Chuck Lee in Adelaide. Photo: Belinda Willis/InDaily.

Rockburst Technologies to establish its first global office in Adelaide

Canadian-based mining technology company Rockburst Technologies will recruit South Australians to its first global office which will be established at CoreHub at Lot Fourteen in the coming weeks.

The company will begin its five-year strategic growth plan in South Australia and engage with local industrial and research partners, fuelling advanced manufacturing jobs and investment in the state.

“With our first client BHP Olympic Dam based in Adelaide, we intend to continue working with them and will be exploring space mining and recycling applications of our technology in collaboration with the University of Adelaide and its Lunar Construction Group,” said CEO and co-founder of Rockburst Technologies, Oscar Malpica.

“The South Australian Landing Pad will support Rockburst Technologies to hire key staff and essentially kick-start our first international subsidiary outside of Canada.”

Minister for Trade and Investment Nick Champion said it is exciting to welcome the company into the state’s innovation fold as South Australia continues to build its reputation as a global leader in green energy.

“[Rockburst Technologies]’s cutting-edge technology is set to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cut back on energy consumption for our space, mining, cement and recycling industries,” Champion said.

– Elisabeth Marie

South Australia urged to bid for UN climate change conference

The South Australian Chamber of Commerce said the state should look to host the world’s leading conference on climate change to push its green credentials.

In a wide-ranging submission ahead of the SA budget on June 15, Business SA said the state government should conduct a feasibility study on the potential for Adelaide to host a United Nations Conference of the Parties gathering.

Also known as UN COP, the event brings about 200 countries together with a view to reaching agreements on measures to limit increases in global temperatures.

Business SA said the event could attract thousands of delegates, observers and media representatives.

“Adelaide already has a solid track record in organising flagship global events and hosting the COP would attract between 20,000 and 30,000 people, boost the economy, and further cement our credentials as a global leader in renewable energy” the organisation said in its submission.

Australia has never hosted a UN COP, but the federal government last year proposed a bid to host the meeting in 2026.

Climate Change and Energy Minister, Chris Bowen said Australia would seek to co-host with the Pacific to help elevate the case of the Pacific for more climate action.

Business SA said that if successful the event could “shift Australia’s reputation from climate laggard to regional leader”.

– AAP

Graph: TiCSA

South Australian tourism industry returns to pre-COVID normality 

The Tourism Industry Council of South Australia (TiCSA) Tourism barometer for the January-March quarter found increased activity and ongoing industry confidence about the future of local businesses.

TiCSA CEO, Shaun de Bruyn said their barometer found an increase in interstate travel, higher travel rates and increased prices to levels not seen since before COVID.

“Over half of the business respondents said that performance this quarter was stronger compared to the same time last year,” de Bruyn said.

“Those that had a stronger performance attributed it to an increase in interstate travel, reduced COVID-19 impacts and travel being generally higher than it was this time last year.”

While a return to pre-COVID numbers was welcomed, an increased cost of doing business, a weakened economy and an increased number of outbound tourists meant that many tourism businesses are operating at 50 per cent capacity.

– Liam McMahon

The Summit Precinct location in Mount Barker. Photo: Mount Barker Council.

Calls for partners in $150 million regional leisure precinct in Adelaide Hills

Mount Barker District Council has launched an Expression of Interest (EoI) for prospective developers and operators to build hospitality, recreation and accommodation facilities in the Summit Precinct near Mount Barker.

Mount Barker Mayor, David Leach said council will actively shape the precinct with the Regional Aquatic and Leisure Centre already under construction and plans for an adventure playground underway.

Jamie Guerra of Leedwell Property and Ben Koop of Alinea Group have been appointed to engage with qualified parties and consortia during the EOI process.

“The opportunity provides an innovative delivery and operating model with collaboration between all partners, ensuring it is underpinned by a shared overarching vision and operated and promoted as one single ‘destination’ asset,” Koop said.

Other suitable facilities and activities include accommodation and conference venues, indoor recreation facilities, a mini golf course, a trampoline centre and an aerial ropes course.

The EoI closes at 5pm on Thursday, July 20.

– Maxwell Bland

FedEx headquarters. Photo: supplied.

FedEx announces Adelaide gateway

Transportation company FedEx is setting up a 64,000 square metre gateway as part of the planned freight and logistics hub for Adelaide Airport East Precinct to support air freight demand coming out of South Australia.

FedEx Express Australasia Vice-President, Peter Langley said the facility will be one of the largest single express freight sorting facilities in Australia.

“The enhanced capabilities of the new facility will benefit local businesses looking to tap into the international marketplace and supports the growing demand for e-commerce in the South Australia region,” Langley said.

The building will include a 4,500 square metre skylight to increase natural illumination and onsite collection and reuse of rainwater to align with the corporation’s goal of carbon-neutral global operations by 2040.

– Liam McMahon