WA companies win Climate Ready grants

Four WA companies involved in environmental management, nickel mining and genetically modified crops have received nearly $1.3 million under the latest round of federal government Climate Ready grants.

Cube Consulting was awarded $500,000 to develop an Internet based environmental management, monitoring and reporting system called InViron, which can help large polluters identify areas where they can significantly reduce their emission levels and support the development of emission reduction strategies.

NemGenix received a $386,000 grant for the development of a genetically modified sugarcane crop trait that has the potential to prevent billions of dollars of annual global crop losses.

Simulus received a $275, 351 grant for the development of a carbon friendly method of nickel processing via the development of a new, efficient flow sheet option.

Finally, Russell Barnett from Australian Venture Consultants was awarded a $188,157 grant to develop a method of reducing the energy requirements of reverse osmosis seawater desalination through the ultra-high efficiency degasification of plant feedwater

The Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Kim Carr, announced the grants and said that "Climate Ready is about working in partnership with industry to support our best green ideas and in turn support high-wage, high-skill jobs."