ClearVue Technologies announced it has raised approximately $7.5 million through an institutional placement to advance its commercialisation efforts in the U.S. and support global operations.

The placement will see the issuance of 23.4 million fully paid ordinary shares at A$0.32 per share, representing a 21 per cent discount to the company’s last closing price on 14 October 2024, and a 24 per cent discount to its 15-day volume-weighted average price.

“A primary objective for the board and management has been to introduce the company to the institutional investment market,” said ClearVue CEO Martin Deil. 

“The current capital raise has successfully expanded our registry to include a diverse mix of new institutional and professional investors, who constituted the majority of the placement, with a smaller portion coming from sophisticated investors.”

Deil noted that many of the new institutional investors are based in Hong Kong, a key market for ClearVue in Asia. 

“The Hong Kong market is a key focus for the company, as evidenced by our engagement with the Hong Kong government through the EMSD solar glass study announced in March 2023,” he said. 

“The study is continuing but importantly has led to several commercial discussions that we anticipate will convert to sales in the future.”

The funds will be allocated towards expanding the company’s operations in the United States, including infrastructure and staffing to support its growing sales pipeline.

Additionally, ClearVue said it aims to invest in systems and inventory to strengthen global sales capabilities.

“A secondary objective through this raise has been to ensure the company is funded for the next steps in its commercialisation journey,” Deil added. “Funds raised will support execution of our growing sales pipeline through additional staff and infrastructure in the US.”

ClearVue also said it plans to use a portion of the capital to develop software systems, including an ERP system for global product delivery, quality assurance, and data collection from completed projects. 

These systems will enable the company to track energy and carbon performance, positioning it to benefit from future carbon credit regimes.

The placement builds on ClearVue’s earlier capital raise, which supported the development and testing of its Gen-2 products and led to several early projects, including collaborations with CFMEU in Melbourne and Prefabulous in New South Wales.

Bell Potter Securities Limited acted as the lead manager for the placement. Settlement of the new shares is scheduled for October 22, with the shares expected to be allotted on 23 October..

The issue will utilise the company’s existing ASX Listing Rule 7.1 placement capacity, accounting for approximately 9.7 per cent of ClearVue’s current shares on issue. 

The newly issued shares will rank equally with the company’s existing fully paid ordinary shares.

“We are also pleased to have completed the raise despite real or perceived market uncertainties, including those surrounding the upcoming U.S. election in November,” Deil concluded.

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Hazer Group has achieved a key milestone at its Commercial Demonstration Plant (CDP), completing over 360 hours of continuous operation and demonstrating improvements in methane conversion.

The CDP performance test program is on track for completion by the end of 2024, the company said in an ASX announcement. 

Following plant optimisations, the company confirmed the achievement of 362 hours of continuous operation with periods of controlled catalyst injection, resulting in key technical advancements. 

The company said its technology has seen substantial progress, with methane-to-hydrogen conversion rates nearing design values.

Hazer CEO Glenn Corrie expressed optimism about the company’s technological strides, saying, “We continue to demonstrate Hazer’s technology is at the forefront of innovation with excellent test program performance which is supporting our commercialization strategy.”

Key highlights from the recent test campaign include stable reactor operations, improved feed gas flow rates, and the avoidance of reactor fouling. 

The technology’s resilience has been further reinforced by the production of Hazer graphite, which is set for advanced customer testing. 

The company said it believes these results will support the commercial scale-up of their methane pyrolysis technology.

“These strong operational milestones are a result of many years of technology development and scale-up success,” Corrie added. 

The use of a fluidised bed reactor (FBR), a proven technology in refining and metallurgical industries, has been pivotal in Hazer’s success.

The company has also underscored the importance of its extensive global patent coverage, with more than 70 patents protecting its methane pyrolysis process.

In the latest campaign, the CDP demonstrated over 97 per cent production uptime.

After over 800 hours of reactor operation, the plant is currently undergoing its statutory inspection, with positive results from material performance under process conditions.

Looking ahead, Hazer said it plans to focus on producing high-purity graphite in the final 2024 CDP campaign, with the aim of completing large-scale application tests. 

Concurrently, work is advancing on the next-generation reactor and heat exchange equipment, which will be key for scaling up hydrogen production to over 20ktpa.

“The CDP test program performance has been the enabler for many commercial discussions,” Corrie explained, highlighting ongoing partnerships with FortisBC, POSCO, ENGIE, and Chubu Electric. 

He emphasised the growing demand for large-scale applications, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors such as steel making and petrochemicals.

The company also reported significant progress with its first large-scale commercial facility in Canada, with partner FortisBC.

The project recently achieved a key milestone with the delivery of 105kg of graphite to FortisBC for use in their small-scale test unit, which will be installed later this year.

FortisBC’s test-rig has completed construction and will be installed on-site in Q4 for testing in early 2025 ahead of FID.

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Robotic technology company FBR Limited announced the completion of the walls for the first home in its US Demonstration Program, developed in partnership with CRH Ventures. 

This achievement marks a significant milestone in the commercialisation of FBR’s Hadrian X technology, being the first international build accomplished using the system, the company said in an ASX announcement. 

The walls have been certified as compliant with the relevant design and building codes, confirming the capability of the Hadrian X to meet regulatory standards in a new market. 

The project, carried out with Florida-based builder New Century USA, represents the initial phase of the Demonstration Program, which aims to showcase the versatility and adaptability of the Hadrian X across various home sizes, volumes, and styles.

FBR is set to construct the walls of four additional homes for New Century USA as part of the program. 

Additionally, the company will build two homes for Christopher Alan Homes, another Florida-based builder recognised for its prominence in the region. 

Christopher Alan Homes was recently highlighted by LSI Companies Inc. as the leading local and private homebuilder in Southwest Florida, based on single-family residential permits issued in 2023.

FBR Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mike Pivac, expressed his pride in achieving this international milestone. 

“We’re very proud to have completed our first residential structure in an international market. Having the opportunity to present our world-leading technology to one of the largest addressable markets in the world has been very exciting so far and we are looking forward to continuing to grow our operations in the United States,” Pivac said.

The Demonstration Program will be considered complete upon the construction of walls for seven homes by FBR, including those for New Century USA and Christopher Alan Homes, as well as up to three additional homes to be added by another builder nominated by CRH Ventures. 

According to the firm, all structures will be certified by an independent structural engineer.

Upon the program’s completion, FBR will receive a payment of USD 400,000 from CRH Ventures. 

This will trigger a 45-day period during which CRH Ventures may choose to form a joint venture with FBR for the delivery of Wall as a Service in the United States.

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First Graphene, a leader in advanced materials, has secured significant funding for a collaborative research project with Swansea University aimed at exploring the market potential of its innovative Kainos Technology. 

The grant, valued at approximately AU$192,152, was awarded through the Analysis for Innovators (A4i) Round 12, Stage 2 funding, facilitated by Innovate UK. 

This funding program specifically supports businesses leveraging expertise from top UK research facilities to overcome technical barriers and push new technologies toward market readiness.

The six-month project is also intended to deepen the understanding of First Graphene’s Kainos Technology, which has the capability to produce high-quality, battery-grade synthetic graphite and pristine graphene from petroleum feedstock using a scalable hydrodynamic cavitation manufacturing process. 

This process has also demonstrated the potential to generate green hydrogen as a by-product, adding to its appeal in the pursuit of sustainable energy solutions.

“As global demand for battery-grade graphite and graphene increases, so does the need to find and secure strong supplies of these raw materials,” said Michael Bell, managing director and CEO of First Graphene. 

“First Graphene’s Kainos Technology shows real potential as a scalable way to manufacture synthetic graphite and graphene, offering a commercial alternative to mining.”

The ASX-listed company said the current project will focus on controlled experimentation and analysis to further refine the hydrodynamic cavitation process. 

This research will support the development of modeling techniques at Swansea University, which will be crucial for scaling up the Kainos Technology in collaboration with the energy industry.

“The grant received through the A4I funding competition, via Innovate UK, will greatly support the team of researchers investigating the process behind our hydrodynamic cavitation technology,” Bell added. 

“I look forward to providing further updates as we advance commercialisation of our Kainos Technology to deliver the materials needed to power global decarbonisation and electrification,” he concluded. 

This collaborative project builds on First Graphene’s recent signing of a binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Abu Dhabi-based EMDAD Group. 

The MOU outlines plans to develop a proposal for funding a small-scale hydrodynamic cavitation reactor using Kainos Technology. 

This initiative could lead to the commissioning of this technology in the oil industry, enabling the conversion of petroleum feedstock into battery-grade graphite, graphene, and hydrogen.

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The University of Queensland (UQ) announced a partnership with the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub, aimed at advancing the development and commercialisation of industry-driven research over the next four years.

This collaboration is set to bolster UQ’s and ARM Hub’s efforts in enhancing robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities within key manufacturing sectors, including energy, medical, and agriculture, the university said in a news release. 

Professor Sue Harrison, Executive Dean of the UQ Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology (EAIT), highlighted the significance of the partnership. 

“UQ’s partnership with ARM Hub will connect the expertise and ideas of UQ researchers with industry and government to support the translation of research, creating tangible economic and social impact for the community, industry and global partners,” Professor Harrison stated.

She emphasised that the partnership offers a valuable opportunity for research teams to harness the full potential of their innovations, with ongoing research already taking place at the Hub.

To support the initiative, UQ has appointed ARM Hub Chief Executive Officer Professor Cori Stewart and Head of Business and Research Partnerships Samuel Jesuadian to roles within the faculty.

In addition to this partnership, the Hub has secured $5 million in funding from the Australian Government. 

This investment aims to scale up small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises, offering them practical pathways to integrate AI into their operations.

Professor Stewart noted the impact of the funding and the partnership.

“This is an opportunity for UQ, ARM Hub and its industry partners to continue building a world class digital ecosystem in Australia that embraces safe and responsible AI, and boosts commercialisation and business growth,” Professor Stewart said.

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AusBiotech, the premier life science organisation in Australia, has been selected as an Industry Partner Organisation (IPO) for the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Program (IGP). 

The organisation said in a news release that this role will see AusBiotech providing crucial support to startups and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in the biotech and medtech sectors. 

The Industry Growth Program aims to facilitate the commercialisation and growth of innovative Australian businesses by offering tailored advisory services. 

AusBiotech will leverage its extensive industry knowledge and networks to offer mentoring and connections for SMEs navigating the research translation and commercialisation phases.

Rebekah Cassidy, CEO of AusBiotech, expressed enthusiasm about the role, stating, “AusBiotech is a connected network of over 3,000 members representing the whole Australia’s life sciences value chain from spin-outs and SMEs, through to research institutes to large international companies.” 

She added, “As the leading voice of Australia’s biotech industry representing the interests of Australia’s innovative life sciences community, supporting SMEs to grow along their commercialisation journey has been at the heart of our work for almost 40 years.”

Cassidy further highlighted the benefits of the partnership: “Now, as an Industry Partner Organisation with the Industry Growth Program, we are perfectly positioned to collaborate, and leverage our vast network and deep industry connection, for the benefit of Program participants.”

The Industry Growth Program, introduced in the 2023-2024 Federal Budget, is designed to assist startups and SMEs engaged in innovative projects aligned with the Australian Government’s National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) priorities.

The program aims to turn world-class Australian research into viable businesses, boosting the pipeline of investment-ready projects for the $15 billion NRF.

AusBiotech’s role will complement the work of the IGP’s advisers by providing specialised support to startups and high-growth SMEs, enhancing their potential for success.

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Hazer Group announced a major achievement in the development of its Commercial Demonstration Plant, confirming that it has successfully operated continuously and stably for over 240 hours, marking a crucial milestone in its performance testing.

The ongoing “testing – modification – testing” work by our scientists, engineers and technicians has resulted in excellent performance and demonstration of high reliability for our first-of-a-kind technology,” said Hazer CEO Glenn Corrie. 

He added, “We have achieved another major milestone that enables the commercialisation of the Hazer process and supports our growth strategy globally.”

During the 240-hour operation, the CDP demonstrated several key objectives, including continuous production with the injection of catalyst into the reactor bed, stable and reliable solids separation from the product gas stream, and operational reliability with process uptime exceeding targets. 

The plant is now operating in a steady state mode, with continuous production of hydrogen and graphite, the company said in an ASX announcement. 

As the CDP moves forward, the current operations are being optimised to produce commercially representative graphite. 

The graphite produced will undergo quality verification to ensure consistency before distribution to major partners for large-scale testing and analysis.

Moreover, this milestone satisfies a key performance requirement under the ARENA funding agreement, unlocking the next tranche of funding in January 2025. 

This non-dilutive cash flow will support Hazer’s ongoing commercialisation strategy.

In addition to this, the CDP results are being used to advance four existing commercial projects with major partners including POSCO, ENGIE, Chubu Electric/Chiyoda Corporation, and FortisBC.

The data is also aiding the advancement of new customer projects and strategic partnership opportunities.

The next steps for the CDP include planned maintenance and inspections, during which the extensive steady state operation dataset will be analysed. 

This analysis will further inform Hazer’s strategy as they push towards declaring commercial readiness next year.

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The Queensland Government has introduced the Private Sector Pathways (PSP) Program to support small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) in collaborating with large corporations to develop commercialisation opportunities.

This initiative, part of Advance Queensland, aims to increase partnerships between SMEs and corporate businesses to address business challenges and create commercial opportunities within the state.

The PSP Program encourages corporates to present business challenges, inviting SMEs to propose innovative solutions.

Successful applicants can receive up to $200,000 in co-funding from Advance Queensland and corporate partners to trial their solutions over 6-12 months.

Each challenge will be jointly funded by Advance Queensland and the corporate challenge owner.

Benefits:

• For SMEs: Funding for technology trials, corporate connections, potential commercial contracts, and IP retention.
• For Corporates: Access to technological innovations, local solutions for corporate challenges, diversified procurement, and increased speed of technology adoption.

Eligibility:

• Corporates: Must have an office in Queensland, be a legal entity with an active ABN, and ideally operate within priority industry sectors such as advanced manufacturing, hydrogen, biomedical, and more.
• SMEs: Must be Queensland-registered, have a product at or beyond the MVP stage, and not have prior commercial contracts with the participating corporate.

Current Challenges: For instance, Boeing has set a challenge to co-design a display environment for data visualisation and autonomous vehicle control, with applications closing on 27 August 2024.

Application Process: The PSP Program uses a staged application and evaluation process, including identification of challenges, market release of challenge statements, assessment of applications, selection of feasible solutions, and co-funding for pilot projects.

For more information, visit Advance Queensland.

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Uluu, a northern suburbs business, is poised to redefine manufacturing using seaweed as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic.

The company, based in Watermans Bay, is among the 49 local innovators awarded a total of $3.56 million by the Western Australian Government.

Innovation and Digital Economy Minister Stephen Dawson highlighted the significance of these funds, stating, “We are targeting innovation growth with funding support through both the Innovation Booster and Commercialisation Bridge Grants scheme to provide this assistance at a variety of different stages.”

Uluu’s initiative aligns with broader efforts to diversify Western Australia’s innovation landscape. Minister Dawson emphasized the government’s commitment to nurturing local talent, noting, “We have an amazing and talented cohort of local innovators who are doing incredible things and the Cook Government is committed to assisting WA’s innovation ecosystem to thrive and prosper.”

The grants, part of the Innovation Booster Grant (IBG) and Commercialisation Bridge Grant (CBG) programs, aim to bridge the gap between innovative ideas and scalable businesses.

Reflecting on the recipients’ achievements, Minister Dawson extended congratulations, expressing optimism about the future impact: “Congratulations to all 49 recipients of this round of IBG and CBGs. I am looking forward to seeing the leaps of progress that each of them will make with this vital early-stage and scale-up funding.”

According to the government, these grants are crucial for pioneering ventures like Uluu, which are pioneering sustainable manufacturing solutions.

For more information, visit WA Government’s New Industries Fund and Commercialisation Bridge Grant.

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Calix Limited announced that its subsidiary, Leilac Limited, and Heidelberg Materials have entered into a Joint Venture (JV) for the Leilac-2 demonstration plant at Heidelberg Materials’ Ennigerloh cement plant in Germany.

The JV agreement involves the construction, operation, and potential future ownership of the Leilac-2 demonstration plant, Calix said in an ASX announcement.

“The formation of a joint venture with Heidelberg Materials for the Leilac-2 plant marks another important milestone for the commercialisation of the Leilac technology,” stated Leilac CEO Daniel Rennie.

“We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Heidelberg Materials to demonstrate and deploy cost-effective solutions to decarbonise cement production at commercial scale.”

Construction of the Leilac-2 plant is slated to begin in 2025, with commissioning expected by mid-2026.

The plant aims to capture up to 100,000 tonnes per year of carbon dioxide emissions from cement and lime production.

Following a three-year testing period, ownership of the plant may transfer to Heidelberg Materials if technical and commercial performance criteria are met.

In such a case, Heidelberg Materials would repay Leilac’s capital contribution, less depreciation, according to Calix.

“The rapid testing and implementation of state-of-the-art carbon capture technology is key to decarbonising the cement industry in Germany,” said Christian Knell, general manager of Heidelberg Materials Germany.

He continued, “I look forward to the construction start and seeing the Leilac-2 demonstration plant taking shape soon,”

The Leilac-2 project follows the successful pilot-scale Leilac-1 project at Heidelberg Materials’ cement plant in Lixhe, Belgium, which began in 2019.

The new JV comprises agreements on the construction, operation, and potential transfer of ownership of the Leilac-2 plant. Detailed engineering for site-specific integration is ongoing, with final capital costs yet to be determined.

Funded in part by a €16 million grant from the European Union’s Horizons 2020 program, the Leilac-2 project is also supported by various cash and in-kind commitments from consortium partners.

Leilac is exploring options to fund its share of the construction costs, including leveraging its balance sheet, capital, and debt options.

The majority of the project’s capital expenditure will occur post-permitting and the start of construction.

In parallel with the Leilac-2 project, Heidelberg Materials and Leilac are exploring steps for developing a full-scale commercial installation of the Leilac technology, dubbed “Leilac-3.”

This plant could potentially capture between 0.5 to 1 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, depending on the size of the host plant.

According to Calix, a global licence agreement already in place between the two companies could see the Leilac technology deployed at up to 150 Heidelberg Materials cement plants across five continents, pending successful performance demonstrations.

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