BluGlass wins Australian cleantech competition

Sydney-based technology developer BluGlass on Wednesday was named the winner of the Australian Cleantech award, edging out seven other finalists in the competition.

The listed Bluglass, which has an R&D facility in Silverwater, is developing world leading technology that will help global manufacturers increase the performance and reduce the costs of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and solar photovoltaic cells.

“This win is an important step in BluGlass’ development from an R&D company that has achieved proof of concept into an operational company moving towards industry acceptance”, CEO Giles Bourne said after receiving the award.

Bluglass was one of 30 semi finalists tha received extensive mentoring and business developing advice as part of the competition process.

“The quality of the 2014 entries has been incredibly high and we believe that many of the top 30 companies will become highly successful”, said John O’Brien, the managing director of Australian CleanTech, which manages the competition.

“The credibility, advice and connections that the competition provides to these emerging technology companies will help them to become Australia’s future success stories.”

RenewEconomy was at the presentation at the Westin Hotel on Wednesday night, and it was refreshing to see the optimism and enthusiasm within Australia’s cleantech R&D industry.

Other awards were also presented on the night. The industry winners were:

• ARENA Renewable Energy Award – Specialty Coatings with its EnerSheet^TM fibreglass composite roof sheeting product with embedded thin film solar photovoltaic (PV) material.
• Dairy Australia Food and Beverages Award – Z-Filter’s filtration system that separates solids from liquids, by trapping them inside a single, zippered, filter element a ‘Sock’.
• Built Environment Award – Organic Response – a revolutionary lighting control system using Distributed Intelligence to deliver maximum energy savings with optimal occupancy comfort.
• Mining Award – Global Future Solutions – a biotechnology company producing environmentally safer non-toxic, non-corrosive products for the Oil & Gas industry.
• Alumni Award – CINTEP for its recycling shower technology.
• Manufacturing Award – also awarded to BluGlass Limited.

O’Brien said the Winners from 2011 and 2012 both reported significant commercial benefits from the exposure and gravitas created from the competition win. The 2011 winner, SMAC, secured over 90 contracts in Asia, USA and Sydney CBD, and in 2012 Enlighten has reported a 150% increase in incremental revenue.

The Competition is a business development initiative of the Australian Government and also supported by the principal sponsor, Autodesk. In 2014 the competition will evolve to become the Australian Emerging Technologies Competition.