N E W S
KiwiNet appoint
new chairperson
The Kiwi Innovation Network
(KiwiNet) has announced the
appointment of a new and two
new board members. Dr Will
Barker and Dr Anne Barnett while
Ngaio Merrick will take over the
role of board chairperson.
The Kiwi Innovation Network
(KiwiNet) comprises 16 universities
and Crown Research
Institutes and independent
research organisations working
together to increase the scale
and impact of scientific and technology
based innovation in New
Zealand.
To date KiwiNet (including its
forerunner Unicom, formed in
2008) has invested $38 million of
PreSeed Accelerator Investment
from MBIE, with business co-investing
a further $20 million
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Volvo’s world-first
‘free emission’ quarry
Volvo CE and its customer
Skanska are turning the
quarrying industry upside
down in a groundbreaking
study to create the world’s
first ‘emission-free’ quarry.
Drawing on the electromobility
and automation expertise of
the Volvo Group, the research
project, dubbed Electric Site,
aims to electrify each transport
million project.
Volvo CE is coordinating the
project and is in charge of
developing the machines and
systems. Skanska Sweden is
providing logistical solutions,
application relevance and job
site knowledge. The Swedish
Energy Agency is helping
to fund the project and the
universities are carrying out
research. Two PhD students
are looking at battery aging
and energy management for
electric vehicles, as well as
functional safety.
Volvo CE and Skanska are
testing the viability of its Electric
Site concept at Skanska’s
Vikan Kross quarry, near
Gothenburg, Sweden. The
system, which incorporates
electric and autonomous
Volvo machines, will run in a
real production environment
for 10 weeks – delivering an
anticipated up to 95% reduction
in carbon emissions and
up to 25% reduction in total
cost of operations.
Our
commitment
stage in a quarry – from
excavation to primary crushing,
and transport to secondary
crushing – although a
negligible amount of diesel
power will still be used. The
system’s efficiency, safety and
environmental benefits are set
to impact both customers and
society at large.
The electric site is part of
Concept Labs. Volvo CE
teamed up with its customer
Skanska Sweden, the Swedish
Energy Agency and two Swedish
universities – Linköping
University and Mälardalen
University – in October 2015
to collaborate on the SEK 203
At MAS, we’re committed to doing what we can to
make a positive impact on the health and wellbeing
of future generations of New Zealanders, and to a
more sustainable country.
It’s why we’ve implemented a socially responsible investing approach
across $1.4 billion of superannuation funds and insurance reserves and
do not invest in the manufacture and sale of armaments, tobacco, or
the exploration, extraction, refining and processing fossil fuels.
Talk to us about our socially responsible
Retirement Savings and KiwiSaver plans today
by calling 0800 800 627 or visit mas.co.nz
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