ReGenOmics Down Under: Recent Episodes
ReGenOmics Down Under
ReGenOmics Down Under is a podcast by Leigh Baker of Balance3 exploring the wealth of climate solutions happening on the ground in Australia and New Zealand, as well as around the world.
When the industrial revolution began, humans still thought of nature as "boundless" AND with infinite capacity to absorb and neutralise toxins and waste. Today we're increasingly aware that "there is no away" - for wastes ranging from microplastics to PFAS to hormones.
Since the 1990s, innovators and entrepreneurs have been developing materials and products and processes and design principles that are regenerative and beneficial (not just less bad).
Today, there are growing opportunities to apply 21st century 3D safety developments to innovate and grow businesses - once you learn to see beyond compliance and "less harm".
In this episode, host Leigh Baker of Think Act Regenerate discusses how 3D safety principles and commercial resources can be combined to uncover smart regenerative business opportunities.
CREDITS
Original music composed for the show by Ian Hopkinson of HopkinsonCreative.com – used with permission.LINKS
Stories
Interface Flooring - 1) Captured landfill gas to power their manufacturing plant, removing toxic emissions from the air of their local community. 2) Developed glueless fastening system for carpet tiles. (Book: BUSINESS LESSONS FROM A RADICAL INDUSTRIALIST)
Zeoform - replacing extractive building products with materials made from plant fibre and water. zeoform.com
H2o vortex - water purification without chemicals. h2ovortex.com
PlntMatter - plant cellulose transformation: www.plntmatter.com
Sparxell - colorants made from cellulose instead of mica, titanium and chemicals. https://sparxell.com/
Bobcat T7X -the world’s first all-electric compact track loader - electrified hydraulics to remove toxic fluids https://www.fastcompany.com/90878768/bobcat-t7x-all-electric-compact-track-loader
Certifications and catalogues
Green Seal: greenseal.org
Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute: c2ccertified.org/certified-products and c2ccertified.org/resources
Good Environmental Choices Australia: www.geca.eco
Global GreenTag: globalgreentag.com
SpotMaterial: spotmaterial.com
Approaches
Biomimicry 3.8: biomimicry.net
Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute Resources: c2ccertified.org/resources
The Doughnut Design for Business: https://doughnuteconomics.org/tools/doughnut-design-for-business-core-tool
Green Chemistry Introduction: https://www.beyondbenign.org/about-green-chemistry/
Humans have been copying nature for millenia - but we gave it a back seat at the start of the Industrial Revolution. Now it's back - and offering a wealth of regenerative innovation opportunities for products, processes and systems design.
Nature's "superpower" is to create solutions at room temperature, using renewable resources and renewable energy.
In this episode, host Leigh Baker of Think Act Regenerate discusses how Biomimicry-based design can be used to uncover smart regenerative business opportunities.
FULL TEXT: https://thinkactregenerate.com/insight-using-biomimicry-to-find-regenerative-business-opportunities/#text
CREDITS
Original music composed for the show by Ian Hopkinson of HopkinsonCreative.com – used with permission.
LINKS
Resources
AskNature solutions library: asknature.org
Bioneers Action Hub: bioneers.org Biomimicry Toolbox: https://toolbox.biomimicry.org/methods/define/
Economics of Biomimicry: https://infomineo.com/sustainable-development/bioinspired-innovation-harnessing-natures-wisdom/
ThinkActRegenerate INSIGHTS: https://thinkactregenerate.com/INSIGHTS/
Regenerative Thinking in Action: https://thinkactregenerate.com/program/
Examples
Bardee (black soldier fly): https://www.bardee.com/collections/all
Fungi Solutions: https://www.fungisolutions.com.au/
Interface Factory as Forest: https://trellis.net/article/inside-interfaces-bold-new-mission-achieve-climate-take-back/
Kalundborg Symbiosis Industrial Estate: https://www.symbiosis.dk/en/ Mycellium (mushroom) products: https://myceliuminspired.com/products
Samsara (enzymatic plastic recycling): https://www.samsaraeco.com/
SugarCrete: https://www.newcivilengineer.com/innovative-thinking/researchers-transform-sugarcane-by-product-into-slabs-and-bricks-22-03-2024/
Zeoform: https://zeoform.com/zeoboard
Andy McCarthy - founder of Gippsland Solar in 2010 - has told his renewable energy business story (so far) in his recent autobiography HERE COMES THE SUN.
I caught up with Andy at the start of October to discuss what he’s learned and where he sees the next big openings in renewable energy opportunity.
FULL TRANSCRIPT: https://thinkactregenerate.com/interview-solar-entrepreneur-andy-mccarthy-on-the-next-big-renewable-energy-opportunity/#text
LINKS:
Books
HERE COMES THE SUN: https://affirmpress.com.au/browse/book/Andy-McCarthy-Here-Comes-the-Sun-9781923046337
CROSSING THE CHASM: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers https://www.harpercollins.com/products/crossing-the-chasm-3rd-edition-geoffrey-a-moore?variant=32130444066850
Other links
Recent Think Act Regenerate PODCAST interview on battery as a service: https://thinkactregenerate.com/interview-exploring-battery-as-a-service-opportunities-with-eliot-energy/
FREE Think Act Regenerate INSIGHTS email series: https://thinkactregenerate.com/insights
Service and value tools for finding business opportunity have been developing for decades - both in mainstream business and sustainability circles.
In Circular Economy circles, they talk about The Service Flip - but there's a much wider toolkit on offer.
"Regenerative business service and value design is not about finding a better or lower cost solution to the existing problem of an industry. It's about redefining the problem itself." Adapted from Blue Ocean Strategy
RESOURCE LINKS
FREE Think Act Regenerate INSIGHTS - introductory email series: https://thinkactregenerate.com/insights/
Think Act Regenerate Service Thinking Resources: https://thinkactregenerate.com/product-as-a-service-paas-stories-sources-and-resources/
Circular Design Guide: https://www.circulardesignguide.com/post/service-flip
The Service Economy by Walter Stahel: https://www.globe-eu.org/wp-content/uploads/THE_PERFORMANCE_ECONOMY1.pdf
EXAMPLES
Aspect Legal SME advisory: https://www.aspectlegal.com.au/lawyerline-sme/
Bristol Siddeley "Power by the Hour": https://www.nexsys.co.uk/knowledge-hub/servitization-jargon-buster/
Lighting services by Signify: https://trellis.net/article/how-philips-became-pioneer-circularity-service/ and https://www.circularx.eu/en/cases/40/signify-light-as-a-service
MUD Jeans as a service: https://mudjeans.com/pages/sustainability-mud-jeans
Rare bird as a service: https://reasonstobecheerful.world/farmers-protect-rare-red-fronted-macaws-bolivia/
Supermarket solar as a service: https://www.smartease.com.au/solar-panels-supermarket-iga/https://www.smartease.com.au/solar-panels-supermarket-iga/
Vogue review of clothing services: https://www.vogue.com/article/clothing-rental-subscription
In this episode, host Leigh Baker of Think Act Regenerate talks with David Hauser about innovative Melbourne battery-as-a-service startup ELIoT Energy - and the multiple benefits their business model offers customers, the hospitality industry, environment and community.
LINKS
ELIoT Energy website: https://eliot-energy.com/
10 key regenerative perspectives on regenerative business opportunity: https://thinkactregenerate.com/regenerative-design-insights/
FREE Think Act Regenerate INSIGHTS email series: https://thinkactregenerate.com/insights/
CREDITS
Original music composed for the show by Ian Hopkinson of HopkinsonCreative.com – used with permission.
A growing driver of regenerative business growth over the last 1-2 decades is Circular Economy innovation.
A lot of people have heard the term - but think of it as "mostly about recycling".
However, assuming that the circular economy is just about better recycling is like assuming that all you can do with a smartphone is make voice calls - because it's called a phone.
This podcast episode explores the full scope of Circular Economy design, with examples from over two decades of real world business innovation.
CREDITS
Original music composed for the show by Ian Hopkinson of HopkinsonCreative.com – used with permission.
LINKS
The Ellen Macarthur Foundation's CIRCULAR DESIGN GUIDE: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-design-guide/overview
The full Think Act Regenerate INSIGHTS email series: https://thinkactregenerate.com/insights/
One of the core propositions of Think Act Regenerate is that today’s regenerative design thinking enables a rich smorgasbord of smarter, faster, funner win/win/win solutions that go WAY beyond 20th century “sustainability” and “efficiency”.
What IS regenerative thinking?
To me, it’s a new place to stand – because we can’t solve 20th century problems with 20th century thinking.
Here’s my take on what regeneration is about and why it has a strong business focus, illustrated with a heap of examples.
LINKS
Think Act Regenerate INSIGHTS email series: http://thinkactregenerate.com/insights
Think Act Regenerate INSIGHT on OPPORTUNITY https://thinkactregenerate.com/insight-a-world-of-business-and-career-opportunity/
Books and general links
BUSINESS LESSONS FROM A RADICAL INDUSTRIALIST https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781429997164/businesslessonsfromaradicalindustrialist
REGENERATION: https://regeneration.org/the-book
THE DEEP GREEN PROFIT HANDBOOK https://thinkactregenerate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/DeepGreenProfit.pdf
Michael Porter: “Why business can be good at solving social problems” https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_porter_why_business_can_be_good_at_solving_social_problems.html
Project Drawdown: https://drawdown.org/solutions
Examples:
Precious metals being recovered from ewaste using the whey https://rpra.ca/the-hub/researchers-extract-gold-from-e-waste-using-a-cheese-byproduct/
Farmer upcycling excess produce https://thinkactregenerate.com/dried-bananas-food-vodka/
AMP upcycling skyscraper https://thinkactregenerate.com/upcycling-commercial-buildings-circular-economy-at-a-whole-new-scale/Sundrop farms, using solar energy and seawater to grow tomatoes in the desert: https://www.sundropfarms.com/
Interface flooring, utilising land-fill methane to power a factory https://www.greenbiz.com/article/interface-flooring-powers-plant-using-landfill-emissions
Farmers installing solar panels to protect their crops and power their on-farm equipmenthttps://ceat.org.au/the-benefits-of-agrivoltaics-in-agriculture/
A Riverina renewable energy coop building a community solar garden https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au/content/australias-first-community-solar-garden-becomes-a-reality Kua Coffee, utilising a social enterprise structure to serve its growers in Kenya https://kuacoffee.co/learn/why-does-kua-have-a-foundation-and-a-company
An Indian company making a vegetable-based “Leather” from banana waste: https://banofileather.com/
Plastic-free coffee pods utilising algae-based material to protect the coffee https://www.fastcompany.com/91056402/how-keurig-finally-made-a-coffee-pod-with-no-plastic
Waste processing powered by Black Soldier Fly for food waste: https://goterra.au/food-waste-management/
HarperCollins use design to reduce paper cost and save trees https://www.fastcompany.com/91071102/harper-collins-made-a-tiny-tweak-to-its-book-design-and-has-saved-thousands-of-trees-as-a-result
Totally Renewable Yackandandah – from solar panels to energy retailer https://totallyrenewableyack.org.au/
Melbourne business turns toner cartridge waste into roadsurfacing material and vegetable garden modules: https://roadsonline.com.au/the-proof-is-in-the-pavement-with-close-the-loop/
WA farmer is using biochar and dung beetles to reduce operating costs, increase production :
https://www.wantfa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/WANTFA_NF_Summer2015_Biochar-002.pdf
A family-run building company in NSW building super-efficient housing that sells itself https://thefifthestate.com.au/columns/news-from-the-front-desk/news-from-the-front-desk-issue-no-231/
A surprising number of people look at “sustainability” and “the environment” as onerous obligations instead of seeing it as a rich smorgasbord of business and career opportunity.
So they miss out on the wealth of commercial solutions coming to market – many of which are already scaling globally.
In the first of 10 Think Act Regenerate INSIGHTS, we explore the scope and scale of today’s opportunities and identify some starting resources.
LINKS
The Think Act Regenerate INSIGHTS email series: thinkactregenerate.com/insights
Project Drawdown’s solutions catalogue: drawdown.org/solutions
Ellen Macarthur Foundation for the Circular Economy: ellenmacarthurfoundation.org
Circular Design Guide: circulardesignguide.com
Project Regeneration’s Action Nexus: regeneration.org/nexus
Planning worksheet download of “An Ikigai for regenerative solutionists”: thinkactregenerate.com/an-ikigai-for-regenerative-solutionists
CREDITS
Original music composed for the show by Ian Hopkinson of HopkinsonCreative.com - used with permission.
I began this podcast as an exploration of the wealth of regenerative solutions scaling globally today that just about anyone can be part of. It was initially part of the Climactic podcast family, so it had a focus on climate issues.
However, my passion has always been design for regeneration and accelerating the spread of today's rich smorgasbord of commercial, actionable solutions.
Going forward, Think Act Regenerate will explore the design principles as well as the individual solutions being actioned by entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs and innovators around the world.
CREDITS:Original music by Ian Hopkinson of Hopkinson Creative
LINKS:
Think Act Regenerate INSIGHTS email series
The impact of industry-supported climate solutions is not well recognised. The US ratification of the Kigali Accord is one such example - which passed the US Senate with bipartisan support in late 2022. It was a solution supported by the HVAC-R industry and lobbied for by the industry - and is expected to reduce warming in 2100 by 0.35 to 0.5 degrees Centigrade.
The most powerful place you can take climate action may well be in your own industry. For example, the computer games industry has a powerful role to play - one outlined by Project Drawdown's A DRAWDOWN-ALIGNED FRAMEWORK FOR THE GAMING INDUSTRY.
The more you know about today's wealth of regenerative business solutions, the better your chances of being a powerful change agent.
LINKS
A Drawdown-Aligned Framework for the Gaming Industry: https://drawdown.org/publications/a-drawdown-aligned-framework-for-the-gaming-industry
"The US Senate ratifies international climate agreement in bipartisan vote" by Tim Treuer in The Waggle: https://mailchi.mp/regeneration.org/the-waggle-issue-27-hoflhgby6e?e=33eee9b47f
"The Senate ratified a climate change treaty with rare strong bipartisan support" NPR September 2022: https://www.npr.org/2022/09/22/1124590392/the-senate-ratified-a-climate-change-treaty-with-rare-strong-bipartisan-support
Original music by Ian Hopkinson of hopkinsoncreative.com
INTRO
This podcast is called Regenomics Down Under - "Regenomics" is short for Regional Regenerative Economies – and in previous episodes we’ve looked at what’s happening – mostly locally in Australia.
Today’s a bit different – we’re looking at “What IS regeneration anyway?” and “How can you learn to enable regeneration?”
I interview Kathleen Davies of Ekkremon – a freelance engineering HAZOPS facilitator – who recently finished a course called The Regenerative Practitioner with the Regenesis Group.
We took a deep dive into the practice of regeneration – from regeneration of self to global regeneration.
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LINKS
Ekkremon: http://www.ekkremon.com.au/
The Regenesis Group: https://regenesisgroup.com/
Paul Hawken talking about Regeneration and climate solutions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68fY0rSkhRo
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CREDITS
Original music and audio editing support by Ian Hopkinson, Human Hacker https://www.humanhackers.live/blog and serial digital entrepreneur.
INTRO
Want a materials solution that replaces fossil-based styrofoam with a compostable alternative AND reduces greenhouse gases by turning agricultural “waste” into valuable packaging?
It’s being delivered in Melbourne – by mushrooms. Not the “fruit” that we eat as mushrooms – but by the mycelium root system that they grow on.
Today we talk with Amanda Morgan of Fungi Solutions about how they’re turning agricultural wastes into beautiful, elegant packaging solutions.
Join us to hear more about the future of myco-materials in the Australian Circular Economy
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LINKS
Fungi Solutions website: https://www.fungisolutions.com.au/
Amanda’s Mycellium Made video from Nice Film Co: https://www.nicefilm.co/work/mycelium-made
No More Butts – action for a butt-free Australia: https://nomorebutts.org.au/home
Butt Out Australia – specialist cigarette butt disposal equipment: https://buttoutaustralia.com.au/
Victorian Sustainability Waste Data: https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/research-data-and-insights/waste-data
MYCOmmunity Applied Mycology Lab: https://myco.org.au/
Project Regeneration’s Waste Nothing action list: https://regeneration.org/nexus/wasting-nothing
The Circular Economy in Victoria: https://www.cev.org.au/
Biomimicry innovation inspired by Nature: https://biomimicry.net/ and also https://asknature.org/
Paul Hawken on “what you should do”: https://leighbaker.com.au/what-should-you-do-about-global-warming
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CREDITS
Original music by Ian Hopkinson, Human Hacker https://www.humanhackers.live/blog and serial digital entrepreneur.
Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/RegenerativeBusiness
INTRO
Do you like the idea of coffee that restores the forests that sequester carbon? I do.
So it was great to talk with Darcy Small, co-founder of Kua Coffee about how his Australian-based social enterprise is collaborating with Ugandan coffee growers to help them respond and adapt to climate change.
Darcy tells the story of how a couple of engineering students and their housemates came to start a climate positive coffee business - one that cuts greenhouse gas emissions in Australia and regenerates farming lands and communities in Uganda.
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LINKS
Kua Coffee: https://kuacoffee.co/
Sendle Carbon Neutral Logistics: https://try.sendle.com/en-au/carbon-neutral-delivery
Share Waste Composting: https://sharewaste.com/
The Commons Coworking Spaces: https://thecommons.com.au/
EcoTrust: https://ecotrust.org/
FairChain Coffee Kenya: https://fairchainkenya.coffee/
Links between forests and rain: https://theweathermakers.nl/elementor-2250/
Coffee grounds as valuable materials: https://en.reset.org/5-innovative-ways-recycle-used-coffee-grounds/
Michael Porter on “Why business can be good at solving social problems”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iIh5YYDR2o
Re-Inventing Organisations: https://www.reinventingorganizations.com/
Ray Anderson of Interface on the first decade of their regenerative business journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kudilj10H4E
Project Drawdown’s ranked list of today’s commercial climate solutions: https://drawdown.org/solutions
Project Regeneration action lists: https://regeneration.org/nexus
Circular Economy resources: https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/
Biomimicry: https://biomimicry.net/ and also https://asknature.org/
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CREDITS
Original music by Ian Hopkinson, Human Hacker https://www.humanhackers.live/blog and serial digital entrepreneur.
Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/RegenerativeBusiness
In this episode of Regenomics Down Under, we take a quick (ish) tour through the Project Drawdown 2020 review, summarising their action areas and connecting them to actions happening in Australia and around the world.
We explore quantified, evidence-based solutions for reversing global warming through:
Improving society
Supporting carbon sinks
Reducing emissions
Reducing emissions is much more interesting than solar panels and electric vehicles. Currently our global emissions come from:
~25% Electricity Production
~24% Food, Agriculture & Land Use
~21% Industry
~14% Transportation
~6% Buildings
~10% Other Energy-Related Emissions – leaking gas pipe lines and the like
So reducing emissions covers all those sectors – Food, Agriculture, Land Use, Industry, and Buildings – they all have a role to play alongside electricity generation and transport.
There is a whole smorgasbord of commercial climate solutions already scaling – solutions that regenerate ecosystems and communities as well as our atmosphere. A whole heap are happening down under, too.
Here’s an intro to help you find your piece of the action.
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LINKS
Regenomics Down Under episode “Climate Solutions and Drawdown Down Under” https://www.climactic.fm/show/regenomics-down-under/principles-climate-solutions-and-drawdown-down-under/
Drawdown 2020 Review: https://www.drawdown.org/drawdown-review
Drawdown Climate Solutions 101 – free 6-part video series: https://www.drawdown.org/climate-solutions-101
Systems Thinking: Understanding and working with human systems is fundamental to climate solutions. Meet some key systems thinkers in this video collection: https://balance3.com.au/meet-the-systems-thinkers/
Drawdown report on Education and Health: https://drawdown.org/publications/drawdown-lift-policy-brief-girls-education-and-family-planning
Oyster Reef Restoration: https://theconversation.com/huge-restored-reef-aims-to-bring-south-australias-oysters-back-from-the-brink-77405
Reef Credits: https://eco-markets.org.au/reef-credits/
Trust for Nature: https://trustfornature.org.au/
Seaweed Carbon Capture: https://whatsyour2040.com/marine-permaculture/
Food waste statistics: 14 percent of the world’s food is lost before it even reaches the market. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/food-loss-and-waste-must-be-reduced-greater-food-security-and
Banana ‘waste’ becomes food: https://aicd.companydirectors.com.au/membership/company-director-magazine/2019-back-editions/november/this-banana-farmer-is-tackling-australias-food-waste-crisis-through-sustainable-innovation
RenewEconomy is full of ongoing renewables stories: https://reneweconomy.com.au/
TotallyRenewableYack.org.au has been doing amazing things. If you have more listening time, one telling of their story is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y032YVmx-fc
Biomimicry for smarter technology: https://asknature.org/
Circular Economy in Victoria: https://www.cev.org.au/
Green steel stories: https://reneweconomy.com.au/another-nail-in-coals-coffin-german-steel-furnace-runs-on-renewable-hydrogen-in-world-first-55906/ ), and a dedicated plant is being built in Austria (sadly, not Australia – yet) https://www.intelligentliving.co/amp/worlds-largest-zero-emissions-hydrogen-steel-plant/
The BZE 2018 report on “Electrifying Industry” https://bze.org.au/research_release/electrifying-industry/
Aussie entrepreneur like Cannon-Brookes exploring for first mover advantage https://www.manmonthly.com.au/Mike+Cannon-Brookes+looks+to+solar-powered+steel
Robot ship cleaner: https://smartmaritimenetwork.com/2020/03/16/hull-cleaning-robot-system-introduced/
Electric airplanes for cleaner, quieter Australian air travel: www.reneweconomy.com.au/how-this-electric-airplane-could-reshape-regional-air-travel-26533/
Microfibrillated cellulose material solutions: https://www.zeoform.com/
Living Buildings Australia: https://living-future.org.au/living-building-challenge/
Cape Patterson sustainable housing in Victoria: https://www.liveatthecape.com.au/about.html
NSW property developer Darren Pearson builds homes that sell themselves: https://www.thefifthestate.com.au/columns/news-from-the-front-desk/news-from-the-front-desk-issue-no-231/
Next generation regenerative action on climate solutions: https://regeneration.org/nexus
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CREDITS
Original music and audio editing assistance by Ian Hopkinson, Human Hacker and serial digital entrepreneur.
Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/RegenerativeBusiness
SUMMARY: Some people think that “renewable energy” is all about solar panels, wind turbines and batteries. They can be trapped into thinking that if they can’t afford to install solar panels and batteries or buy green power then there’s no useful action they can take towards increasing the take up of renewable energy.
Climate energy solutions are about re-inventing our complex, 1-way energy distribution systems. There’s a lot more than just plugging in a couple of new power sources to replace coal-fired generators.
So it can really be worth looking at the broader picture – because you might have options you didn’t realise - at home, where you work, or in your community. Let's explore just some of the fascinating solutions being implemented in Australia and around the world.
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LINKS
Local renewable energy Refrigeration solution in Africa: https://www.fastcompany.com/90489600/this-pay-as-you-go-solar-fridge-helps-poor-african-families-save-money-and-food Totally Renewable Yackandandah: http://totallyrenewableyack.org.au/ Indigo Power: https://indigopower.com.au/ Enova Energy: https://enovaenergy.com.au/ Australian Community Energy Coops: https://c4ce.net.au/ Solar garden in the Riverina: https://pingala.org.au/haystacks-solar-garden/ Community hydro in the Yarra Valley: https://upperyarra.net.au/upper-yarra-community-power/
EV solutions EV recharging with wave power: https://www.thedrive.com/tech/39885/ocean-waves-alone-power-the-ev-charger-on-this-remote-scottish-island Lamp post EV chargers: https://thedriven.io/2020/03/24/siemens-converts-all-lamp-posts-on-residential-street-to-electric-car-chargers/ and https://www.ubitricity.com/ Australian Ace EVs https://www.ace-ev.com.au/ Lifetime costs of EVs: https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2021/09/electric-cars-can-cost-40-less-to-maintain-than-gasoline-cars/ EV cost calculator: https://electricvehiclecouncil.com.au/about-ev/cost-calculator/
Solar re-imagined Wholesale market access: https://www.amberelectric.com.au/how-it-works Solar without panels: https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/batteries-with-no-solar-changing-market-gives-households-new-energy-options/ Factories as solar farms: https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/new-rooftop-solar-urban-power-stations-to-play-both-sides-of-the-meter/ Floating solar: https://reneweconomy.com.au/massive-60mw-floating-solar-plant-secures-25-year-ppa-in-singapore-25262/ and https://reneweconomy.com.au/china-completes-new-70mw-floating-solar-pv-project-on-old-coal-area-93542/ and https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-16/australias-first-floating-solar-farm-will-be-buoyant-in-lismore/9157878 Plant-saving solar farm: https://reneweconomy.com.au/gupta-solar-farm-to-employ-innovative-construction-method-to-save-bonsai-forest-86366/ Farms as solar farms: https://www.energymatters.com.au/renewable-news/how-a-solar-and-agriculture-partnership-can-rescue-aussie-farms/
Enabling financial shifts
Blockchain-enables local energy tradinghttps://www.me-solshare.com/what-we-do/ Solar AND battery as a service: https://thefifthestate.com.au/energy-lead/energy/so-now-you-can-pay-for-your-solar-on-a-planit-looks-like-a-phone-plan-and-business-is-doing-really-well Community-funded renewables investing: https://www.thefifthestate.com.au/energy-lead/business-energy-lead/green-loans-on-the-rise-with-plentis-opensolar-deal
Hydrogen variants Green hydrogen from Fukushima: https://www.rechargenews.com/transition/japan-opens-worlds-largest-green-hydrogen-plant-near-fukushima-disaster-site/2-1-769361 Large scale hydrogen storage: https://reneweconomy.com.au/regional-nsw-town-to-host-large-scale-hydrogen-energy-storage-project-states-first-79334/ BP and hydrogen: https://reneweconomy.com.au/bp-looks-to-add-1-5gw-wind-and-solar-for-huge-renewable-hydrogen-project-in-w-a-45931/ Home hydrogen energy storage: https://ideaspies.com/posts/residential-solar-hydrogen-energy-storage-solution
Ongoing Sources Renew Economy: https://reneweconomy.com.au/ One Step Off the Grid: https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/ The Driven: https://thedriven.io/
Project Drawdown: https://drawdown.org/solutions
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CREDITS
Original music and audio editing assistance by Ian Hopkinson, Human Hacker and serial digital entrepreneur.
Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/RegenerativeBusiness
ReGenOmics Down Under is a podcast by Leigh Baker of Balance3.com.au - it explores the wealth of climate solutions happening on the ground in Australia and New Zealand, as well as around the world.
In this episode, Leigh talks with Stephen King from the Australian Insulation Foundation about why insulation is a surprisingly powerful emissions solution.
So what's insulation got to do with climate?
It's a significant, evidence-based climate solution. Insulation was ranked as #16 in the original Drawdown top 80, and it is still highly ranked in their latest findings. It's thought that it could contribute anything up to 40 to 60% in reducing global energy consumption.
It's a solution that's being delivered with a unique, community-building, climate positive twist in Western Australia. It's a multi-benefit solution that improves people's health and wellbeing while it saves them money on energy bills,
And the Australian Insulation Foundation has come up with a powerful piece of creative entrepreneurial thinking to deliver that solution to the people who need it most.
Today's story
We started by talking Stephen King about how the Australian Insulation Foundation began with a middle of the night idea to help a social housing tenant.
From there, we moved on to the more general benefits of insulation, and it’s importance for health as well as thermal comfort. Stephen gave some good advice on how to evaluate your own insulation and do it safely. And then he shared a really can-do vision for the community of Geraldton.
Stephen told us about how the Australian Insulation Foundation actually operates, the jobs it’s creating, and about a leverage point that could multiply the impact of what he does. That secret weapon also has potential to take his model national and to grow the business of other insulation installers.
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LINKS
Australian Insulation Foundation: aifwa.org.au
CleanState’s Insulation Revolution podcast: climactic.fm/show/clean-state/the-insulation-revolution-the-simple-social-enterprise-model-inspiring-a-state-with-stephen-king/
Project Drawdown’s Insulation findings: drawdown.org/solutions/insulation
Australian Government's Your Home resources: yourhome.gov.au
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CREDITS
Original music and audio editing by Ian Hopkinson, Human Hacker and serial digital entrepreneur.
Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/RegenerativeBusiness
ReGenOmics Down Under is a podcast by Leigh Baker of Balance3.com.au . It explores the wealth of climate solutions happening on the ground in Australia and New Zealand, as well as around the world.
In this episode, Leigh talks with Bob Sharon, founder of BlueIoT about Smart Building Management systems and how they are delivering significant Climate Solutions (along with new career opportunities for engineers and developers).
Big buildings consume a lot of energy, creating a lot of emissions. Smart Building Management is a fast-growing field of opportunity to: substantially reduce greenhouse emissions increase building comfort for occupants reduce building running costs
Climate solutions are exciting opportunities
We live in a world where most of the mainstream media coverage on climate action is focused on either: high-level action where big government and big business do big things; OR low-level actions asking ordinary consumers to use less or spend more on expensive alternatives.
That’s barely beginning of the story. Those two over-worked themes are like the pastry layers on a vanilla slice – necessary, but not the main event. There’s actually a wealth of accessible action when you get out and start looking for problems that need solving and the opportunities they create.
Solving the challenges we face has created a quiet design revolution – and one piece of the action is smarter building management.
Smart building management for a brighter future
BlueIot is in the business of developing and delivering platforms and integrations for smart buildings & cities environmental management. Through their platform, they enable substantial reductions in risk, carbon footprint, energy, maintenance and operational costs while improving safety, OHS, cyber security, health & wellness, human comfort and productivity.
They have developed and leverage a range of leading edge technologies, platforms, sensors of all descriptions combined with data analytics and interpretation, machine learning and AI.
In this interview, founder Bob Sharon tells stories of their adventure so far.
LINKS
Blue IoT is a Melbourne based property technology business: blueiot.com.au
The Citizen’s Climate Lobby is an international nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy climate change organization focused on policies to address climate change. citizensclimatelobby.org
Project Drawdown is an independent body modelling and ranking existing, commercial climate soultions. Drawdown.org/solutions
The built environment solutions Drawdown has ranked include: Smart Thermostats
Building Automation Systems Insulation Dynamic Glass High-Performance Glass Green and Cool Roofs District Heating High-Efficiency Heat Pumps Solar Hot Water Low-Flow Fixtures Building Retrofitting Net-Zero Buildings
CREDITS
Original music and audio editing by Ian Hopkinson, Human Hacker and serial digital entrepreneur.
Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/RegenerativeBusiness
ReGenOmics Down Under is a podcast by Leigh Baker of Balance3 exploring the wealth of climate solutions happening on the ground in Australia and New Zealand, as well as around the world.
This episode explores what the human race already knows about how to reverse global warming – starting with the commercial, scaling solutions modelled and ranked by the independent not-for-profit Project Drawdown in 2017 (and updated in 2020)
Project Drawdown’s findings include: We CAN reverse global warming – even if we just use the quantifiable, multi-benefit commercial solutions that WE ALREADY HAVE and are already scaling. NONE of the 80 solutions require further policy change from national governments (while it would help, all the solutions ARE commercial and ARE scaling) 79 of the solutions are multi-benefit solutions that make the world BETTER (the only harmful solution of significance was nuclear). The 80 solutions are WHOLE-OF-ECONOMY solutions that go way beyond electriciy generation and transport to include food, agriculture, construction, education, health and materials. The high-potential new solutions that they didn’t have numbers for are likely to be every bit as powerful and even more regenerative than what we have now.
The list of 80 commercial, quantified Drawdown solutions can a bit overwhelming, and each one only gets 2 pages of explanation.
So in this episode we dive in to a couple and see how they’re happening in Australia, with examples from two past Climactic episodes. Tropical forest regeneration Insulation
Forest regeneration ranked #5 and #12 on the original Drawdown top 80. And here’s an example of what a small group of concerned Australian researchers created, told by Jess Panegyres from The Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network
Insulation ranked #21 on the original Drawdown list. We explore the action that one Perth insulation installer began back while Drawdown was still doing their modelling.
Drawdown only modelled solutions where they could find a robust, peer-reviewed data sets – so there are many, many more powerful, existing solutions that aren’t that well-measured yet – from vortex water processing to cellulose-based building materials.
So it’s more useful to think of Drawdown as a guide book of highlights rather than a definitive encyclopedia.
We live in a world where most of the mainstream media coverage on climate action is focused on either: high-level action where big government and big business do big things; OR low-level actions about consumers using less or spending more on expensive alternatives.
That’s barely beginning of the story. Those two themes like the pastry layers on a vanilla slice – necessary, but not the main event. There’s actually a wealth of accessible action when you get out and start looking for problems that need solving and the opportunities they create.
Solving the challenges we face has created a quiet design revolution – the development of systems and processes that regenerate communities and ecosystems. It’s a whole lot easier to see the best, multi-benefit solutions when you understand the straightforward principles regenerative design.
Re-gen-omics Down Under explores the solutions happening and the thinking behind them – so if you’re interested in solutions, learn to find your action opportunities and listen to your gut.
LINKS Paul Hawken, founder of Project Drawdown, speaking on Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOTLtrt6OIE
Key pages from Project Drawdown's website (where their open-source finding are published): Their current list of evidence-based solutions https://drawdown.org/solutions Their downloadable updates https://drawdown.org/drawdown-review
The Climactic Live episode BZE - Fight for Planet A Panel for the forest regeneration story https://www.climactic.fm/show/climactic/climactic-live-bze-fight-for-planet-a-panel/
The full Clean State podcast on The Insulation Revolution with Stephen Kinghttps://www.climactic.fm/show/clean-state/the-insulation-revolution-the-simple-social-enterprise-model-inspiring-a-state-with-stephen-king/
CREDITS Original music and audio editing by Ian Hopkinson, Human Hacker and serial digital entrepreneur.
Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/RegenerativeBusiness
RE - because the best solutions are REgional GEN - because the best solutions reGENerate (not just reduce harm) OMICS - because the best solutions create better economies (especially regional)
Down Under - because our focus is our region - Australia and New Zealand - with stories from across the Pacific, through the “global south” and around the world.
We have the solutions - and they're spreading
This show explores the wealth of actionable climate solutions that are being delivered “down under” by citizen-innovators in local communities and business organisations across our region.
Show host Leigh Baker of Balance3 leverages decades of supply chain experience and a passion for practical solutions to go beyond "everybody knows" and talk to the climate solutionists playing the regeneration game.
CREDITS Original music and audio editing by Ian Hopkinson, Human Hacker and serial digital entrepreneur.
Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/RegenerativeBusiness