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Sunday, April 4, 2021

Australia's development of missile technology

 In January, and again at the end of March this year, Australia's Government announced it intended to allocate $1 billion for the development of new long-range hypersonic cruise missiles. 


Australian researchers at the University of Queensland developed two essential technologies for hypersonic cruise missiles: 

  • In July 2002, the hypersonic scramjet engine that will propel these missiles, and
  • In December 2009, high-temperature materials to enable sustained hypersonic flight without the outer casings of these missiles melting. 

Then, following the failure of a missile test flight in September 2013, Australian development of the technology was abandoned. 



Other missile manufacturers and exporters have since occupied the market that the Australian defence industries ignored. 

University of Queensland researchers may have contributed to this absence of interest; The first patent application for hypersonic scramjet engine was filed in 2006 - by a U.S. defence contractor.

Friday, April 2, 2021

Community Batteries

"A community battery is a relatively new concept in Australia. It is a shared battery solution located in a local neighbourhood and allows customers and the wider community to share in the multiple benefits that batteries can provide." (See Ausgrid "Community Batteries")

Under ideal conditions, only 1 kW of generating capacity and grid capacity is needed to provide the total of 24 kWh per day used by the above single dwelling. The "community battery" provides the peak demand of 5 kW from time to time during each day as appliances switch on and off.

The battery can be an alternative infrastructure item, potentially replacing 4 kW of generating capacity and grid capacity for the single dweliing in this example.