New investment, export and partnership opportunities were explored in California by a delegation of some of Victoria's leading clean tech companies led by Environment, Climate Change and Innovation Minister Gavin Jennings.
The Victorian Clean Technology Industry Capability Mission (ICM) showcased last week Victoria’s expertise in technologies as diverse as carbon emissions reduction tools to water management.
"The Brumby Government is taking action to help grow Victoria’s clean technology industry which not only will help achieve a sustainable environment for the State, but with the major economic investment involved will create many jobs for Victorian families," Jennings said.
"Victoria has a critical mass of more than 1,000 companies poised for growth in eight clean tech sectors: energy, land, air, waste, water, green buildings, sustainable technologies and services.
"Victoria has much to offer in clean tech partnerships with California as we are a global leader in some key research areas that have major clean tech commercial applications such as bio and nanotechnology, advanced materials, and ICT."
Clean technology companies work in such areas as renewable energy, green transportation and green buildings with the aim of creating appliances, systems or buildings that are energy efficient and create a smaller environmental footprint.
California is the world’s biggest market for clean technology, and the ICM is a direct outcome of the 2007 Memorandum of Understanding between Victoria and California to collaborate on climate change action.
The ICM coincides with Jennings’s visit to BIO 2009 in Atlanta where he will promote and create business for Victoria’s biotech industry. The Brumby Government has supported 17 overseas trade fairs and missions in which 180 Victorian companies participated and which were expected to provide a $136 million boost in mature annual exports.
The Brumby Government will this year release a Climate Change Green Paper and a Green Jobs Action Plan aimed at seizing opportunities while confronting the challenges of climate change.
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