Page 2504 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 23 August 1994
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Let me go on to a third proposal, a split cycle engine that is being developed in a technology park in Queensland. This is a new one that most people may not have heard about. It is one of the most remarkable inventions to hit the world. In America a trillion dollar project was launched recently to develop a small, lightweight, fuel efficient engine. The engine has been running in Queensland in prototype form for a couple of years, I believe. This engine is remarkable. Let me make a couple of points about it. Referring to the invention, it is said:
... he has thrown out the large, unwieldy crankshaft and replaced it with a series of Geneva wheels (shaped like starfish) rotating on an internal gear system and driving a series of small, lightweight pistons in a virtually zero-friction environment.
That means that there is very little wear and tear. Also:
... a 500cc version of his Split Cycle two-stroke is equivalent to a 6000cc conventional four-stroke. And the smaller-capacity Split Cycle engine has better power, torque, fuel-burning efficiency and smoothness.
... a 2-litre Split cycle engine would cost about $A300 to produce - one third of conventional engines.
The engine uses low-grade fuels, which can be obtained from low-quality crops. The potential for the undeveloped world is remarkable. Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder, did not make his money by making the software but by licensing it to all and sundry, and that is the principle that is going to be used for this split cycle engine in the technology park in Queensland. That means that the technology will not be able to be stopped. It is not just for car engines; it is for any single thing that needs a motor. Let us have a look at the interest there has been in Australia and around the world. The chairman of the company is Rick Mayne. He served time for Her Majesty's Government in New Zealand for passing stolen products, but he served his time and he has gone on to do wonderful things. Sir Jack Brabham is the chairman of the company. A great deal of interest in the European licensing rights has been shown throughout the world. The ACT could get involved in this area by encouraging businesses in the ACT to develop all forms of motors. The potential is incredible. The units can be tooled with existing metals almost in a school engineering shop. You do not need to use the normal foundry methods of development for the parts for this engine.
There has been a lot of talk about energy efficiency and whatever over the years. We have done a lot in the ACT, and we are perfectly placed to produce a technology park of our own. We have the CSIRO. We have Federal Government departments. We control not just the State function but also the municipal function for the ACT. We can work directly with businesses in the ACT and turn around the economic situation. But what we need is a will. We need a goal. We need a determination that it is going to happen. We need to cut the red tape. Each of us should carry a big pair of scissors and, every time we see red tape, particularly when it involves new business development - - -
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The member's time has expired.
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