“The Memorandum of Understanding we have signed with Tamil Nadu signifies that climate change is an area we will be closely looking at,” Mr. Rann said, addressing the Rotary Club of Madras. “During our current visit, our job is to be a door-opener to allow businesses from both States to engage in this area.”

Mr. Rann said the “strong traditions” of both States in wind power was an area of commonality. “Tamil Nadu is a significant international leader in wind power,” he said. “We have spoken with several businesses here who are interested in developing wind farms on the western coast of South Australia.”

Wind farms

Ausker Energies and Suzlon, both Australian companies, are now developing wind farm projects in South Australia, and local firms such as the Aban group had expressed interest in entering into partnerships with them during discussions held over the past two days.

Mr. Rann said Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s Labor Party government had taken the lead in the fight against climate change by signing the Kyoto Protocol early in its tenure, unlike the John Howard regime that had “its head buried in the sand.”

South Australia has around 40 per cent of the world’s uranium reserves, and Mr. Rann believes that nuclear energy has a crucial role to play as an alternative source of energy to help reduce carbon emissions. “Our uranium reserves put us in a similar situation to where Kuwait is with regard to oil,” he said. Reliance Industries had entered into an agreement with a uranium industry explorer and miner, and Mr. Rann said more private firms expressed interest in investing in South Australia’s uranium industry.

Around 48 per cent of Australia’s wind energy and 47 per cent of solar power comes from South Australia, and the State is currently involved in an initiative to source 50 per cent of the energy requirements for all government buildings from sustainable energy sources. South Australia is also the first State to have greenhouse gas reduction legislation.

Recycling technologies

Several local firms were also seeking to engage with their Australian counterparts to import recycling technologies. Innovative Total Solutions Australia (ITSA), a company that develops composting technologies, on Monday signed an agreement with VNS Enviro Biotechq to “work towards a Memorandum of Understanding,” Daniel Mitroussidis, Director, ITSA, said.

Mr. Mitroussidis said ITSA had discussions with several enterprises in Chennai, besides VNS, to bring the Biobin technology to Chennai. Biobins are vessels that help to manage, compost and recycle organic waste. “In dumps in Chennai, 40-50 per cent of the waste is organic,” Mr. Mitroussidis said.

“In Koyambedu market, there are tonnes of waste material that is not being dealt with effectively… This technology will help to divert that waste from landfills and dumps. In places such as Coimbatore, Namakkal and Erode, big corporations are spending millions on incinerating compost, while there is a huge market for it in the Middle East.”