Nova has switched on a floating solar farm at a Cheshire silica sand quarry, delivering on-site power generation for one of the UK’s largest producers of high-quality industrial silica sand. Developed with environmental consultancy RSK, the array is mounted on a buoyant platform system on the quarry lake, preserving limited land area for extraction and processing infrastructure. The installation reduces grid dependence for energy-intensive washing and grading plant, and will require geotechnical and hydraulic checks on anchoring, bank stability and water-level variability over the quarry’s remaining life.

BHP and the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation are trialling a marine biofuel blend derived from used cooking oil and waste animal fats on a BHP‑chartered bulk carrier voyage from Australia to China. The pilot focuses on blending, handling and tracing multi‑feedstock biofuels through existing bunker supply chains, using current marine fuel infrastructure rather than dedicated new storage or pipelines. Outcomes will inform fuel specification, engine performance and contamination risk management for large dry bulk vessels on long‑haul export routes.

Australian-owned Vital Chemical, approaching its 50th year, is supplying erosion and dust control solutions to major Queensland civil and construction projects, with products formulated for environmentally and sustainably sound performance. The company’s portfolio targets typical road and earthworks issues such as exposed batter erosion, haul road dust and stockpile stabilisation, aiming to reduce sediment run-off and particulate emissions without relying on traditional solvent-based binders. For geotechnical and civil contractors, this signals wider availability of project-scale, compliance-focused surface treatments that can be integrated into construction environmental management plans.