GAP hosts high level conferences, seminars, briefings, online forums and business missions, both internationally and within Australia.

Through keynote speakers, roundtable discussions and a workshop, the Forum sought to identify Australia's most pressing water problems, the nanotechnologies that could address them and aid the development and commercialisation of water nanotechnologies. The major outcome from the event was the agreement to set up a National Consultative Committee on Nanotechnology Commercialisation to coordinate and accelerate innovation and serve as a platform for Government, Industry and Academia to drive the adoption of commercial nanotechnology.

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Some of the key topics discussed at the Forum included:
 
   1) Need for integration across the administrative, regulatory, policy, and funding organisations in the water industry;

   2) Opportunity for greater coordination between the providers of technology and the potential users; evidence of information market failure;

   3) Desire for integrated energy generation and water purification solutions on a local scale; and

   4) Interest in the development of advanced water management solutions in overseas markets, potentially transferable to Australia.

The "water policy group" identified market failure across the industry. Companies and authorities remain unaware of the mechanisms available for developing, exploiting or sharing technology, e.g. the Water Trust funds. The Forum highlighted the relationship between water and energy and the opportunities for nanoscale technologies to play a major role in both sectors.

The "water leadership group" agreed on the existence of vertical market failure in terms of new technology in the water industry, in particular, the dissemination of information regarding emerging technologies and society's growing demands for new solutions. The participants foresaw promising commercial opportunities in the establishment of better information, investment and product development systems with the aim of increasing the uptake of these radical new technologies.

These conclusions will drive the agenda of the National Consultative Committee on Nanotechnology Commercialisation, under chairmanship of Dr Peter Binks, CEO of Nanotechnology Victoria.

The Forum featured internationally recognised nanotechnology and water experts. It was opened by The Hon. John Brumby MP, who highlighted challenges faced by the water industry within Victoria. The keynote speakers over the two days of the Forum were Mr Keith Blakely, Chief Executive Officer of NanoDynamics, Inc. - one of the major private sector nanotechnology firms, with important activities in both water and energy nanotechnologies, and Prof John Langford AM, Director of the Melbourne Water Research Centre - a recognised authority and expert in water issues for over 30 years.

The workshop topics were based on a briefing document, Nanotechnology Applications in Water Management, prepared by Nanotechnology Victoria, a member of the GAP Forum Steering Committee. The document can be reviewed here.

The GAP Forum on Commercialising Nanotechnology in Water, supported by three major sponsors, Victorian Government, Nanotechnology Victoria and Qantas Airways, was held on 15 and 16 June 2006 at the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development in Melbourne, Australia.

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Last Updated 8 May 20068