AUSTRALIA | Wineries across Australia have been awarded grants as part of the government's BRII programme, the Business Research and Innovation Initiative.
As the Australian wine sector moves towards its emissions reduction targets, six innovative packaging solutions for premium wine have been awarded Federal Government BRII grants to test their feasibility.
The grants have been issued as part of the Business Research and Innovation Initiative (BRII) – Renewables and Low Emissions Round, managed by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources. BRII provides funding to startups and SMEs to develop innovative solutions for government policy and service delivery challenges.
Alternative packaging for premium Australian wine was among three challenges of the Renewables and Low Emissions Round.
BRII grants were awarded to Margaret River Winery, Dr AHA Data and AI Technology, Delivery Happiness International, Wine One, Bravu and Plantm.
The technical and commercial feasibility of these solutions will be tested over three months. Grant recipients who successfully demonstrate the feasibility of their solutions may be invited to apply for a further grant to develop a proof of concept and prototype.
Dr Martin Cole, Wine Australia Chief Executive Officer, said the Australian grape and wine sector had a goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with a 42 percent reduction by 2030.
“The manufacture of wine packaging and the transport of packaged wine account for around 70 percent of the Australian wine industry’s carbon emissions with heavy glass bottles being the main contributor,” said Dr Cole.
“Although the current alternatives to heavy glass bottles, such as lightweight glass bottles, bag-in-box, aluminium cans and PET plastic produce lower emissions, the best innovations in sustainable packaging are yet to come. Wine Australia would like the Australian wine sector to be at the forefront of these developments.”
Dr Cole, on behalf of Wine Australia, thanked the Australian Government for funding the feasibility phase of these six potential alternatives to heavy glass bottles.
“Innovative products such as these are critical to the grape and wine sector achieving its net zero goal,” Dr Cole added.
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