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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 INTERVIEW: ‘Reform’ and the ‘micro-factory’ to revolutionize ‘green’
Veena Sahajwalla, director of the Centre for Sustainable Materials Research & Technology at the University of New South Wales. Photo courtesy of the University of New South Wales’ Centre for Sustainable Materials Research & Technology
Veena Sahajwalla, director of the Centre for Sustainable Materials Research & Technology at the University of New South Wales, is known for inventing a cutting-edge ‘green’ steel technology to convert waste rubber tires into metal alloys. During an interview with ‘Taipei Times’ staff reporter Kuo Chia-erh in Darwin, Australia, on Oct. 6 ahead of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, Sahajwalla talked about ‘green’ manufacturing and the development of sustainable materials used in cars
Taipei Times （TT）: Polymer injection technology is about transforming waste rubber tires into metal alloys. How does that work and why is it relevant to us?
Veena Sahajwalla: We can find basic elements like carbon and hydrogen in rubber tires. Carbon has got so many ways to be used, depending on what properties the products need. That technology is about the transformation of waste tires, which makes them into different types of materials for various applications.
Sometimes people burn tires for the purpose of energy. I think destroying waste tires just for generating energy is such a low-value use. The ability to produce high-value material is the key to achieving economic success. Therefore, we think about the idea of “reform” as a concept that goes beyond “reduce, reuse and recycle.”
TT: Does that take us away from traditional thinking?
Sahajwalla: People often consider that the economy and environmental sustainability are mutually exclusive: “If I am doing things good for the environment, that must be expensive.” However, our logic is a totally different mindset. You might achieve both goals if you try to combine the two things together. Environmental sustainability should be truly driven by the fact that you are making value-added materials, which transform the ways of manufacturing and bring economic benefits.
There are multiple ways toward sustainability. We have to anticipate what society will need and what the future drivers will be. For instance, how are we going to monitor the toxicity in gas and soil? All of that comes down to our ability to deliver sensors. How can we make those sensors available and affordable? What kind of material properties do people need in future sensors? We think about the solution not only for today, but also for tomorrow.
TT: Is the “green” steel technology mature enough to be fully commercialized? What is the driving force for scaling up?
Sahajwalla: The technology has already been running commercially in different parts of the world, such as Australia, the UK and South Korea. People are willing to implement new technologies if they see the potential and performance of those inventions.
Scalability is absolutely important. Can we have a solution in a way that is available to the masses? That question is the reason why our team at the Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology began to develop the concept of a “micro-factory” that promotes “green” manufacturing and allows people to transform local waste materials wherever they are. You do not need to have a large factory to achieve capacity. For us, a micro-factory is module thinking. Mass production is about the numbers and upscaling comes from adding more and more micro-factories.
People can have many micro-factories for different conditions and can deliver tailor-made solutions for different kinds of waste. For example, a lot of our projects at the center are about electronic waste recycling and computer component manufacturers, who use different types of plastics to make products. Everyone can be a small producer through micro-factories and that also helps the development of small companies or start-ups. Start from your first micro-factory, earn some money and get another module. Micro-factories allow everyone to be part of global supply chains.
TT: Any ongoing “module” projects at the center?
Sahajwalla: A lot of modules are working at our center, and many companies in Australia have expressed interest in those micro-factories, seeing the idea as a new business opportunity. I think that people are likely to see some factories running commercially next year. We are also talking with Covestro AG about the possibility of producing a type of new polymer with enhancing properties based on the waste material.
TT: Will micro-factories change the existing supply chain in the global automotive industry?
Sahajwalla: Some of the global car manufacturers are shutting down production in Australia, such as Toyota Motor Co and General Motors Co. Those skilled workers understand how to make factories work, but they do not have to always make finished products and rely on existing supply chains. The concept of the micro-factory is not just about technology, but is much about business models. People can develop new solutions with relatively smaller investments in factories. Product design and materials used in products would certainly change with time.
TT: What is your view on trends related to sustainable materials used in automobiles?
Sahajwalla: When it comes to automobiles, one of the big issues is always energy. Consumers are becoming aware of electric vehicles, but those cars right now still cost more than fossil fuel-powered cars.
I think that if we increase the ability that allows people to make the input materials used in electric cars more affordable, then the cost of the entire car can go down. Making materials more sustainable and affordable should be important. The key point is that everyone wants less waste from vehicles, and the properties of materials are going to be more demanding. Those materials require mechanical and electronic performance. You also have to think about what kind of materials can give strength to cars because people cannot compromise on safety.
Another trend is about how to remove and transform waste materials, such as plastics, tires and glass. They are not functioning parts, but that does not mean that they are useless. Many manufacturers and consumers are aware of this issue, and “reform” would bring cars back to life again in different ways.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
