NECA Queensland has welcomed a plan by the state government to establish a building and construction code of practice which is due to commence on 1 July 2013. [ + ]

EnergyAustralia has voiced its support for the Queensland Government Commission of Audit recommendation to privatise parts of Queensland’s energy sector. [ + ]

A record 6000 visitors from around the globe attended the annual DMG/Mori Seiki Open House at the Deckel Maho plant in Pfronten, Germany. The five-day event, from 29 January to 2 February, featured over 70 machines, six of which were world premieres. [ + ]

Schneider Electric has announced the establishment of customer care centres of excellence in both its Sydney and Adelaide offices, resulting in the creation of 35 new positions at the Gepps Cross site. This is in addition to the existing staff at the Gepps Cross site currently performing this role, bringing the total number of customer care staff to 47. [ + ]

The University of Queensland will share a $3.3 million CSIRO grant to investigate the most economically efficient energy network for Australia’s future. Professor John Foster and Dr Liam Wagner from UQ School of Economics Energy Economics and Management Group will collaborate with the University of Sydney, University of Newcastle and University of NSW on a three-year project to provide a suite of tools and models to plan and manage the future grid. [ + ]

Construction of the Perth Wave Energy Project is due to begin next month. Located at Garden Island, the project will start delivering green energy to the grid in 2014. [ + ]

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has today introduced a single regulatory compliance mark (RCM) to illustrate a device’s compliance with all applicable ACMA standards - telecommunications, radiocommunications, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and electromagnetic energy (EME). [ + ]

The National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) welcomed the launch of the Electrical Equipment Safety System (EESS) in Queensland today as a major step forward in stamping out the use of non-compliant product. [ + ]

After acquiring 65% of True Value Solar’s shares in 2011, German company M+W Group has secured the remaining 35% to acquire the company. [ + ]

Increasing electrical apprentice pay rates would have a damaging impact on the industry and result in fewer employers taking on new apprentices, the CEO of NECA has said. [ + ]

The South Australian Consumer and Business Services (CBS) has issued a public warning about the company following complaints of faulty equipment and warranty work not being completed. [ + ]

A University of Sydney report has found that electrical apprentice award rates are only slightly higher than welfare payments and fall mostly below the Henderson Poverty Line. [ + ]

WorkSafe Victoria has launched a major campaign to highlight the physical, mental and social benefits of injured workers getting back to work as soon as it is safe for them to do so. The public awareness campaign highlights that injured workers who are off work for three months or longer face significant health risks. [ + ]

Estonia has become the world’s first country to launch a nationwide fast-charging network for electric vehicles, using technology provided by power and automation technology group ABB. [ + ]

Australia now has the opportunity to make transformative changes to our electricity market to put power in the hands of consumers and businesses, according to the Chief Executive of Australia’s peak clean energy industry body, Clean Energy Council. [ + ]