In a week when broadband policy has been the focus of much-needed debate, a new international survey has shown Australia slipping further behind key competitors in terms of our readiness to use and make the most of information technology, said Ai Group Chief Executive Innes Willox. [ + ]

A recent study conducted by University of Technology’s Institute of Sustainable Futures (ISF), as commissioned by the Total Environment Centre, has highlighted the absolute lack of disclosure by Australia’s electricity retailers regarding the origin of energy sources. [ + ]

NECA has welcomed the launch of today’s small-business campaign and said it will give the campaign its full support.The Small Business - Too Big to Ignore campaign, which was officially launched in Western Sydney in front of an audience of more than 600 small business owners including representatives from NECA, is designed to put small business centre stage in the run-up to September’s federal election. [ + ]

The Siemens Industry Automation Division and Bentley Systems announced at the Hannover Messe Fair that they are stepping up their strategic collaboration, focusing on the process industry sector in fields such as chemicals, energy, pharmaceuticals, and oil and gas. [ + ]

CBD Energy (ASX:CBD), a diversified Australian renewable energy company, has negotiated a sublicence for use of the Westinghouse Solar brand and technologies in Australia. [ + ]

ABB, the global power and automation technology group, has launched Emax 2, a low-voltage circuit breaker with integrated energy management functions. Replacing existing traditional breakers with the Emax 2 breaker has the potential to achieve annual savings of 5.8 million megawatt hours (MWh), according to the company. [ + ]

Graybar, the Fortune 500, US-headquartered distributor of electrical, communications and data networking products and provider of related supply chain management and logistics services, has announced the opening of a new branch in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and the addition of a customer counter and on-site inventory to its existing location in Hudson Valley, New York. [ + ]

Power and automation technology group ABB has been appointed the main electrical contractor (MEC) for a new floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel at the Ichthys oil and gas field in the Timor Sea off Western Australia. [ + ]

Wheatland Tube, North America’s manufacturer of steel electrical conduit, has appointed Dennis Fowler as the Southeast Regional Sales Manager, Electrical Division. Fowler has more than 25 years of industry experience and most recently worked for Cooper Wiring Devices division of Eaton. [ + ]

Master Electricians Australia (MEA) has today urged the NSW Government to take immediate action toward legislating the mandatory fitting of safety switches in all NSW homes following a recent spate of severe electrical safety incidents. [ + ]

The public comment period for the flammable refrigerants Code of Practice is closing on 15 April. [ + ]

FWBC has released a guidance note for industry on sham contracting. The guidance note gives the building and construction industry information about how FWBC interprets the laws it enforces. [ + ]

More than two million Australians are now getting cheaper power and saving some half a billion dollars a year on their electricity bills, because of their switch to solar energy, according to the Clean Energy Council. The number of Australian homes with solar power systems has passed the one million mark, according to figures from the Clean Energy Regulator that confirm the milestone was reached in March. [ + ]

A Curtin University researcher who has improved the reliability of wind-generated energy entering the grid was recently awarded the prestigious John Madsen Medal by Engineers Australia. [ + ]

Stanford University students are building the Start.Home, a solar-powered, net-zero emissions house that they say could transform green home construction. [ + ]