The best and brightest of South Australia’s growing cleantech sector have been chosen to fight out the 2009 Clevergreen Innovators to Watch Awards.

In the lead up to Adelaide’s inaugural Clevergreen Conference and Showcase in February 2010, the awards acknowledge environmentally sustainable products and services.

Environment and Conservation Minister Jay Weatherill says the calibre of the finalists demonstrates the breadth and expertise of the industry.

“Driven by the need to create a sustainable community, cleantech is going from strength to strength in this State,” Mr Weatherill says.

“These awards recognise, for the first time, the cleantech sector’s contribution to the economy and the environment.

“As we respond to climate change and the challenges of water security and energy efficiency, many South Australian companies are seizing market opportunities here and overseas.

“We applaud the hundreds of cleantech companies who are out there doing great things – reducing emissions, saving water, creating jobs, attracting investment and, just as importantly, encouraging behaviour change in people.”

Mr Weatherill says the finalists were chosen from a field of high quality entries.

The winners will be announced at the Clevergreen Conference and Showcase on 16 February 2010.

The finalists in the product category are:

• Berryessa Pty Ltd for producing water-based industrial mould release agents from renewable sources without the health, safety or environmental hazards associated with petroleum-based products.
• Papyrus Australia for converting banana trees into paper, cardboard and veneer products. The technology uses no water, minimal energy and produces extremely low greenhouse gas emissions.
• AquaSpy Group Pty Ltd for intelligent water management and soil moisture monitoring. The company’s products can reduce irrigation by up to 70 percent.
• Embertec.com for digital power saving technology that eliminates almost all forms of power wastage, particularly in stand-by power consumption.

The finalists in the service category are:

• Intelligent Software Development Pty Ltd for providing behavioural simulation and predictive analysis tools to show the impact of new products or infrastructure before they are used in the real world.
• Cyclopic Energy for specialising in the development of small scale wind power installations using both horizontal and vertical axis wind turbines.
• AZZO Automation for electrical metering and monitoring products, energy analysis and energy efficiency control systems.
• Hames Sharley for specialising in architecture, interior design, urban design and planning, and landscape architecture.