Molecular motors drive energy technologies

The forest industry must confront Dutch disease to reach $12 billion export target
The Government has set an ambitious goal to lift New Zealand’s export earnings from the current 30 per cent to 40 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2025. For primary sector industries this means at least doubling export earnings to more than $60 billion.

Soil bacteria may promote tree growth and mitigate climate change
Research into how a group of growth promoting bacteria help plants cope with environmental stress may have major implications for scientists worldwide trying to piece together the full picture of global warming.

Ginseng adds a layer of possibilities for forestry
Neat rows of netting cloches lined up beneath well pruned radiata pine trees are in sharp contrast to the usual vision of a commercial planted forest block.

Software tools to access science
The sale of Scion’s commercial software brand, ATLAS Technology, to local company Integral Limited will allow our software engineering team to refocus on what they do best – finding innovative ways to deliver science to industry through software. Integral Ltd assumes ownership of ATLAS Technology from 1 January 2014.

Going the full circle
Pulp and paper mills are large producers of organic and inorganic waste, much of which is either burnt for energy, vermicomposted or landfilled. Our Clean Technologies Team has been working with four pulp and paper companies and project management firm Sinclair Knight Merz to explore alternative solutions for the solid waste that is currently landfilled.

Gaining greater value from our biological resources
An alliance between four national research providers has been established to aid the recovery of high value co-products from New Zealand’s primary industries.

Award recognises excellence in innovation
Biopolymer Network Ltd (BPN) won the 2013 Innovation Excellence in Research category at this year’s New Zealand Innovators Awards, for its revolutionary bioplastic foam, ZealaFoamTM. The award celebrates research that has excellent potential and impact.

Scion’s vision for prosperity
At Scion, we create prosperity from trees. From bark to fibre, we use trees in clever ways to build a better bio-based economy.

Do you have a LinkedIn profile?
Follow us on LinkedIn and keep up to date with Scion’s latest news, developments and technologies. We also promote upcoming job vacancies and new videos about our science expertise and capabilities.

Christmas closing hours
Scion will be closed from 5pm, Friday 20 December and will reopen on Monday, 6 January 2014.

Upcoming events
ForestWood 2014, Te Papa, Wellington. 19 March 2014.