Renewable Energy News

Wednesday 10 March, 2010

The Windbelt Windcell Panel Power Generator - When we think of wind power, we often conjure up images of windmill type turbines or vertical wind turbines called VAWTs. Soon we may see a new type of device on the market, the Windbelt by Humdinger Wind Energy.

Tuesday 09 March, 2010

Solar Cell Made From Pea Plant - Science has endeavouring to help unlock the secrets of how plants so efficiently turn the sun into energy in order to mimic that process. Once the code is cracked, one application is the production of cheap and more efficient solar cells.
Australian Energy Resource Assessment - Renewable Generation "Modest" - The first Australian Energy Resource Assessment, described as a national prospectus for energy resources, has been released. While 7% of Australia's electricity is now generated by renewable means, the majority of that figure is hydro-power. Wind energy is making inroads, but solar power only accounts for around 0.1 per cent of Australia’s primary energy consumption

Monday 08 March, 2010

Early Start To Australia's Small Scale Renewable Energy Scheme? - The Rudd Government says it will set a minimum value of $40 on Renewable Energy Certificates from January 1 next year. The Opposition wants to bring that forward to July this year. National solar power provider Energy Matters isn't willing to wait even that long. The company has announced it will pay the $40 per REC to purchasers of systems acquired through Energy Matters, effective immediately.
Coal's Legacy : Mercury Contamination - Australia has a set a target of just 20 percent renewable energy generation by 2020; so even after that date, coal will still feature heavily in our energy mix. The use of coal and its role in greenhouse gas emissions is well known, but an issue often overlooked is the subject of mercury.

Friday 05 March, 2010

Coal Tax To Help Fund Renewable Energy In India - Issues relating to renewable energy and coal featured heavily in India Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s Union Budget speech late last month.

Thursday 04 March, 2010

Electricity Retailers Undermining Australia's Solar Power Future? - Through feedback from clients, national solar power solutions provider Energy Matters has been made aware some Australian electricity retailers appear to be making it extremely difficult for people to fully benefit from solar feed in tariff programs.
Solar Power Assisted Bus Hits California Roads - California-based Sunpods Inc. has announced the first solar power-assist system for buses, designed to help transportation companies strict anti-pollution standards set by the State of California.

Wednesday 03 March, 2010

Greens Lash Out At NSW Coal Power Push - The NSW government is believed to be on the verge of granting approval for the development two giant coal or gas fired power stations, drawing criticism from renewable energy supporters in the state and the Australian Greens.
ETU Report Backs National Solar Gross Feed In Tariff - A report by Access Economics Pty Limited for Electrical Trades Union, Victoria (ETU) has shown that a national gross feed in tariff for solar power in Australia would have far better outcomes for the same money that has been spent over the last 18 months by the Federal Government on the now defunct Solar Homes And Communities Plan.

Tuesday 02 March, 2010

Caltech Creates Solar Cell Using Silicon Wire Arrays - Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have created a new type of flexible solar cell using arrays of long, thin silicon wires embedded in a polymer substrate; requiring a fiftieth of the silicon used by conventional silicon solar cells.
Prepare To Lose Off-Peak Electricity - And Solar Power Isn't To Blame - Several media reports in the last week have stated that by making the switch to solar power, some householders are losing their off-peak electricity benefits. Solar power isn't to blame and the loss of traditional off-peak rates is inevitable for all Australian households.

Monday 01 March, 2010

Green Loans For The Rest Of Us - While the Australian Federal Government's Green Loans program is headed for the scrap heap, Australian financial institutions are recognising there is an increasing demand for solar power systems and creating low interest green loan products for the purposes of purchasing solar power systems.
Solar Powered Marines? Ooh-rah!* - The US Marines are going GREENS. No, that's not a typo. The Ground Renewable Expeditionary Energy System (GREENS) uses stackable solar panel arrays and deep cycle batteries to provide electricity for essential functions in the field.

News archive for 2010

News archive for 2009