DECEMBER 2011 |
View archive list |

Friday 30 December, 2011
Thursday 29 December, 2011
- Ta Ta, BP Solar - But What About Moree?
BP Solar exiting the solar panel manufacturing industry has seen India's Tata Power acquire full equity in Tata BP Solar - but what will happen to BP's major Australian project, Moree Solar Farm?
- NEWSFLASH: Fire Moving Towards South Australian Wind Farm
South Australia's Country Fire Service has issued an advisory that a grass fire is burning out of control in the State's mid-north and is headed towards a major wind farm.
- Gamesa To Supply Wind Turbines For Egypt Wind Farms
Spanish wind farm builder and turbine manufacturer, Gamesa, has won an international public tender to supply Egypt with 200 MW of turbines for use in wind energy projects in El-Zayt, located along the environmentally sensitive Gulf of Suez.
Wednesday 28 December, 2011
- Palau Airport Goes Solar
It's not going to set any capacity records, but Palau International Airport's new solar panel array is a big deal for such a small nation and sets an example for other countries.
- Wind Power A Winner In Ireland's Energy Roadmap
A new energy roadmap released by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) states the country could avoid more than 250 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 through the deployment of wind power, smart grid technology and greater uptake of electric vehicles for transport.
Tuesday 27 December, 2011
- Swimming Pools Add $620 A Year To Power Bills
A recently released report from NSW's Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) help explains why households of the same size may have very different electricity bills - with one factor being the presence of a swimming pool.
Monday 26 December, 2011
Friday 23 December, 2011
- TransCanada Announces Solar Farm Acquisitions
TransCanada, the company behind the controversial proposed Keystone XL pipeline project that will transport tar sands oil to the USA, has announced the acquisition of $470 million worth of solar farm projects.
Thursday 22 December, 2011
Wednesday 21 December, 2011
Tuesday 20 December, 2011
Monday 19 December, 2011
- Like This: Facebook Friending More Renewable Energy
After a 20-month campaign by Greenpeace, online social networking giant Facebook has agreed to begin to "unfriend" coal-fired power and make the switch to renewable energy at all new data centers.
- Solar Panels Still Going Strong After 25 Years
Many solar panels come with a 20 or 25 year warranty these days; but most modules haven't been installed for anywhere near that long. Will they last the distance? It's already been proven they can in real-world conditions.
Friday 16 December, 2011
- Tiny Solar Cells Show Huge Promise
U.S. solar energy company Semprius has utilised funding and expertise from the Department of Energy's (DOE) Sunshot Incubator program to develop a high-efficiency solar cell less than 600 microns in diameter - smaller than the dot made by a ballpoint pen.
- Solar Cell Efficiency Could Benefit From The Dark Side
Yet another technological development could significantly increase the sunlight conversion efficiency of solar cells.
Thursday 15 December, 2011
Wednesday 14 December, 2011
- Energy Matters Video News - Episode 52 - December 14, 2011
Virginia covers the release of the Australian Government's Draft Energy White Paper, the cost of solar power often overestimated, major electricity price increases loom for Australian households and how a solar panel system can knock four years off a mortgage.
- NREL Constructing Electricity Grid Simulator
The USA’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) says the American electricity grid is in dire need of a tune-up as new generation technologies such as wind and solar power come on line in greater numbers and smart meters are rolled out across the country.
- Queensland's Carrara (Metricon) Stadium's Solar Halo
Said to be Australia's largest Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) project, installation of the solar panels for Queensland's Carrara Stadium (now known as Metricon Stadium) has now been completed.
Tuesday 13 December, 2011
- Australian Government Releases Draft Energy White Paper
The Australian Government released its draft Energy White Paper a short time ago - a publication for public consultation that sets out a series of proposed Commonwealth Government priorities to address the challenges faced by Australia’s energy sector.
- Harvesting Jet Stream Wind Energy Not Viable - And Dangerous
New findings from Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry into the nature of the jet stream that flows around the Earth’s upper atmosphere may put an end to hopes of harvesting its high-speed winds as an endless supply of renewable energy.
- New Dye Boosts Solar Cell Efficiency
Researchers at North Carolina State University (NCSU) have developed a new dye that will allow dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSCs) to more efficiently harvest ambient and direct sunlight.
Monday 12 December, 2011
- Cost Of Solar Power Overestimated, Performance Understated
One of the few remaining arguments about PV based solar power is its cost. It may have been a valid point just a few years ago, but many of today's studies reiterating that claim may be well out of touch.
- Electricity Prices To Rise 37% - Solar Power Only A Bit Player
A report from the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) estimates residential electricity prices are projected to jump by 37 per cent in nominal
terms on average by 2014. Home solar power is yet again being made a scapegoat by some media outlets, but its contribution to the overall jump in electricity costs will be minor.
- Buffet Company Buys Topaz Solar Farm
News that investment guru and world’s top-five ranked richest man Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway have scooped up Topaz Solar Farm - reportedly for a song - has pushed the tale of Topaz back into the headlines.
Friday 09 December, 2011
- Suntech Awarded Gigaton Prize
Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP) has been awarded the 2011 Gigaton Prize for its part in reducing carbon emissions around the world.
- $1.5 Billion Clean Energy Project Proposed For South Australia
The obvious environmental concerns regarding BHP Billiton's Olympic Dam mining operations expansion aside, where will the electricity to power it come from? A proposed $1.5 billion "Clean Energy Precinct" in South Australia may address those requirements.
- Nanotech Improves Organic Solar Cell Efficiency
Researchers from Yale University say improvements they have made to solar cell efficiency levels could result in less expensive, more efficient solar power systems and encourage broader use of clean energy technology.
Thursday 08 December, 2011
Wednesday 07 December, 2011
Tuesday 06 December, 2011
Monday 05 December, 2011
Thursday 01 December, 2011
- Solar Power System Prices Drop 70%
Competition and global price cuts on components make it a great time for Australian households to go solar - particularly with electricity prices predicted to jump a national average of 17%.
- 200MW Solar Farm Project For Florida
Florida's National Solar Power has announced the inking of a deal with Hardee County, Fla. to establish a network of solar farms in the area totaling 200MW capacity.
- USA's Largest Solar Rooftop Project Revived
America’s largest residential solar power project will go ahead with the company behind the initiative, SolarCity Corporation, securing financial backing from Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofA Merrill).
- The Floating Axis Wind Turbine (FAWT)
Offshore wind farms have traditionally been more expensive to build and maintain than their land based counterparts, but a floating axis wind turbine concept could result in a substantial cost reduction of offshore power generation.
News archive for 2013
News archive for 2012
News archive for 2011
News archive for 2010
News archive for 2009
News archive for 2008
Other Energy Matters News Services