Regional properties beat metro homes in South Australia solar energy boom
Regional properties in South Australia are leaving their metro counterparts behind when it comes to solar uptake, new research shows, with regional solar booming. According to finder.com.au, solar installations are taking off in regional areas of the state, while solar uptake is lowest in Adelaide’s metro suburbs. Angle Vale tops the solar list, with around […]
Higher wholesale electricity prices are ‘the new normal’ — Grattan Institute report
Higher wholesale electricity prices are the “new normal” and unlikely to return to previous levels of around $50 per megawatt hour, according to a new report from the Grattan Institute. The ‘Mostly working: Australia’s wholesale electricity market’ report says governments must provide stable energy and climate change policies to encourage investment in low emissions power like solar […]
Coalition MP Craig Kelly wants new law to stop Liddell coal station closure
Coalition MP Craig Kelly is calling for an overhaul of consumer laws to keep the controversial Liddell coal fired plant open. Kelly told radio station 2GB today that the Federal Government should force Liddell’s owner, energy company AGL, to keep the ageing NSW asset operational or sell it. However, AGL has already rejected offers from […]
New works depot Sydney’s first to combine solar large scale battery
A new council works depot has become the first major solar installation in Sydney to include an industrial-scale solar large scale battery, according to a Sydney Morning Herald report. The Alexandra Canal Works Depot is a sustainable development south of the Sydney CBD. Water reuse, efficient design and renewable energy have been incorporated into the facility, […]
Western Australian gold mine cuts costs with solar battery hybrid system
A gold mine in Western Australia is using a solar battery hybrid system to save money and reduce its carbon emissions. The Granny Smith gold mine just outside Laverton, 250 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie, will harness the power of the sun to boost efficiency at its 21 MW natural gas facility. A 7.3 MW solar […]
Clean energy surge making life tough for Tony Abbott coal lobby push
The ongoing renewables surge in Australia is making it harder for the Tony Abbott coal lobby push to gain traction against the National Energy Guarantee (NEG). Green Energy Markets predicts clean energy will supply 33.3 per cent of National Electricity Market generation in the eastern states by 2020. This is around 62,600 gigawatt hours, rising […]
Renewable energy ‘the main game in the electricity market’ – Energy Council CEO
The head of the Australian Energy Council says finding ways to ensure dispatchable renewable energy is now “the main game in the electricity market”. The outgoing CEO of the AEC Matthew Warren says it’s now cheaper to invest in renewables over coal, despite coal-fired power stations providing “reliable baseload power”. “If you’re building a new […]
London’s first virtual power station powered by solar batteries being pooled
Forty London households are having their solar batteries pooled to create the UK capital’s first virtual power station. Participating homes across the London Borough of Barnet will generate and store electricity from rooftop solar installations. This will be accessed by network distributor UK Power Networks (UKPN) to use in the grid when needed. UKPN will also […]
Electric concrete? Cars charge while driving with new road technology
Concrete with a magic ingredient could see electric cars (electric vehicles or EVs) of the future charging while they drive on specially built roads. A Perth-based company, Talga, has created a graphene-enhanced concrete offers high levels of electrical conductivity. It’s already used in underfloor heating and lightning protection, however, it could also transform the way […]
Electric vehicle sales to dominate new car market within two decades, says Energeia study
A new industry study expects electric vehicle sales to dominate the new car market within two decades. Modelling from research firm Energeia for ARENA and the CEFC predicts a surge in the uptake of EVs as technological advances cut costs and increase drive-distances. Under all scenarios modelled, EVs make up all new vehicles sales by the […]
