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 […]
Renewables will produce half the world’s electricity by 2050: Bloomberg report
The renewables “trifecta” of wind, solar power and battery storage will supply half the world’s electricity by 2050, says a new report from Bloomberg, Inc, the financial information media corporation. Bloomberg’s New Energy Outlook 2018 predicts that coal will also shrink to 11 per cent of market share by mid-century. It currently supplies 38 per […]
Solar panels and Tesla Powerwall 2 helping competition winners slash energy bills
Five Australian families are enjoying a solar bonanza courtesy of a TV solar giveaway competition. Last year, Channel Nine’s A Current Affair gave each of the five winners a five-kilowatt solar energy system and a Tesla Powerwall 2 battery for energy storage. Now, they are reaping the rewards of low-to-zero power bills. Melbourne’s Gill Williams […]
Kidston 2 solar power and pumped hydro battery gets funding boost
A giant water battery project in far-north Queensland by Genex Power has received conditional funding approval of $516 million. The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) will provide the loan, subject to conditions. Once built, the Kidston Stage 2 project will comprise 250 MW pumped hydro storage integrated with a 270 MW solar farm. It will […]
Abbott hard line on coal could sabotage NEG, says ACT Climate Change Minister
The National Energy Guarantee could be sabotaged if rebel Coalition members take a hard line on carbon emissions in their NEG opposition. That’s the message from ACT Climate Change Minister Shane Rattenbury. He says it will be “very difficult” to approve the NEG in August if the Coalition refuses to compromise. Pressure from coal-centric Coalition MPs […]