Australia should aim for 100 per cent clean energy, says global energy expert
Australia could become the world’s first continent powered by 100 per cent clean energy, a global solar expert claims. But according to clean energy entrepreneur Yosef Abramowitz, known as ‘Captain Sunshine’, Australia’s entrenched fossil fuel industry is blocking the nation’s renewable potential. The CEO of Israeli-American clean energy company Energiya Global, Abramowitz is ranked in the […]
Tesla dominates home battery storage market as Mercedes-Benz bows out
A major player in the home battery storage market has dropped out leaving Tesla residential battery technology dominant in the field. Car giant Mercedes-Benz will no longer manufacture residential batteries. The announcement marks the end of the company’s short-lived challenge to the Tesla battery empire. The move highlights the difficulty of adapting high-energy electric car […]
Solar powered water device extracts clean H2O from thin air
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced an Aussie-first trial of a solar powered water producing device that extracts drinking water from the air. The portable SOURCE hydropanel system, from US-based Zero Mass Water, sucks moisture from the atmosphere using solar power. The process purifies and also adds minerals to ensure the water is […]
Solar energy boom leading to sharp increases in renewable energy sector jobs: ABS
Newly released stats from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show an increase in full-time renewable energy sector jobs of approximately 33 per cent in 2016-17 from the previous year. Large-scale solar energy installations, rooftop solar and wind farms were the biggest contributors to this jump in employment numbers, which sit at almost 15,000. The […]
Dairy farmers set to trade solar electricity on virtual microgrid
Dairy farmers in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley could soon generate and trade energy via a virtual microgrid thanks to a feasibility study funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). ARENA is putting $370,000 towards a feasibility study for the $775,000 project, which is being led by Brooklyn-based energy company LO3 Energy. Because the virtual microgrid […]
Solar power will cut electricity bills to zero, says South Australian Water Corp
According to its chief, the SA Water solar program’s latest solar power goal will deliver zero net electricity costs by 2020. The corporation is looking to install 152 MW of solar PV, along with 35 megawatt-hours of battery storage at 70 of its sites across the state. The aim, according to SA Water CEO Roch Cheroux, is […]
Offgrid threat: Market operator fears Australian solar power users will abandon the electricity grid
The CEO of Australia’s energy market operator says she is “truly concerned” about the offgrid threat of the rooftop solar boom on the electricity network, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. Audrey Zibelman, CEO of the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), said this week that the solar power revolution could increase the costs of electricity for […]
NEG disadvantages ‘will cripple renewables’ says industry body
The National Energy Guarantee or NEG disadvantages will cripple Australia’s renewable energy sector and is worse than doing nothing, claims the Smart Energy Council. Australia’s energy ministers approved further development of the NEG design at last week’s meeting of the COAG Energy Council. However, the Smart Energy Council says the Coalition must commit to slashing carbon […]
UK’s leading science park installs Tesla Powerpacks as part of energy strategy
The UK’s leading science and technology park has just installed four Tesla Powerpacks outside its central building as part of its long-term energy strategy. The installation also includes two charge points for electric vehicles. Manchester Science Partnerships (MSP) operates a business community of over 120 innovative science and technology businesses. Its Manchester Science Park is […]
New flow battery could break industry reliance on peak electricity
A flow battery developed by Lockheed Martin could revolutionise industry by breaking its reliance on large renewable energy power plants. Because utilities rely on generating electricity during peak hours, it’s hard to meet increased consumer demand in the evening. This is when households use lights, heating, electronic devices and kitchen appliances. The longer-lasting ‘flow battery’ […]