UK Must Incentivise Energy Storage : Parliamentary Committee Report
The U.K. Parliament’s Energy and Climate Change Committee has called on the nation’s government to incentivise innovative energy storage and demand side response (DSR) technologies. “There is an incredible opportunity for the UK to become a world leader in these disruptive technologies,” said the Committee’s Chair, Angus MacNeil MP. ” Yet our current energy security […]
Sonnen Battery Systems “Transforming Germany’s Electricity Market”
German residential battery system manufacturer Sonnen has been included in MIT Technology Review’s “50 Smartest Companies 2016” list. Sonnen is Europe’s leading home energy storage manufacturer. The company has been spreading its wings in countries including Australia, where the sonnenBatterie Eco is enabling solar power system owners to make the most of their valuable rooftop-generated […]
Solar Powered USV Headed Toward New Zealand
The end of October should see the arrival on New Zealand shores of Seacharger, which may be the first unmanned surface vehicle (USV) to cross an ocean on solar power alone. The craft set out from Hawaii on July 27 on a pre-programmed route. While autonomous, it can also be controlled remotely in case it […]
Stanford Boosts Solar Capacity
When it comes to the advancement of solar power, California’s Stanford University certainly walks the talk. From solar-powered retinal implants for the vision impaired, to busting perovskite solar cell efficiency records, it seems not a month goes by without a new technological breakthrough from Stanford’s high achievers Now the University has announced that by year’s […]
NZ Electricity Authority Feels The Power Of 45,000 Suns
Kiwis protesting a “sun tax” on some of the nation’s solar households have made their feelings known in an action by Greenpeace New Zealand. In July this year, New Zealand’s Electricity Authority was accused of attempting “kill the uptake of solar power” after it ruled a local electricity distributor charging solar households an extra fee […]
Queensland’s Ambitious Renewable Energy Target Achievable
Queensland’s target of 50% renewable energy by 2030 is not only achievable, but could be cost-neutral to electricity customers too. Just prior to last Friday’s emergency COAG Energy Council meeting*, Federal Minister for the Environment and Energy Josh Frydenberg said the “states need to put the brakes on their unrealistically high state-based renewable energy targets.” […]
Poland’s Glow In The Dark, Solar Powered Bike Path
A bike path that glows in the dark after being “charged” by the sun during the day has been unveiled in Poland. A Strabag project constructed by subsidiary TPA Sp. z o.o, the 100 meter x 2 meter test section of the bike path is in Olsztyn, a city on the Łyna River in northeastern […]
Batteries, Beer Waste And Better Charging
Using beer waste to create lithium battery electrodes and a new technology promising 100 x faster battery charging – just two of the many very recent developments in the energy storage sector. The first story concerns researchers from University of Colorado Boulder who have stumbled upon (not through drunkenness) a way to use brewery wastewater […]
Commercial Solar Costs Slashed In Western Australia
Companies considering installing commercial-scale solar power systems in Western Australia could potentially save up to tens of thousands of dollars per system after the removal of unnecessary regulatory red tape. Under the Western Australian government’s red tape repeal initiative, operators of commercial solar power stations are no longer required to be licensed by the Economic […]
Pumping Water From Borefield To Broome With Solar Power
The Western Australian government has commenced a trial involving hybrid solar-diesel and battery power to transport drinking water from a borefield to Broome. A first for the state, Water Minister Mia Davies said the trial will make use of the plentiful solar resources in the region. Broome receives very impressive solar irradiation levels of around […]
