Ouyen Solar Farm Gets Planning Approval
Planning approval has been granted for a 10MW solar farm to be constructed near the Victorian town of Ouyen. The Sunraysia Daily reports a planning permit for the $14.2 million project was issued by Mildura Rural City Council last week. Located 110 kilometres from Mildura and 441 km north-west of Melbourne, Ouyen is the commercial […]
Handheld Scanner To Improve Wind Turbine Reliability
A new palm-sized radar scanning unit capable of detecting minute defects in the composition of wind turbine blades could save the global wind power sector millions in production and maintenance costs, according to its German developers. Scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics say their radar-based technology provides manufacturers with a far […]
City Of Chicago Announces 100% Renewable Energy Goal
An ambitious plan to make Chicago the largest major city in the USA to have 100 percent renewable energy supply for its public buildings was announced yesterday. Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Housing Authority, Chicago Park District, and City Colleges of Chicago have joined Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s commitment to a project to use 100 percent renewable […]
Solar Textiles Project Wins Global Change Award
A proposed process to create a precursor for nylon using solar power, water and plant waste has won a 2017 Global Change Award from the H&M Foundation. Nylon was created accidentally in 1930 and is everywhere today. The thermoplastic material is used primarily for flooring, molded car parts, food packaging and is extensively utilised in […]
Getting Kids Excited About Solar – Synergy Schools Solar Challenge
The 2017 inaugural Synergy Schools Solar Challenge saw Year 6 and Year 8 students battle it out in a model solar car race this week. More than 500 students from around Perth took part in the inaugural Challenge, a joint initiative between Synergy and the Science Teachers Association of WA (STAWA). Semi-finals occurred last month […]
Open Letter Calls For “5 Minute Rule” In Australia’s Energy Market
The Australia Institute has published an open letter to the Prime Minister calling for three energy market reforms – including a “5 minute rule” that has been gaining increasing support. In Australia’s National Energy Market (NEM), generators bid to supply energy over 5 minute intervals. However, they are paid a price that is set over […]
Fashion Giant Attains 96% Renewables-Sourced Electricity
Released yesterday, the H&M group Sustainability Report 2016 outlines a number of new goals and reaffirms a commitment to 100% renewables-sourced electricity – a goal it’s not far from achieving. H&M has been a member of the RE100 for some time. The company states it sourced 78% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2015 […]
New Silicon/Perovskite Solar Cell Efficiency Record
Researchers from the Australian National University have set a new record efficiency for semi-transparent perovskite solar cells. The record 26 percent sunlight-to-energy conversion was achieved by mechanically combining perovskite with silicon solar cells, a breakthrough that could lower the cost of rooftop solar power systems. “Until now efficiencies of this kind have only been achieved […]
Renewable Energy Driving Down EU Greenhouse Gas Emissions
A new report states renewable energy uptake in the EU since 2005 resulted in a reduction of fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of around 10% in 2015. The report, published yesterday by the European Environment Agency (EEA), states the biggest reductions in fossil fuel use and carbon emissions through a switch to renewable […]
FPL Announces 2.1GW Solar Power Rollout
Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) has announced it expects to roll out nearly 2,100 megawatts of new solar capacity across the state over the next seven years. The company, which serves more than 10 million people across nearly half of the state of Florida, plans to add an average of nearly 300 megawatts of […]