Wind And Solar Tax Credits Driving U.S Economic Growth
U.S. federal wind and solar investment tax credits will create more than 220,000 jobs and add nearly $23 billion to the nation’s economy this year states a new report. The investment tax credit (ITC) is a 30 percent credit for wind, solar power and energy storage systems. The program has been a significant contributor to […]
Climate-KIC Australia Kicks Off
A new initiative launched in Australia yesterday with the support of several state governments and universities will see entrepreneurs, researchers, developers and startups work together to explore renewable and low carbon energy pathways. Climate-KIC Australia is a Knowledge Innovation Community (KIC), based on the European KIC model. That community, which has a presence in 23 […]
Fern Biomimicry Boosts Supercapacitor Energy Storage Capacity 3,000%
Researchers in Australia have developed a new type of electrode that radically increases the energy storage capacity of supercapacitors and could lead to flexible, thin film self-contained solar capture and storage devices. RMIT University researchers created a graphene electrode inspired by the structure of the western swordfern, Polystichum munitum; which is native to western North […]
SMA Reports A Stellar 2016
Leading battery and solar inverter manufacturer SMA says it achieved a sales record of 8.2 GW of inverter capacity last year, approximately 11% more than in 2015. In 2016, SMA’s residential business unit accounted for approximately 19% of the company’s total sales, the commercial business unit made up around 28% and utility unit, 42%. Energy […]
Solar + Supercapacitors Powering IoT Sensors
A combination of solar power and an energy storage device that never needs changing could play an important role in making Internet of Things (IoT) devices more sustainable and practical. Some estimates put the number of active IoT devices in 2020 as high as 50 billion. In our increasingly interconnected world, various sensors will become […]
Beer Behemoth A Renewable Energy Convert
Many after-work pints will soon get a whole lot greener with the world’s biggest beer brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev, announcing its global operations will switch to 100 percent renewable energy by 2025. The commitment means the company, which owns and distributes popular brands such as Budweiser, Becks, Corona, Stella Artois and Carlton United Breweries beers, is […]
End Of A Toxic Era – Hazelwood Power Station Offline
After nearly 50 years of operations, one of the world’s heaviest carbon polluting electricity generators – Hazelwood Power Station in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley – is now offline. At 5pm yesterday, the last of Hazelwood Power Station’s eight generation units shut down. Built between 1964 and 1971 and powered by brown coal, Hazelwood was responsible for […]
Northern Ireland’s Largest Solar Project Commences Operations
A 32MW solar development in Antrim, Northern Ireland was switched on earlier this week, adding a significant contribution to the region’s renewable energy goals. Made up of a network of five sites across the County with capacities ranging between 5 and 10M, the installations share a single connection to the mains grid. The project will […]
Solar Energy To Power 70% Of Australian Potash Project
Agrimin Limited has inked an agreement with Danish company Aalborg CSP that will see the development of a solar thermal heating system for Agrimin’s Sulphate of Potash Project in Western Australia. Sulphate of potash (potassium sulfate – K2SO4), also known as arcanite, is a white crystalline salt that is predominantly used as a fertiliser. As […]
Electricity Price Hike Looms For Canberra
Residents of the ACT are facing a significant electricity price increase from the beginning of July this year that will add hundreds of dollars onto the average annual power bill. The Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) yesterday published its draft determination (PDF), which states based on information available up until the end of February, […]