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Bananas, chicken, eggs and wine the standouts as growth reaches highest rate since 2016

Sales of organic food and drink rose sharply in the UK during lockdown – and have soared by double the rate of non-organic equivalents over the past year.

Organic bananas, chicken, eggs and wine are among the standout winners that, from January, helped supermarkets enjoy the highest sales growth in the sector since December 2016.

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Latest data shows Australia on track to add 6.3GW of new renewable energy capacity in 2020, thanks largely to a rooftop solar market that has defied the odds of the Covid-19 pandemic and is headed to a record total of just under 3GW for the year.

The post Renewables through the roof, as small-scale solar heads to stunning new highs appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Cost deflation will ensure batteries pay a larger role in the power system at the expense of gas in the very short term.

The post Big battery costs have reached a tipping point – and gas is struggling to compete appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Oxfam’s campaign hopes to persuade us to eschew new clobber for at least 30 days. Here are a few sites and shops you may want to consider this month

• Michaela Coel isn’t buying anything new next month. Are you?

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ASX-listed Magnis Energy enters a trading halt, pending an announcement on a capital raise that may accelerate the development of an Australian-based battery gigafactory.

The post Battery gigafactory hopeful Magnis Energy enters trading halt ahead of capital raise appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Researchers eliminate use of toxic solvents in organic solar cell production, while maintaining high conversion efficiencies, boosting prospects of mass production.

The post Organic solar cell breakthrough could boost efficiency, eliminate toxic materials appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Hydro Tasmania CEO Stephen Davy steps down this week with a prediction that the clean energy transition can happen faster than people think, but will need new market signals.

The post Energy Insiders Podcast: It’s going to be a quick transition, and markets need to change appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The country produces 90% of the world’s fine apparel wool but processes very little. Some in the industry are calling for a textile manufacturing revival

It may just be the worst-kept secret in Australian fashion. The country doesn’t process its own wool or cotton. Processing skills and infrastructure moved overseas in the 1990s, when tariff protections for textiles, clothing and footwear industries were significantly reduced, and China was able to undercut prices and offer more efficient ways to turn raw materials into marketable commodities.

Three decades on, and despite producing 90% of the world’s fine apparel wool, all but a handful of Australia’s wool processing plants have closed. More than 80% of Australia’s wool clip is sent to China and more than 90% of Australia’s cotton is exported – with the majority processed in Asia. Opportunities for innovation in the local fibre industry have stagnated.

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Conservationists blast Chris Gulaptis and Gurmesh Singh, saying ‘the demise of the koala’ would be expedited if they get their way

A conservation lobby group has pilloried two Nationals MPs for threatening to quit the New South Wales government and move to the crossbench if new koala protection regulations are not altered, saying “the demise of the koala” would be expedited if they get their way.

Chris Gulaptis, the MP for Clarence, said he would move to the crossbench if the government doesn’t review the Koala Habitat Protection State Environmental Planning Policy, which came into effect in March this year.

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Wood Mackenzie reports predicts that a Trump victory at the upcoming US election will forfeit four more years in the fight against climate change. A Biden victory, however...

The post A Biden loss to Trump would end hopes of US decarbonisation by 2050 appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Some skinks have been known to kill their babies – but one remarkable species goes to any lengths to save them. Gregory Watson, Senior Lecturer, Science, University of the Sunshine Coast Jolanta Watson, Lecturer in Science, University of the Sunshine Coast Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Clean Energy Investor Group will ramp up policy advocacy efforts with the appointment of Simon Corbell as its permanent chairperson.

The post Clean energy investor group adds muscle to push for energy market reforms appeared first on RenewEconomy.

US research predicts $A4 trillion-plus will be invested in global renewable energy sector over what analysts say will be a “crucial” decade for the industry.

The post More than $A4 trillion to be invested globally in renewables in “crucial decade” appeared first on RenewEconomy.

New study from Dutch electric vehicle expert Auke Hoekstra shows electric cars are better at reducing CO2 than thought because old studies used outdated data.

The post “Don’t trash talk EVs”: Study shows electric cars emit much less than thought appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Coloured perovskite light-emitting inks hold all sorts of promise for solar technology, but the real opportunity is to develop highly efficient cells beyond the efficiency of silicon.

The post How perovskite inks could light the path to superior solar cell efficiency appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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Groups hail result as vindication of removing chicks from nests to rear them in captivity

The much-persecuted hen harrier has enjoyed its best breeding year in England for nearly two decades, benefiting from good weather and high numbers of voles.

Grouse moor groups hailed the fledging of 60 chicks from 19 nests across the northern Pennines as a vindication of controversial “brood management”, whereby chicks are removed from some nests on grouse moors, reared in captivity and released elsewhere.

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British Columbia will push back the scheduled increase of its C$40/tonne carbon levy by another six months in order to assist COVID-19 economic recovery efforts, the provincial government announced Wednesday.

Several dozen financial entities, large corporate emitters, and offset standards and retailers on Wednesday unveiled a taskforce to build consensus on how to best grow the voluntary carbon market in the face of higher credit demand and to meet Paris Agreement climate goals.

Virginia utilities must submit documentation by next month to begin the process of registering in RGGI's CO2 Allowance Tracking System (COATS), but it is unclear when these compliance entities may formally join the cap-and-trade registry.