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Most urban areas were laid out many decades ago, but projects worldwide show change is possible

Around the globe many cities are redesigning themselves for the 21st century, but will the UK be left behind?

Pressures on the UK’s urban environments are likely to increase, according to a report from the Environment Agency. Eight out of 10 people call these areas home and urban populations are expected to be 18% greater by 2036 than they were in 2011. Although the air that we breathe in our towns and cities has improved hugely since the 1950s, progress on particle pollution has stalled in recent years. In 2019, three-quarters of the UK’s reporting zones still failed legal limits for nitrogen dioxide that were set in 1999.

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BHP announces first large-scale onsite solar farms and a big battery to help power its WA Nickel West mines that will supply Tesla.

The post BHP says two solar farms and big battery to power nickel mines supplying Tesla appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The ESB's unnecessary capacity payments for fossil fuel generators could cost $3.2 billion a year, and consumers will pay.

The post ESB’s capacity payments for coal and gas may cost $3.2 billion a year. Guess who pays appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Rio Tinto awards contract to build the mining giant's first fully-owned solar farm at the Gudai Darri mine in WA Pilbara region.

The post Rio Tinto powers ahead on solar farm to supply Pilbara iron ore mine appeared first on RenewEconomy.

They can’t fly through the air but they can fly underwater. Belinda Cannell, Research fellow, Research Associate, The University of Western Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The ISS was pushed out of position after engines on a new Russian module unexpectedly fired up.

Fire erupts in Tesla Megapack battery container at the Victoria Big Battery in Geelong.

The post Tesla Megapack container on fire at site of Australia’s biggest battery appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Angus Taylor re-issues ARENA regulations in new attempt to open up the renewable energy agency to the government's preferred technologies.

The post Taylor tries again to redirect renewables funds into hand picked technologies appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Australia's fleet of more than 80 wind farms blow away monthly production record, even with a day and a half left in month of July.

The post Australia wind farms blow away monthly production record in July appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A daily summary of our news plus bite-sized updates from around the world.

*PREMIUM LISTING – This full-time position will be responsible for working on regular standard updates to align with Gold Standard's strategy and new market developments. The role also includes the review of new carbon accounting methodologies and managing the auditor approval process for renewable energy, community-based energy efficiency and waste management projects. 

*PREMIUM LISTING – This full-time position will be responsible for working on regular standard updates to align with Gold Standard's strategy and new market developments. The role also includes the review of new carbon accounting methodologies and managing the auditor approval process for Afforestation/Reforestation (A/R) and Agriculture (AGR) projects.  

The Originator will work within the Environmental Products Trading team. This role is expected to identify, develop and deliver deals that enrich the funnel of opportunities in Environmental markets and generate material and sustainable contributions to the global trade book.

Origin Energy takes massive hit on value of its coal and gas assets, and on its long term renewable energy contracts.

The post Origin takes massive hit on coal and gas generators and renewable contracts appeared first on RenewEconomy.

This new record, based on monocrystalline cells developed at LONGi’s Cell R&D Centre, was confirmed in testing carried out at the German Institut für Solarenergieforschung (ISFH), and raises the conversion efficiency of cells based on CZ wafers to a new level. 

The post Longi sets 25.19% record for P-Type TOPCon cell efficiency appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Environment group launches legal challenge to Beetaloo gas grants, arguing resources minister Keith Pitt failed to consider risks of climate change.

The post Environment group sues over Keith Pitt grants to Beetaloo gas projects appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Bacteria, fungus and enzymes can all digest plastic, but can they work at a useful commercial scale?

California Carbon Allowance (CCA) prices dropped further this week as traders began to turn their attention to next month’s quarterly WCI sale, while RGGI Allowance (RGA) values climbed closer to the $9 level on heightened speculative interest.

Two privately-owned Bulgarian coal-fired plants may have saved around €30 mln in EU ETS obligations by under-declaring verified emissions covered by the EU ETS, according to a media investigation.

In the city, they fly along routes that mirror roads

Every evening in Sydney, clouds of bats move across the sky. They time their trip so that there is just too little light to make out anything more than a silhouette – which is just enough light so that you can see, very clearly, the outlines of their legs and feet knocking together – an entrechat – as they flap their wings.

I’m not sure that I will ever stop having the exact same thought about this: “Oh my God, you can see their feet knocking together. Oh my God.”

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