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South Australia has reached more than 60 per cent wind and solar over the past 12 months, more than any other grid of its size in the world.

The post South Australia achieves world-leading 60pct wind and solar share over last year appeared first on RenewEconomy.

China has been accused of trying to create enhanced soldiers - but is this even possible?

A new Morrison government plan sorely misses the point on electric vehicles. It's in stark contrast to Biden's ambitious EV strategy. Jake Whitehead, Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellow & Tritum E-Mobility Fellow, The University of Queensland Dia Adhikari Smith, E-Mobility Research Fellow, The University of Queensland Thara Philip, E-Mobility Doctoral Researcher, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Covid has battered the industry, and the race for renewables is speeding up. We are at a tipping point

The final months of 2020 were a tough end to a tough year, according to BP’s chief executive. But Bernard Looney’s verdict on the worst financial year in the industry’s history is a devastating understatement. It was a period marked by thousands of job cuts, battered dividend policies and record multibillion-dollar losses.

BP revealed a full-year loss of $18bn, its first since the Deepwater Horizon disaster more than a decade ago, while US oil giant ExxonMobil reported an annual loss of $22.4bn – its first ever. Shell capped a year in which it slashed its dividend for the first time since the second world war with a debit of almost $20bn.

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New US government forecasts show a renewable energy boom around the corner, but they probably underestimate the rate of change.

The post US energy agency predicts more renewables, but comes under fire for fossil forecast appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The latest official emissions data confirm the UK is on the right path to net zero by 2050. Australia could achieve the same by expanding wind and solar.

The post UK climate data shows why Australia’s best bet is with wind and solar appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Government says project will create 300 jobs and will test and improve technologies, including a refuelling station for hydrogen vehicles

The Victorian government has given $10m for a hub in Melbourne’s south-east that will test and improve hydrogen technologies.

The hub will be based at Swinburne University of Technology and study both clean energy vehicles and hydrogen storage.

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Shining a light on an evil killer is easy and satisfying. It drives the script of the tales in which we absorb ourselves as we retreat from a world become too much

When I was growing up, one of my parents’ favourite albums was a live recording of a Pete Seeger concert called We Shall Overcome. On it was his rendition of a Bob Dylan song called Who Killed Davey Moore. Pete’s voice imploring an answer to that question would ring out from the record player in the living room and across the house.

The song explores the question of who bore responsibility for the death of an African American boxer who was killed in the ring when he was just 30 years old. Each verse begins with the refrain, “Who killed Davey Moore?” In the verse that follows, some group or individual associated with his life and death – the coach, the crowd, the manager, the gambling man, the boxing writer, the other fighter – gives their answer. Each, in turn, responds “Not I”, and explains that they cannot rightfully be accused of killing Davey Moore. They were just doing what it is that they do: going to the fight, organising the fight, writing about the fight, throwing the punches, and so on. And, of course, they are each telling the truth. Or a truth of sorts.

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Photographic artist Alex Frayne has shot the landscapes of South Australia for over two decades. His latest book, Landscapes of South Australia, pays homage to its deserts, hills, plains and waters

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Party calls for flagship renewables scheme to be extended amid significant delays and problems

Labour is calling for the government’s green homes grant scheme to be extended by at least a year after revealing that less than 5% of the allocated budget has been given to householders.

Nearly five months in, only £71m of the allocated £1.5bn budget for householders has been awarded to those seeking help to move from fossil fuel heating to renewable alternatives.

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Will hydrogen or heat pumps be able to replace gas central heating?

Protesters ‘in the muck together’ since 27 January say they are in good spirits as they resist eviction

Packs of cards and plentiful supplies of chocolate are essential parts of the tunnel survival kit, according to the environmental activists living underneath Euston to protest about HS2 – the high-speed rail link that is due to come into the London station.

Since the early hours of 27 January, nine activists from the campaign group HS2 Rebellion have been occupying a network of tunnels they and others dug out.

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

South Africa’s carbon tax may be ineffective in cutting the country’s greenhouse gas emissions on its own, a report by a major consulting firm warned.

Financial entities increased their California Carbon Allowance (CCA) holdings this week by the largest amount in nearly a year, while regulated entities' length potentially grew from short positions rolling off in January, according to US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) data published Friday.

The Oregon Clean Fuels Program (OCFP) recorded its first credit deficit since early 2019 in the third quarter of last year, with a rebound in gasoline volumes and a crash in renewable diesel (RD) usage contributing to the draw on the surplus bank, according to state data published Friday.

EUAs extended their record high above €38 for the third straight day on Friday, holding on to most of this week's gains as the market comfortably absorbed the first full week of 2021 allowance auctions.

A subsidiary of US agriculture cooperative Land O’Lakes launched its voluntary carbon credit programme on Thursday that will pay farmers up to $20/tonne for CO2 sequestration, as soil-based offset initiatives continue to earmark payments on the high end of current global voluntary emissions reduction (VER) values.

A summary of legislative and regulatory action on carbon pricing, clean fuel standards, and clean energy at the US subnational and federal level this week, including developments in Indiana, Maine, and Rhode Island.

Papers reveal federal environment department officials warned against preemptively handing approval powers to states

Federal officials warned against transferring environmental approval powers to state governments before a major review of conservation laws was complete, saying it could undermine hopes of substantial reform.

Despite the warning, the Morrison and Western Australian governments pushed ahead with plans to give the states greater authority in approving developments before the formal review by former competition watchdog head Graeme Samuel was finished.

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