Around The Web

As the steel sector moves to decarbonise and shifts from coal-fired blast furnaces to cleaner technologies, higher grades of iron ore will be needed, a think tank said Monday.

While the Nationals MP publicly decries wind turbines as "filth," a new wind farm, located half way between Sydney and Joyce's Tamworth electorate, wins approval.

The post As Barnaby rails against “filthy” turbines, NSW approves plans for a 335MW wind farm appeared first on RenewEconomy.

We subsidise the purchase of twin-cab utes and charge GST on bikes and public transport. It’s absurd

Parisians just voted to charge large vehicles three times more to park in the city than small vehicles. In Australia we offer the most convenient parking for free to people driving enormous twin-cab utes (we call them loading zones, even though you don’t have to load up anything more than your groceries). Policy choices matter.

Last year all of Australia’s top 10 selling cars were twin-cab utes or large SUVs. And just as most utes aren’t really shifting cargo around our cities, “sports utility vehicles” are not engaged in sport – and they clearly aren’t utilities. But the names used to describe these expensive, inefficient and dangerous forms of transport are by no means the most absurd thing about Australian car culture.

Continue reading...

AGL's two great hopes in the next five years are the closures of Yallourn and Eraring coal plants. Unfortunately, Origin has created a situation where Eraring can’t be closed on time.

The post AGL’s great hope is the timely exit of coal. Too bad Origin has dropped the ball on Eraring appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Lords Climate Change Committee called on the government to push back against mistruths on range and cost.

The pterosaur soared over the heads of dinosaurs in Scotland 168-166 million years ago.

An Australian carbon project tech company has sourced A$600,000 ($389,000) in pre-seed funding from venture capital firms to go towards its development and expansion plans in the voluntary carbon market.

Grants needed towards buying EVs as well as a battery health testing standard to reassure consumers

Ministers need to intervene to boost the secondhand electric vehicle market and allay “uncertainty and concerns” over the health of their batteries, a House of Lords committee has said.

Peers on the environment and climate change committee urged the government to step up efforts to encourage electric vehicle adoption amid consumer jitters over the cost of vehicles, the longevity of their batteries and the availability of charging points.

Continue reading...

Neoen announces joint financing of Goyder South wind farm and Blyth battery, which will help decarbonise one of the world’s largest critical mineral mines.

The post South Australia’s biggest wind farm and Blyth battery hit financial close, on track to power BHP mine appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Cyclones and hurricanes are getting more intense. But introducing new categories of storm may not be the answer. Liz Ritchie-Tyo, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

RGGI allowances (RGAs) broke all-time highs for the third consecutive week on particularly low volumes, as markets continue to await direction in the form of development from the ongoing but overdue Third Program Review.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced Friday funding of up to $304 million towards large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstration projects located at power and industrial sites across four states.

Politicians set to speak at the demonstration include the LNP's Barnaby Joyce, Keith Pitt, Matt Canavan and nuclear fan Gerrard Rennick, One Nation's Malcolm Roberts and the UAP's Craig Kelly.

The post Anti-renewables rally hears from who’s who of climate deniers, fossil boosters appeared first on RenewEconomy.

New research suggests Earth may have already reached at least 1.7°C warming since pre-industrial times – a deeply troubling discovery.

The post “A deeply troubling discovery:” Earth may have already passed crucial warming limit appeared first on RenewEconomy.

TagEnergy signs second PPA for Golden Plains Wind Farm, with digital infrastructure company Equinix.

The post Massive Golden Plains wind farm snags a second PPA appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Study finds ‘unprovoked’ attacks were more common for surfers than swimmers

• Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates
• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

Australia is home to a disproportionate number of deadly shark attacks, with isolated areas carrying a greater risk of fatalities, international research has found.

The 10 fatal attacks globally in 2023 doubled the five in the previous year, with four of last year’s deaths occurring in Australia.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

A Toronto-headquartered alternate asset management firm has raised $10 billion in the first closing of its second private equity fund investing in global net zero opportunities, and is on track to exceed its predecessor fund size, the company announced Monday.

Solar photovoltaic capacity across Europe will rise more than any other power generation source due to major additions planned for this year, analysts forecast, potentially displacing demand for carbon permits.

Keeping the average global temperature rise below 1.5°C since pre-industrial times is a goal of the 2015 Paris climate deal. New research suggests that opportunity has passed. Malcolm McCulloch, Professor, The University of Western Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We don’t yet fully understand what global climate tipping points mean for Australia. But we know enough to conclude the impacts of passing one or more tipping points must now be considered. Michael Grose, Climate Projections Scientist, CSIRO Andy Pitman, Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.