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First Solar bid for solar and storage peaking power plant in Arizona beats out "cheap" gas and sets new milestone for dispatchable renewables.

Development of Australia’s first straw-fuelled power plant is a step closer with the Yorke Biomass Energy project receiving a $476,000 funding grant from the South Australian Government.

Tesla urges energy market rule maker to catch up with speed and versatility of battery storage, both big and small.

New report links the growing global demand for cocoa to deforestation in Asia and Africa

A box of chocolates may not be the most environmentally friendly way to show your love this Valentine’s Day, a report published today claims.

The cocoa in chocolate products is probably driving deforestation across the globe, according to new research by the environmental campaigning organisation Mighty Earth.

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If there was a prize for most unsuitable British bird name, grey wagtail would win hands down

My heart sinks as I hear for the umpteenth time “I’ve just seen a yellow wagtail” and I explain that, although the bird was indeed a wagtail, and did sport a flash of lemon-yellow beneath the tail, it was in fact a grey wagtail.

I reflect, not for the first time, that if there was a prize for most unsuitable British bird name, the grey wagtail would win hands down.

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The move comes after the 'shocking' scale of plastic waste featured on the Blue Planet II series.

Decision follows the corporation’s landmark series Blue Planet II, which highlighted plastic pollution in the oceans

The BBC will ban single-use plastics from its operations by 2020, in the wake of its landmark series Blue Planet II which highlighted plastic pollution in the oceans.

Plastic cups and cutlery will be removed across BBC sites by the end of 2018, ending the use of around 2m plastic cups used by visitors and staff each year, the corporation said.

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Cells continue to function even after an individual dies, a discovery that could be developed into a forensic tool.

The government is providing $237m to projects it says will benefit threatened species – yet there is little chance the species actually occur at those sites

• ‘A national disgrace’: Australia’s extinction crisis is unfolding in plain sight
  

The Polly Woodside, a three-masted historic cargo ship built in 1885, is a prominent feature of Melbourne’s south wharf. It’s a site for tour groups, birthday parties, and an event known as pirate day held on the first Sunday of every month.

According to the federal government, the vessel has also been the location for some of its $255m worth of work protecting threatened species since the appointment of Australia’s first threatened species commissioner in 2014.

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You can't see through the murky water of the Brisbane River, but when you have an underwater microphone you can listen to the life below.

Research shows drones can deliver certain items faster and with less environmental impact than trucks – but there are drawbacks

Drones invoke varying perceptions, from fun gadget to fly in the park to deadly military weapons. In the future, they may even be viewed as a handy tool in the battle to fight climate change.

Greenhouse gas emissions from the transport of goods could be cut if drones replace trucks in some instances, researchers have found, providing an environmental edge to the push by companies such as Amazon and Google to expand drone deliveries.

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Study of an Amazon fish has challenged ideas about how DNA gathers deadly mutations over time.

A few thousand fake ducks, a group of experienced wildlife spotters and a drone have proven the usefulness and accuracy of drones for wildlife monitoring. Jarrod Hodgson, PhD Candidate, University of Adelaide Aleks Terauds, Senior Research Scientist / Section Head, Australian Antarctic Division Lian Pin Koh, Associate Professor, University of Adelaide Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The crossing, unassisted by an icebreaker vessel, marks a milestone as thawing polar ice opens up Russia’s northern coastline, reports Climate Home News

An LNG tanker designed for icy conditions has become the first commercial ship to travel the Arctic’s northern sea route in winter.

It marks a milestone in the opening up of Russia’s northern coastline, as thawing polar ice makes industrial development and maritime trade increasingly viable.

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Research shows that pace of melting in Antarctica and Greenland has accelerated

Melting ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are speeding up the already fast pace of sea level rise, new satellite data shows.

At the current rate, the world’s oceans will be on average at least 60cm (2ft) higher by the end of the century, according to research published in Monday’s Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences.

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A heartwarming image of a gorilla in the arms of her rescuer won this year’s award, after 20,000 nature fans voted on a shortlist of 24 images

• The picture will be displayed in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum until 28 May
  

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Readers around the UK have been getting in touch after noticing blooming and blossoming ahead of time

Spring has come early in the form of blooming flowers and butterflies, according to readers around the UK who responded to our callout.

Related: Spring flowers in autumn, birdsong in winter: what a freak year for nature

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Pulborough Brooks, West Sussex: This is no idle flyover – the peregrine falcon is focused, intent, trying to single out possible targets

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AGL seeks another 500MW of wind capacity as it gears up to replace Liddell coal plant with mix of renewables, storage and gas.

A website and Facebook page called "Energy in Australia" has emerged over recent months. If you ever wanted an example of "fake news" loaded with myths masquerading as facts, here it is.