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Three weeks of spectacular blasts have amazed onlookers - but caused untold damage for Sicilians.

Dust that swept Europe in February affects weather systems but also contains many allergens

Saharan dust high in the skies over Europe caused some spectacular sunsets in February. Many of us found dust on our cars, and Alpine snow has been stained orange, but finding out how much Saharan dust we are breathing has always been difficult. For decades we have been measuring the amount of particle pollution in the air, but not what it is made of. However, university-run air observatories in London, Birmingham and Manchester are now making real-time chemical analysis. They showed that silicon, aluminium, calcium and iron particles from Saharan dust were the main particle pollutants in all three cities on Saturday 20 February and that the dust was breathed by Londoners for the next two days.

Saharan dust events are common in Mediterranean countries. It is also carried west on Atlantic trade winds. Dust from north Africa fertilises the Amazon, but it also causes air pollution problems in Caribbean islands and the southern US.

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Gastropods back as No 1 while honey fungus is worst disease in year when lockdowns fuel gardening craze

Slugs and snails are back at the top of the pests chart, after a year in which people spent more time tending their gardens, said the Royal Horticultural Society.

The charity’s 25th annual pest and disease ranking – based on enquiries from gardeners – reveals that slugs and snails, a mainstay of the rankings over the years, topped the 2020 list for the first time since 2017, with gardeners reporting damage to crops such as potatoes and beans.

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VivoPower International PLC has recently been awarded a contract to complete all electrical works for the 200 MW Blue Grass Solar Farm located near the town of Chinchilla in the Australian state of Queensland.

The post VivoPower International PLC announces contract for 200 MW Blue Grass Solar Farm appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Yallourn's closure will take a chunk out of Victoria's electricity supplies, but a deep pipeline of new wind and solar projects will make up the gap.

The post AEMO says 19GW of new projects lining up in Victoria to replace dying coal appeared first on RenewEconomy.

*PREMIUM LISTING (viewable by non-subscribers) – The American Forest Foundation is hiring for 4 regional director positions. In the director role, you will make a meaningful contribution to addressing global climate change by helping us activate America’s family-owned forests as a measurable and verifiable natural climate solution.

Sterling and Wilson appoints own subsidiary to continue work on Shell's Gangarri solar project after previous contractor went into receivership after dispute over payments.

The post Problems deepen at Shell’s Gangarri solar project as contractor in receivership appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Major new report warns coal, gas, nuclear and hydro plants are being “severely” over-valued, and are more expensive to run than previously acknowledged.

The post Over-valued fossil fuel assets creating trillion-dollar bubble about to burst appeared first on RenewEconomy.

*PREMIUM LISTING (viewable by non-subscribers) – The Sourcing Manager will originate and develop business relations globally with project owners, finance providers and technology providers that are implementing technical carbon dioxide removal projects, such as Direct Air Carbon Capture & Storage, Bioenergy Carbon Capture & Storage, Carbon Capture Utilisation & Storage with biogenic CO2 sources including CO2 mineralisation, and occasionally non-technical removal technologies such as biochar or certain soil carbon interventions.

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Inc. (“RGGI, Inc.”) seeks to hire a Program Manager to be based in New York City.

NSW tips $70 million into a hydrogen hub in the Hunter Region, Queensland appoints a hydrogen taskforce and the federal government names a hydrogen advisor.

The post NSW tips $70m into Hunter hydrogen hub as coal closures loom appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Tesla big battery at Hornsdale was Neoen's biggest money spinner in the past year, and the company plans to have big batteries in every state.

The post Neoen aims for big batteries in every state following success of Tesla big battery appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Director will help shape and lead Ocean Conservancy’s growing climate policy agenda by working to advance a suite of climate policy priorities, and collaborating across the organization to magnify and multiply the impact of climate work happening across Ocean Conservancy’s conservation programs.

Gardeners are being urged to be on alert for the stink bug and other pests predicted to arrive in the UK.

Vertical turbine by developer Alpha 311 can spin from gentle air movement

The O2 Arena will soon use a new breed of “vertical wind turbine” to generate its own clean electricity, after signing a deal with a startup firm that says its turbines will generate power even when the wind is not blowing.

The London landmark once known as the Millennium Dome will begin by installing 10 of the 68cm (27in) vertical turbines. The breezy conditions at the site on the River Thames will help generate enough clean electricity to power 23 homes.

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Two recent reports have concluded that Small Modular Reactors carry enormous risks and will probably never be as cheap as their advocates claim.

The post Small modular reactors not the solution, says German nuclear authority appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) this week released the implementation guide for its net zero framework, building on the roadmap from the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) by intentionally downplaying the role of offsets to encourage absolute reductions over the long term.

Ministers were warned the proposal is damaging the UK's reputation ahead of a major climate summit.

We analyse the closure of Yallourn, the response from Angus Taylor, and are joined by The City of Newcastle’s Adam Clarke on how the coal city is transitioning to clean energy.

The post Energy Insiders Podcast: Yallourn, Angus Taylor and the energy transition in Newcastle appeared first on RenewEconomy.

All generators regulated under Massachusetts’ Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) power sector cap-and-trade programme complied at the Mar. 1 deadline for 2020 emissions, according to a state agency.