Feed aggregator

NSW, Queensland and Tasmania experienced hottest winters with spring likely to deliver hotter than average temperatures too

Australia’s winter of 2023 was the warmest since official records began in 1910, with average daily temperatures 1.53C above the long-term average.

According to data from the Bureau of Meteorology released on Friday, the 2023 winter beat the previous record of 1.46C above the average set in 1996. Every winter since 2012 has been warmer than the 30-year average calculated from 1961 to 1990.

Continue reading...

Australia's main grid reached a new 12-month rolling renewables record of 37.5 per cent on Thursday, the last day of winter.

The post On the last day of winter, Australia reaches record 37.5 pct renewables share for the year appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Australia needs policy and market clarity if it is to reach its ambitious but attainable renewable energy targets.

The post Are we trying to go forward, or not? Australia’s renewable transition needs clear direction appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The head of Snowy Hydro has apologised for large cost blowouts, while energy minister Chris Bowen says it would be a waste to cancel the project after so much has been spent.

The post Snowy Hydro boss apologises for cost blowouts, Bowen says it won’t be cancelled appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Snowy Hydro "reset" comes with no details or analysis. The Australian public, as the ultimate shareholders, must be provided with a comprehensive report, not just a two page media release.

The post Snowy 2 Much: How can a 2.2GW water battery be worth more than $12 billion? appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Mt Piper is destined to be the last coal plant in the NSW grid, but is likely to cease operation well before that - leaving the biggest state coal-free in 10 years time.

The post Last coal generator in Australia’s biggest grid will be managed out earlier than you think appeared first on RenewEconomy.

EnergyAustralia boss Mark Collette on how he will make sure the company’s last coal generator will not get in the way of the renewable transition, and why he went electric.

The post Energy Insiders Podcast: Out with coal, in with EVs appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Tall. Straight. Abundant flowers. And a stunning trunk. What’s not to like about the spotted gum? Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

There has been a lot of commentary about how to measure the cost of renewables – but much of it misses the point

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

If you’ve been reading or watching any rightwing media of late, you will have heard some extraordinary claims being made about the cost of renewable energy and the transition away from fossil fuels.

The opposition’s energy spokesperson, Ted O’Brien, suggested the Labor government could be “wilfully lying” about the “true cost” of the energy transition, while others have questioned the evidence that solar and wind are the cheapest forms of power.

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

Continue reading...

Amid all the song and dance over the market operator’s 10-year reliability outlook, and the revelations of the stunning incompetence of the federal government owned Snowy Hydro, it’s not surprising that the march of rooftop solar barely got a mention. On Wednesday, the Australian Energy Market Operator revealed two fascinating graphs that underline not just […]

The post Rooftop solar takes even bigger bites out of diminishing coal pie: But can it be controlled? appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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

Numerous approaches from international carbon markets exist for tackling leakage and competitiveness concerns from energy-intensive, trade-exposed industries (EITEs) subject to New York state’s forthcoming programme, a webinar heard Thursday.

California Carbon Allowance (CCA) prices recovered in the latter part of the week along with an upswing in broader macro sentiment, while Washington Carbon Allowances (WCAs) continued to recede into and post the state’s third cap-and-trade auction.

Chief executive says pumped hydro project remains ‘critical’ to energy transition away from fossil fuels

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

Snowy Hydro’s bogged tunnel boring machine could resume work within weeks – a key step to getting the “critical” pumped hydro project now expected to cost $12bn back on track.

Dennis Barnes, Snowy’s chief executive, says the revised contract with the builders of the 2.0 project – Italy-based WeBuild – is still in its “final stages” but he expects it to be signed off soon.

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

Continue reading...

Early in the pandemic, when there was much less traffic on the roads, people took to their bikes. But since then, fewer people are cycling, with rates now lower than in 2011. Matthew Mclaughlin, Adjunct Research Fellow, The University of Western Australia Peter McCue, PhD Candidate, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Once again, First Nations in the Murray-Darling Basin have been shortchanged in water reform and shortchanged in the water market. It’s time to listen and actually deliver tangible outcomes. Grant Rigney, Indigenous Knowledge Erin O'Donnell, Senior Lecturer, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Fred Hooper, Indigenous knowledge holder, Indigenous Knowledge Lana D. Hartwig, Adjunct Research Fellow, Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Community and biodiversity benefits can help demonstrate integrity in REDD forest protection projects but developers need to get better at disclosing them, community-focused groups argued this week.

Malta has paused accepting applications for carbon trading accounts amid an influx of applications, market participants told Carbon Pulse this week, noting that that the demand was mainly from non-EU shipping companies trying to prepare for the sector’s imminent entry into the EU ETS.

A maritime data firm has teamed up with one of Europe’s biggest utilities to unveil a web-based EU ETS management solution for shippers being brought into the bloc’s carbon market.

Corporates have shied away from the voluntary carbon market since the release of the ICVCM's framework for assessing methodologies eligible for its Core Carbon Principle (CCP) integrity labelling, with retirements and demand for REDD avoided deforestation dropping sharply in August.