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Nic Stone talks to Solar Insiders about the myriad innovative off-grid projects that are using PowerPlus Energy's Australian made – and made for Australia – batteries. Plus: Big solar approvals, small solar canned.

The post Solar Insiders Podcast: Battery boom-time in the land of the diesel-free donga appeared first on RenewEconomy.

New research shows how marine debris from continents across the southern hemisphere threatens Antarctica’s remote coastline and unique marine ecosystems. Foreign organisms might be hitching a ride. Hannah Dawson, Postdoctoral Research Associate in oceanography, University of Tasmania Adele Morrison, Senior Lecturer in Climate and Fluid Physics, Australian National University Ceridwen Fraser, Professor in marine science, University of Otago Matthew England, Scientia Professor and Deputy Director of the ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Sun Cable is still juggling its technology options as prices for solar, battery storage and wind turbines move around. Its biggest challenge might be converter stations.

The post Sun Cable still juggling tech options as it lays plans for world’s biggest renewable project appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Texas grid has many similarities to Australia, and this week it dealt with record demand in a searing heatwave with no problems, thanks to solar and battery storage.

The post “Energy transition in real time:” Texas grid hits demand records, and for solar and battery storage appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Japan is splashing cash for Australian gas to keep fossil fuels flowing under its net zero plan for South East Asia . But this undercuts Australia’s green export vision Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

China's rapid development of renewable energy has led to a slowdown in coal power project approvals, though the existing pipeline of projects could still pose a potential challenge for the country to meet its climate targets, analysts have said.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $15 million in lab call funding to advance later-stage commercialisation and deployment of industrial decarbonisation technologies.

A bitcoin mining company has sued New York for denying a permit renewal to its natural gas-fired power plant, due to its associated emissions, under the state's flagship climate law.

Woodland Trust’s competition comes as charity campaigns for more robust legal protection for precious trees

An oak tree shaped like an elephant and the oak with the widest girth in the UK have been shortlisted for the annual Tree of the Year competition.

The Woodland Trust runs the annual competition to raise awareness of the UK’s ancient and at-risk trees.

Marton oak, Cheshire
Sessile oak (quercus petraea) / Approximate age: 1,200 years / Girth: 14.02 metres.

Bowthorpe oak, Lincolnshire
English oak (quercus robur) / Estimated age: 1000 years / Girth: 13.38 metres.

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A "community" solar farm and 5MWh battery that was 16 years in the making will be switched on this week, and is unique in what it hopes to achieve.

The post Tiny town in Victoria hits go on edgy community energy concept appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Zoo staff brought Magic to Sphen’s side to process the loss, and the penguin colony joined in his mournful call

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Sydney gentoo penguin Sphen, whose same-sex love story made him and partner Magic an equality symbol worldwide, has died.

The couple shot to fame in 2018 when news of their same-sex male relationship in a Sydney aquarium made global headlines.

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Even the type of street trees planted in a city can make a huge difference. Jua Cilliers, Head of School of Built Environment, Professor of Urban Planning, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Q3 California-Quebec current vintage carbon auction settled at nearly a $3 discount to secondary market prices, well below trader and analyst expectations, sending secondary market California Carbon Allowance (CCA) futures in a volatile spin.

Sharing increasingly crowded spaces could result in greater risk of pandemics, human and animal conflicts and loss of nature, say researchers

Over the next 50 years, people will push further into wildlife habitats across more than half the land on Earth, scientists have found, threatening biodiversity and increasing the chance of future pandemics.

Humans have already transformed or occupied between 70% and 75% of the world’s land. Research published in Science Advances on Wednesday found the overlap between human and wildlife populations is expected to increase across 57% of the Earth’s land by 2070, driven by human population growth.

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Beef, lamb and dairy products are the most carbon-intensive foods by far. More boldness around dietary changes is needed

The publication of a major study linking habitual eating of processed and red meat to a greater risk of type 2 diabetes is the latest very good reason to think hard about what we consume. Rising obesity rates, food poverty and concerns about the seemingly unstoppable rise of ultra-processed and junk food mean British eating habits are a longstanding source of widespread concern. Many people also recognise that there are environmental reasons to change their diets. Meat and dairy are the most carbon-intensive foods by far. Most of us should eat less of them. But the messaging around this continues to be poor.

Ever since red and processed meat was linked to an increased risk of cancer a decade ago, people have been advised to limit their daily consumption of these to a maximum of 70g. But while the “five a day” fruit and vegetables campaign turns 21 this year, and warnings about excess sugar abound, other government guidelines on food remain vague. While they specify two weekly portions of fish, one of which should be oily, about meat they say only “eat some”. There are no recommendations as to how much white meat should be consumed.

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India’s power transition away from coal is highly sensitive to the rate at which battery project costs decline, according to analysts.

Extreme heat affecting nearly 23m people across US south-west and pushing Texas’s electrical grid to the limit

A heat dome covering the US’s south-west region is affecting nearly 23 million Americans, bringing with it some of the highest temperatures of the summer and putting pressure on the electrical grid in Texas.

The heat dome phenomenon occurs when strong, high pressure traps hot air over a region, preventing cool air from traveling in and causing temperatures to rise on the ground and stay high.

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Marsh restorations allowing populations of fen raft spider, which can be up to 7cm long, to recover

One of the rarest and largest species of spider in the UK is said to be making a comeback on nature reserves.

After facing near extinction over the last century, the UK’s population of fen raft spiders is steadily increasing, and numbers are at a record high this year, according to the conservation charity RSPB.

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Industry and NGOs backed the UK government’s proposal to maintain the gross emissions cap if greenhouse gas removals (GGRs) are included in the UK ETS, and argued their inclusion could incentivise their uptake but additional support will still be needed, according to responses to a government consultation.

Large amounts of money will begin to flow into regenerative agriculture around the world next year, as organisations become more comfortable with financing it, the managing director of Pollination has predicted.