The electricity system in Australia is changing at a rapid pace. It is now facing complex external pressures from consumers cutting back on energy usage, excess capacity in the grid, a shift towards other energy options and changes to regulation. [ + ]

A recent case in the NSW Land and Environment Court has highlighted the discord between NSW's planning laws and the environmental protection laws, which could impact the way that waste and recycling processors are approved and regulated. [ + ]

The Bureau of Meteorology's (BOM) latest report into national water performance compares 78 urban water utilities providing services to over 20 million people. [ + ]

Unilever has announced that it is on track to meet most of its Sustainable Living Plan goals - a set of targets designed to help the company grow while minimising its impact on the environment. [ + ]

The Australian PV Institute (APVI) has been awarded the National ENERGY GLOBE Award for its development of Australian solar maps and tools. [ + ]

The winners of the first Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) auction have been announced. But don't despair: there are many more auctions to come. [ + ]

To help take advantage of big data, facility managers in Australia are considering the pros and cons of their approaches to BMS and what methods are the most compatible. [ + ]

The UV disinfection industry has experienced tremendous growth over the last 25 years - particularly in Europe, the USA and South-East Asia. The development of new UV technologies over this period is a perfect example of an industry investing to meet market demand - in this case, demand for an effective, low-cost and environmentally friendly way to disinfect wastewater for re-use. [ + ]

Researchers from Rice University have found they can easily grow high-value strains of oil-rich algae while simultaneously removing more than 90% of nitrates and more than 50% of phosphorous from wastewater. [ + ]

With over 2500 wine producers in Australia, the wine industry has a significant role to play in our economy. Being particularly vulnerable to water shortages, it is crucial for the wine industry to realise the importance of implementing long-term water management strategies. It has been suggested that in order to operate sustainably, Australian wine organisations need to engage with supply chain-oriented approaches to water and environmental management. [ + ]

By storing surplus energy, batteries allow households to reduce power bought from the electricity grid. Unfortunately, batteries have so far been prohibitively expensive.

The GPT Group's (GPT) approach to outcome-based reporting for waste and resource management. [ + ]

Water utilities have a well-deserved reputation for being quiet achievers. They are constantly being challenged to adapt to climate variability and meet sustainability targets.

Property group Stockland has selected Todae Solar and Canadian Solar to install a 1.22 MW rooftop solar system on Stockland Shellharbour Shopping Centre in the Illawarra region of NSW. Once completed, the system will be Australia's largest single-building rooftop solar system. [ + ]

An applicator of Rhino Linings Australasia recently won the tender to repair the inside and outside of the 80 metre-diameter, above-ground, steel potable water storage tank located at the Hospital Hill Reservoir in Murwillumbah, NSW. [ + ]