The ‘Australian Water Supplier Compact’ (the compact) was launched in April to bring together local suppliers and urban utilities to maximise benefits for the Australian water industry, the economy and for the environment.The compact records the expression of commitment by Australia’s urban water utilities, represented by the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) and Australian companies that supply into the water sector, represented by waterAustralia and the Water Supplier Advocate. [ + ]

Former Chief Defence Scientist Professor Robert Clark has been appointed to the newly created Chair of Energy Strategy and Policy at the University of New South Wales. [ + ]

Residential solar PV will be around as long as the sun shines, but long-term growth could be constrained by the limits of the electricity network. That’s the conclusion of energy research specialist Energeia, which recently found that the the residential solar PV market is falling 56% in 2012, after growing 58% in 2011. [ + ]

The $200 million Clean Technology Innovation Program will provide opportunities for Australian businesses to find innovative ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. [ + ]

International sustainable resins supplier Cardia Bioplastics and rigid plastic packaging company Alto Packaging have announced a strategic partnership to produce high-performance packaging solutions, manufactured with Cardia’s novel thermoplastic starch resins and thus carrying environmental benefits. [ + ]

Victoria’s Smart Water Fund has enlisted the methane-producing potential of algae and Flinders University expertise in a move to reduce the carbon emissions and the power bills of the state’s water sector through increased renewable energy use. [ + ]

A total of 115 Australians have been awarded 2012 Churchill Fellowships for a diverse range of research projects, with a number focusing their attention on enriching our knowledge and practice in the areas of environment and sustainability. [ + ]

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has accepted informal undertakings from Polaris Solar and ACT Renewable Energy for claims regarding the impact of the carbon price on household electricity prices that the ACCC considered were likely to mislead. [ + ]

Supported by a grant from The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) Emerging Renewables Program, BlueScope Steel will develop a low-cost building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system for Australian residential, commercial and industrial rooftops. [ + ]

Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, today announced it is integrating Data Centre University, the globally recognised online resource of data centre courses, with its online, free, vendor-neutral, energy-efficiency learning program, Energy University. [ + ]

A study released today by carbon analytics firm RepuTex indicates that companies liable under the carbon price mechanism will pay up to 45% less than initially expected, with cost savings totalling over $10bn translating into significantly reduced carbon price impacts for Australian consumers and regional commodities buyers. [ + ]

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has endorsed New Zealand ‘no-tillage’ technology for reducing the impact of climate change on the production of crops. Now, the crusade to encourage more farmers to adopt no-tillage techniques on their properties has been taken to Europe. [ + ]

An international design competition will be launched on 11 September to attract plans to help transition the Latrobe Valley into a low-carbon future. [ + ]

Itron has announced that on 1 July 2012, water utility Sydney Water began the three-year-long installation of Itron’s high-efficiency meters to replace old meters that serve its residential and commercial customers in Sydney. [ + ]

The Cement and Concrete Association of New Zealand’s (CCANZ) 2012 Concrete³ Sustainability Awards are now open for entry, offering those in the construction industry the chance to be recognised for their sustainable achievements. [ + ]