Wave-energy project to be developed in Victoria
13 July, 2012Wave-energy technology company Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) and global security company Lockheed Martin have entered into a teaming agreement with the goal of developing a 19 MW wave-energy project in Portland, Victoria. It is said to be one of the largest wave-energy projects announced to date and could provide energy to approximately 10,000 homes.
Hybrid power station installed in remote location
12 July, 2012 | Supplied by: Powerbox Australia Pty LtdAEG Power Solutions’ New Caledonian ecopx hybrid power station is now fully operational. The complete integrated solution was part of a contract signed with OPT (Office des Postes &Telecommunications) in New Caledonia last year. It combines solar and wind energy with batteries, and a genset as emergency back-up.
Australian rooftop solar power: down but not out
11 July, 2012Residential 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.
Smart power produced from wastewater
09 July, 2012Victoria’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.
BlueScope Steel raises the bar on integrated solar roof technology
05 July, 2012Supported 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.
Energy management in the cloud for tenants
05 July, 2012 | Supplied by: LendleaseLend Lease Apartments’ luxury Convesso Concavo development in Victoria Harbour, Docklands, Melbourne, had to meet a number of design criteria to achieve an industry rating of ‘4 Star Green Star’ for Multi-Unit Residential buildings, as defined and audited by the Green Building Council of Australia. By adopting a cloud-based energy management solution, Lend Lease with Fujitsu and Switch Automation were able to integrate new networking, automation and monitoring technologies together to enable a solution that residents could easily use to manage and monitor their own energy usage. The design team at Lend Lease now has the potential to collate this data and make ongoing design refinements.
Lecture on coal seam gas: alternative energy source or environmental hazard?
02 July, 2012Better understanding of the groundwater and surface water impacts of coal seam gas production is essential, according to Professor Sue Golding from the University of Queensland, an international expert on coal seam gas and carbon sequestration in sedimentary basins.
Carbon tax making solar look even cheaper
02 July, 2012With the carbon tax now operating and energy price rises kicking in, the economics around solar power are making it look even cheaper.
New transportation fuel switch methodology approved
29 June, 2012VCS has approved a new methodology to quantify and credit GHG emission reductions from projects that substitute gasoline with ethanol in commercial fleets of flex-fuel vehicles.
UOW partners with Ecotech to measure greenhouse gases around the globe
27 June, 2012A University of Wollongong (UOW) invention will help governments around the world measure greenhouse gases following the university’s decision to commercialise its greenhouse gas analyser - the Spectronus - in partnership with Australian environmental monitoring solutions manufacturer Ecotech.
Every cloud has a solar lining
26 June, 2012 by Lauren DavisSolar intermittency - the interruption of solar power due to cloud cover, night-time or the sun simply not shining brightly enough - has been a major factor in preventing Australia from fully embracing solar energy. Now, the CSIRO is working hard to understand how to manage this problem.
More than 9 in 10 businesses unaware carbon tax assistance is available
25 June, 2012 | Supplied by: Energy ActionThousands of organisations across Australia are missing out on potential financial aid that could help them combat the impact of the carbon tax, says Energy Action. The start of a new financial year provides an opportunity to review what funding options are available.
Australia’s coal production set to soar but carbon emissions to decline from 2018
25 June, 2012Modelling from carbon analytics firm RepuTex indicates investment in new mines will continue to drive production for the best part of the next decade, with output and resultant carbon emissions forecast to rise to record levels.
Landmark report shows economic benefits of wind farms
22 June, 2012A typical 50 MW wind farm pays host farmers some $250,000 per year, is constructed by workers who spend up to $1.2 million locally and contributes up to $80,000 annually to community projects, according to a landmark study into the economic benefits of wind farms.
Electric future for cars
21 June, 2012 by Alice RichardNissan invited Sustainability Matters to test drive the Nissan LEAF - its purpose-built, all-electric car, which is now on sale in Australia.
