Fossil fuel phase-out, climate funds top pre-COP agenda
A Pacific event will set the agenda for the United Nations' global climate summit and groups are calling for Australia to push ambitious goals.
energy (general)
Australian tech giant taps into community solar farm
One of Australia's largest technology companies has signed a decade-long deal with a community-owned solar farm to help power a landmark building.
Electric charge: petrol giant plugs $225m into EV deal
Australians are buying electric cars in record numbers and one fuel retailer has announced a deal to expand its coverage.
Power provider defends costings after smelter’s bailout
A multimillion-dollar rescue package has secured the immediate future of one of Australia's biggest aluminium smelters after years of uncertainty.
Energy policy gaps leave households with higher bills
The size of your energy bill could depend on where you live as Australian states and territories take different approaches to electrification and efficiency.
Electric check-out: Coles opens greener grocery store
It is not just the bags that are green: a Melbourne supermarket will use renewable energy and customised technology to reduce its environmental footprint.
‘Stuck’: enough energy projects planned, too few built
Australia could miss its 2030 climate targets unless more renewable energy projects move from the planning phase into construction.
Multimillion-dollar boost to create ‘climate unicorns’
Artificial intelligence firms might be dominating headlines but a $30 million program aims to put renewable energy start-ups in the funding spotlight.
Slashing fossil fuels is ‘life and death’ for Pacific
New gas and coal developments should not go ahead if the world is to stop climate change forcing Pacific islanders out of their homes.
Electric switch could save households $5000 a year
More than 30 organisations will urge the federal government to do more in backing electric appliances, equipment and vehicles to cut costs and emissions.
No coal power, no new petrol cars by 2035 for net zero
Australia needs to phase out coal, gas and oil faster than planned to meet its climate commitments, a report says, with changes in energy, transport and mining.
Electric car surge strains Australia’s charging network
Motorists are adopting electric vehicles in record numbers but the nation's public charging is struggling to keep pace with demand.
Renovation nation: Aussies plan $85b in energy upgrades
Spending on home energy upgrades such as insulation and solar panels is on the rise but renters and younger households may be left behind.
Hard deadline: call for coal plants to pay to stay open
Keeping coal-fired power stations operating past their deadlines is delaying renewable energy projects, an industry group says.
Electric U-turn: ‘everyone knows someone with an EV’
Six months after fuel price spikes, electric cars make up almost one in every four new cars sold but experts are divided over whether the trend will continue.
Electric cars outsell petrol rivals for the first time
Fuel prices are up and so are electric vehicle sales, with Australian drivers now buying more battery-powered cars than either petrol or diesel models.
‘Bloody dangerous’: world to exceed 1.5-degree warming
Earth is on track to exceed 1.5 degrees of warming within years, the United Nations has warned, exposing communities to more extreme weather.
Short-term carbon credits used for long-term pollution
Australia's carbon credit scheme is working, according to a review, but some of the nation's biggest polluters have become its biggest customers.
Aussie emissions down but pace must pick up for 2030
Record levels of solar, wind and battery use are pushing down emissions in Australia but bigger cuts will be needed to meet its climate goal.
Inflated charges: push to make landlords pay gas bills
Australian renters are paying $440 million to keep gas connected whether they use it or not, and one group is calling for change.
Gas customers face higher bills sooner as exodus grows
Australians who remain connected to gas could face rising prices under reforms proposed to deal with changing energy use.
‘Solar coaster’: industry fears renewable rebate end
Solar and battery installation firms are booming with the help of government rebates but most fear a crash will hit when the support ends.
Ditching diesel could save Pacific nations almost $1b
Replacing fuel imports with renewable power could save Pacific countries millions of dollars if they can secure enough investment to make the switch.
Environment rules promise protection but raise concerns
Tougher rules to protect Australia's environment have been welcomed by developers, but conservation groups say they fall short of the changes needed.
Iran vows ‘devastating’ response to US economic threat
The US warns it's going to hit Iran with "the toughest sanctions in history" and will collapse its regime, which Tehran says will bring a "crushing" reaction.
No free rides: cheap e-scooters fail to win commuters
Providing e-scooter and e-bike riders more convenient parking options could make more of a difference than cutting the price of a ride.
Power prices fall but risks remain for life after coal
Renewable energy and batteries are pushing down wholesale power prices but a report warns they could rise again when coal-fired plants power down.
Hot out the oven: green iron trial produces first metal
One of Australia's first green iron projects has reached a milestone, producing molten metal from an electric furnace for the first time.
AI powers growing threat to Australia’s energy networks
Artificial intelligence is fuelling a surge in sophisticated online attacks and Australia's energy system could be a future target.
Electric trucks could deliver a billion-dollar payload
Australian laws are keeping heavy-duty electric trucks off the road, a report says, when they could boost productivity by more than $2 billion.
Electric switch could save public hospitals millions
Upgrading all of Australia's public hospitals from gas to electricity could save millions of dollars in energy bills but only if the government acts swiftly.