Data centres power up debate on environmental red tape
Concerns about how to power data centres are at the fore as the clock ticks for hold-out jurisdictions to agree to take on environmental assessments.
renewable energy
Aussie mining giant to hit the track in Formula E debut
An Australian team could join the world's biggest electric racing series, with the company behind its rapid-charging technology preparing to step onto the grid.
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.
Gas export project to stop dipping into domestic market
A major gas exporter says it will stop contracting third-party gas for overseas shipments, amid calls for an enforced domestic reservation.
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.
Sustainable jet fuel project moves closer to take-off
A multimillion-dollar project designed to produce green fuels is a step closer to launch after securing a $30 million investment.
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.
‘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.
Cheaper, smarter and tougher: $105m bet on Aussie solar
Twenty Australian solar research projects will attract a record investment to improve the technology and help to lower costs.
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 scourge: rules make it cheaper to dump old panels
Australia's solar boom will create a significant waste problem, experts have told an inquiry, with tough rules needed to keep panels out of landfill.
‘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.
Power hungry: data centre energy use set to skyrocket
Artificial intelligence is set to make a major impact on Australia's electricity network, with a report warning about soaring demand from data centres.
Solar exec claims tea bag bribe a ‘cultural thing’
A Chinese solar energy businessman hid a $20,000 cash bribe in a gift of tea and offered it to a Commonwealth official, saying it was a "cultural thing".
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.
More Aussie firms could be captured by emissions scheme
Australian investors are pushing for big changes to Australia's major pollution policy and they could force more companies to reduce pollution.
States urged to back ‘nation-leading’ data centre plan
One state's plan to act on the water and energy use of fast-tracked data centres could be a blueprint for national reform, a climate group says.
Half a million and counting: Aussies power battery boom
Australians have installed more than 500,000 household batteries in a move experts say will keep putting downward pressure on power bills.
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.