Category: SOLAR

Australia’s Biggest Battery Ablaze for 4 Days as Technology Woes Grow

The Victoria Big Battery—due to become the southern hemisphere’s largest battery—burst into flames last week and remained ablaze for almost four days as firefighters struggled to extinguish one of its Tesla battery megapacks. The battery’s failure has re-ignited concern that the technology may not be feasible or sustainable amid Australia’s transition towards cleaner energy alternatives….


The Golden State Prepares for Darkness as Blackouts Loom

Rolling blackouts throughout California are likely this summer due to a fragile power grid coupled with rising temperatures, an industry expert says. “Given the path that this state set itself on more than a decade ago, we can expect plenty of rolling blackouts,” Californians for Green Nuclear Power legal assistant Gene Nelson told The Epoch Times….


Australian Renewable Agency Blocked from Funding Low Emissions Technologies

The Australian Government’s plan to use its Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to bankroll the development of low emissions technologies has been extinguished after a bill it banked on passing was blocked, stopping access to billions of dollars in funds. Last year’s 2020-21 federal budget (pdf) had allotted $1.6 billion (US$1.2 billion) to ARENA in the…


Photographer’s Solar Eclipse Image Is Perfect Replica of Sketch He Shared the Night Before

One night before an anticipated partial solar eclipse, a photographer from New York sketched out the picture he hoped to capture. He shared his sketch on social media. The next day, his winning shot was a perfect replica of that very same plan. Having found a vantage point overlooking the eclipse location and Stissing Mountain…


Take 2: Spacewalking Astronauts Install New Solar Panel

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—Spacewalking astronauts equipped the International Space Station with the first in a series of powerful new solar panels Sunday, overcoming suit problems and other obstacles with muscle and persistence. It took two spacewalks for French astronaut Thomas Pesquet and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough to install and unfurl the panel to its full 63…


NSW to Commit $380 Million for Landmark Renewables Rollout

New South Wales (NSW) has revealed it will be injecting $380 million (US$290 million) to develop its renewable energy arsenal as part of the state’s ambitious transition to net zero by 2050. The investment will reserve a sizable spot in the state’s to-be-announced 2021-22 budget and builds on $110 million (US$84 million) of existing funding…


Australia Ushers in New Oil, Gas Exploration Amid Shortfall Concerns

The Australian Government has opened up 80,000 square kilometres (30,000 square miles) of coastal waters for oil and gas exploration amid a shortage of supplies on the nation’s two key commodities. Industry stakeholders will be expected to bid for exploration rights in a total of 21 areas off the coasts of Western Australia, Victoria, and…


Lifting Nuclear Ban Could Boost NSW Economy: Commissioner

A report by the New South Wales (NSW) Commissioner for Productivity has suggested easing restrictions on nuclear energy in a bid to boost the state’s economic prosperity. The May 31 white paper, titled “Rebooting the Economy,” provided a list of recommendations for the NSW government in improving the productivity growth of Australia’s largest state, which…


Woolworths Turns to Wind Power to Blow a Hole in Carbon Emissions

A new renewable energy deal has put the wind in the sails of Australia’s largest supermarket, Woolworths, promising to supply 30 percent of the food giant’s New South Wales (NSW) energy needs. The contract will see the transfer of 195,000 Megawatt-hours from Bango Wind Farm to 108 outlets in NSW—equivalent to powering 34,000 homes—every year….


Australia Leverages Forrests and Land to Reach Record-Low Emissions

Australia’s carbon emission estimates have fallen to their lowest point in the last 30 years, driven primarily by offsets from the nation’s vast lands and forests. Recently released data has shown that land containing forests and other vegetation—which absorb and store carbon dioxide—have played a critical role in directing Australia’s drop in emissions. The data…