Environment
Budget lacks energy for big renewable project reforms
13 May
Australia’s growing throng of solar panels, batteries and electric cars will be managed by a new regulator in a multimillion-dollar budget commitment welcomed by investment and climate groups. The change will come in addition to support for...[Read More]
Green groups warn climate courage missing from budget
13 May
Climate wins on bike lanes and batteries have been overshadowed by a failure to capture fossil fuel revenue and rein in off-road diesel credits, environment groups say. The lead up to Tuesday’s federal budget was dominated by a campaign to hike...[Read More]
Rural leaders see budget shortfalls for health, roads
13 May
Australia’s regions will benefit from funding to bolster fuel supplies and public hospitals, but investment in rural health reform, better connectivity and safer country roads continues to fall short, according to industry groups. The federal...[Read More]
Batteries undercutting gas, keeping lid on power bills
6 May
Australian power grids have proven far more resilient to the latest global energy crisis compared with the Russia-Ukraine war, bolstered by battery boom and subdued local gas prices. A ballooning battery fleet soaking up cheap, abundant solar to...[Read More]
AI key to recovering ultra-valuable solar material
6 May
The race is on to extract more value from retired solar equipment to improve recycling economics and prevent tens of thousands of tonnes of material going to landfill. Materials like glass, silver and copper can be prised from end-of-life systems...[Read More]
Hybrid and electric vehicles rev up second-hand market
14 January
Australians’ blooming love affair with fuel-efficient vehicles is sweeping into the second-hand car market, with figures showing hybrid and electric models are wooing more candidates. But plug-in hybrid electric cars are rising in popularity...[Read More]
‘Smash-hit’ battery scheme topped up, subsidies trimmed
17 December
More batteries in more homes is the promise of a federal government decision to triple the budget of a popular rebate scheme and wind back discounts for bigger systems. The subsidy, which has been in place for five months, will get a generous top-up...[Read More]
Coal down, solar up: Australia halfway to 2030 target
24 September
Australia is generating renewable energy in record amounts and is halfway to its 2030 target, latest figures show. Coal-based power generation also produced less than half the nation’s energy for the first time during the past year, while Western...[Read More]
Green jet fuel creates runway for 2035 climate goals
24 September
A promise to kickstart an emerging low carbon fuel industry has been sandwiched between dire warnings of Australia’s climate threats and the expected release of national targets to slash emissions. The federal government’s $1.1 billion to...[Read More]
Faster approvals considered in nature law overhaul
10 September
Housing, energy and infrastructure developments could be fast-tracked in some areas and blocked entirely in others under a major overhaul of Australia’s planning rules. The federal government is promising to enshrine “regional planning” in...[Read More]