Origin Energy slams grants-based schemes, saying they are a boon to lawyers and consultants, but not for emerging technologies.
And Australia’s cleantech winners are… lawyers and consultants!
Tech Focus: Taking on China in solar module market
Tindo Solar is about to open Australia’s only solar module manufacturing plant, and take on the Chinese. Are they crazy?
Soil carbon: time to bury the emissions problem
UN highlights growing risk of soil depletion to the environment, and to food and water resources, as well as its critical role in reducing emissions. Meanwhile, Australia’s Carbon Farming Initiative is likely to getting off to a slow start – and low international prices will not be a help.
Solar energy rules in a state of confusion
Queensland has unveiled a new renewables plan that displays a startling lack of ambition, and raises fears that it might be about to cut its feed in tariff. It also has little hope for solar thermal, geothermal and ocean energy, and reduced its wind forecasts. Meanwhile, the ACT forges ahead with its solar auction, and will help fund it through contracts for difference.
PacHydro sees 14GW of solar by mid 2020s
PacHydro delivers bullish forecasts for solar in Australia, while a new German study reports on massive cost savings from the merit order effect.
Mixed Greens: And now, the electric jet
easyJet goes electric to reduce runway fuel consumption; UK aims for 22GW solar by 2020.
Mixed Greens: Hybrid solar cells boost efficiency
Hybrid solar cells push efficiency rating to 44%; fashionable designs for solar thermal plants, Canberra unveils energy efficiency grants.
Why we need a big green bank for low carbon transition
Australia will not go it alone if it deploys the $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation. The biggest cleantech investors in the world, China, US, Germany and Brazil, are using such institutions with even bigger budgets to underwrite their transition to a low carbon economy.
Mixed Greens: Korea to vote on ETS
South Korea to vote on ETS, wind power surges across globe.
The good, the bad, and the ugly of solar policies
The Solar Flagships saga speaks volumes about the outdated political and energy cultures in this country. At least the solar PV contenders will return with vastly cheaper proposals, while the Solar Dawn consortium can consider itself lucky.
