Green trains on their way to power one of the world’s most abundant mining regions

train tracks in sunset

Green trains on their way. A global mining organisation and an Australian rail operator will attempt to build greener freight solutions to service one of the most resource-rich regions in the world. Australian rail company Aurizon has partnered with British mining giant Anglo American to replace diesel trains with hydrogen in the North West Minerals […]

Use of woody biomass for energy

Renewable Energy Connections

Campaigns questioning the use of woody biomass for energy are missing key facts says IEA Bioenergy. Some concurrent media campaigns and publications question the use of woody biomass for renewable energy production, but several of them misrepresent on-the-ground forestry practise and bioenergy systems. A common tactic is to associate the use of woody biomass for […]

Sorting the waste to energy mess

man leaning on fence

Sorting the waste to energy mess. TALKING RUBBISH: The Clean Energy Finance Corporation recently estimated a national pipeline of up to $7.8 billion in new investments in resource recovery, bioenergy and WTE in the period to 2025; employment benefits of up to 9,000 construction jobs, 2600 indirect jobs and as many as 1400 direct and […]

The Crossroads of Carbon and Climate

road signs

The crossroads of carbon and climate – the economy of meeting Australia’s climate targets. Australia is stood at a crossroads of climate and carbon. While the federal government is yet to commit to net-zero emissions by 2050 formally, the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism may just change our current course. There are two things […]

Major source of Carbon Emissions

Major source of Carbon Emissions

We all love to fly around the world, as the Covid travel ban blues have revealed. But aviation is a major source of carbon emissions, and accounts for a massive 12 per cent of the transportation sector’s carbon footprint. That’s 2 per cent of all human-created carbon emissions. So, what are the clever people doing […]

Renewable Energy Connections

Renewable Energy Connections

Australia plans to improve grid stability and flags caps to renewable energy connections. In light of rapid uptake of renewables, Australia is looking to improve its power grid’s stability to counter generation risks and overburdening of the transmission system. The country’s transmission system and grid lines were initially developed for coal-generated energy. However, nearly two-thirds […]

Biomass and baseload power: The reality of turning the electricity grid green

Biomass and baseload power

If ageing coal-fired and gas power stations are the ugly stepsisters of the electricity world, most renewables are the carriage that turns into a pumpkin after midnight (or as the sun goes down). We need more than hope and magic dust as we transition away from traditional fossil fuel generators to a new energy economy. […]

The post 2025 energy market must plan for a grid without coal

forrest

Are we ready for a power grid without coal? Australia’s electricity grid still relies on coal-fired generation. But with coal plants retiring and more renewables coming into the mix, that needs to change. Liddell power station is closing in 2023, and Yallourn in 2028. The way things are going we should expect others to close […]

Hunt on for fixes for weak electricity grids

Fix weak electricity grids

Fix weak electricity grids. Victoria’s north-west has been chosen as the case study for a new project looking for ways to connect renewable energy to weaker parts of the electricity network. Monash University researchers selected the West Murray region because its lack of system strength is holding back development of new projects, despite the climate […]

The Biden Administration’s Prioritisation of Hydrogen

Prioritisation of Hydrogen

Prioritisation of Hydrogen President Joe Biden has made returning the United States to the forefront of the world’s effort to combat climate change a main priority in his first few months in office. Not only has he directed the US to rejoin the UN Paris Accords, he also hosted a virtual, global climate summit with […]