Renewables

Turning around transport emissions growth

When economists think of the electric vehicle market and how it might turn back emissions they think in terms of fleet share. What will trigger the wholesale switch to electric vehicles in Australia - price, choice, vehicle standards?

Electric vehicles: Are we there yet?

Electric vehicles have the potential to help us cut carbon emissions and pollution, and improve grid inefficiency. While the change here has been slow so far, the advent of lower-cost models and more charging infrastructure could see more drivers plug in.

‘Intelligent control’ the key to grid-friendly solar

The economics of distributed energy has put Australia at the forefront of redesigning the electricity sector before most of the rest of the world. Just ask the residents of Yarrabilba.

Building a one-stop-shop for all our energy data needs

Australians go through more than 6,000 petajoules of energy every year to keep everything from their phones to their factories running. It’s a nice number for pub trivia, but if you’re a policy maker, researcher, or investor in our nation’s future energy demands, you’ll need something better than a back-of-the-envelope calculation. CSIRO’s Energy Use Data Model could soon come in handy.

‘Baseload’ power and what it means for the future of renewables

In the new world order of mixed-source energy, trusty baseload power is often misunderstood. It's not just a question of what baseload can do for renewables, but what renewables can do for baseload power.

Under the hood: the lowdown on EVs and low-emission vehicles

You’ll have heard the usual arguments against electric cars – limited range, too few recharging stations around to make them worthwhile, and the problem of battery disposal. On the other hand, say proponents, electric vehicles offer the prospect of ‘zero emissions’ driving.

Refining the accounts on canola emissions savings

Accounting for emissions savings in producing biofuels compared to fossil fuels is about to get harder. Australia's got an interest in proving the worth of canola.

Solar smarts offer households control without complexity

Solar-powered homes with battery storage can save money with a new system that decides when to store or draw energy from the solar panels, the battery and the grid.

Wave atlas helps map the way ahead for ocean energy

A new Australian wave atlas adds to the work being done in marine energy renewables to see how far the industry can ride the wave.