Renewables

Nothing but blue skies? How solar forecasting works

Cumulus, stratus or cumulonimbus, clouds all have one thing in common: they affect the amount of energy solar panels produce. So, what is solar forecasting, and why is it so important?

Testing the ‘leakiness’ of Australian homes

With the cold snap shocking us into our winter woollens, we’re looking at how draughty Australian houses are, and the science behind how we test for ‘leakiness’ in our homes.

Climate mitigation: Science-backed solutions to reduce emissions

Science tells us that anthropogenic climate change is in effect. In order to limit the changes to our environments, economies and lifestyles, we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions from a number of sources. This is a huge task, so where should we concentrate efforts and what tools are at our disposal?

Hydrogen’s role in decarbonisation: ensuring a responsible transition

To decarbonise our energy systems, CSIRO is looking at the responsible innovation and social acceptance of hydrogen technologies. There are always challenges to the adoption of new technologies. Some of these challenges are technical or economic, but, for successful adoption, there also needs to be social awareness and acceptance.

Solar power and extreme weather in Australia

Over 2.2 million Australian homes and businesses now have a rooftop PV system. What does a summer of smoke, dust and hail mean for solar power generation in Australia?

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.