Cooking with gas? Bills about to jump

BRIAN ROBINS If you thought surging household energy bills were a thing of the past, think again.

Government modelling shows power prices will fall if RET stays

Lisa Cox, Peter Hannam The Abbott government’s case to scrap or weaken the Renewable Energy Target (RET) has been dealt a “killer blow”, with modelling it commissioned for the review showing consumers will be better off if the target is kept.

Energy

Slump in demand for power likely to continue

BRIAN ROBINS The downturn in electricity demand is likely to slide a further 3.3 per cent over next three years.

Napthine government pushes gas-fired power option

Tom Arup, Environment Editor Australia's renewable energy target would include gas-fired power - derived from fossil fuels - under a controversial proposal by the Victorian government.

Napthine government wants gas included in renewable energy target

TOM ARUP Australia's renewable energy target would include gas-fired power - derived from fossil fuels - under a controversial proposal by the Victorian government.

Mike Baird gives backing for renewable energy target

PETER HANNAM The NSW government has broken ranks with conservative counterparts in Canberra and the other states by declaring its strong support for the national renewable energy target.

Abbott set to abandon clean energy industry

Peter Hannam, Tom Arup The Abbott government appears intent on abandoning all major support for clean energy in Australia if plans to axe the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) are confirmed in Tuesday’s budget, senior officials and industry groups said.

Energy expert tells how to save on household bills

PETER HANNAM It is understandable that cold callers who interrupt dinner with supposedly unbeatable offers to switch energy retailers or buy solar PV panels usually get short shrift.

Storing solar power is the key to cutting energy bills, CSIRO says

PETER HANNAM The electricity market is in for a shake-up.

Strides in solar storage could mean exit from electricity grid

PETER HANNAM Solar photovoltaic systems will continue to spread across Australian rooftops because of rising electricity costs, “great irradiation” and cheaper finance, the head of the second largest PV producer in the US has said.

Shift power use, save big on investment, US expert says

PETER HANNAM Encouraging power users to shift their consumption during days of high demand could avoid major investments in networks while also fostering the use of solar energy, the head of the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) said.

Wind farms in NSW to face more red tape

PETER HANNAM Community groups will be given more power to object to wind farm projects in NSW, a move environmental groups and a renewable energy firm say amounts to halting the industry’s growth in the state.

Green homes cheaper to run and build, so reach for the stars

PETER HANNAM When the CSIRO began the biggest study of energy performance of Australian houses, one resident bemoaned the woeful output of his home's photovoltaic panels only to be told the unit was actually a solar hot water system.

Revolutionary central cooling system planned for Brisbane

KIM STEPHENS An energy-saving revolution 80 years in the making could be about to hit Brisbane.

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NSW rate of emissions reduction falls as solar funding scheme cut back

KIRSTY NEEDHAM Less greenhouse gas emissions were saved by the NSW government's Climate Change Fund last year, as funding for programs was cut by $30 million.

Elon Musk's 'gigafactory' seen transforming power industry as much as Tesla cars

Tesla Motors's plan to ramp up battery production by building what Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk calls a 'gigafactory' may do even more to transform the power industry than it does to advance the electric car.

Environment Minister Greg Hunt says he is keeping green investments in mind

TOM ARUP Environment Minister Greg Hunt says he is mindful of investments made under Australia's renewable energy target and that the policy helps cut emissions.

Big fall in electricity sector emissions since carbon tax

PETER HANNAM Australia's greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector are down 7.6 per cent since the carbon tax was introduced in July 2012, or the equivalent of about 14.8 million tonnes.

AGL moves to keep rights over Latrobe brown coal

Tom Arup Energy giant AGL has applied to retain the rights over an estimated 2 billion tonnes of brown coal in the Latrobe Valley allocated to a lower-emissions power plant that was never built.