Solar

Photographer Ralph Alphonso had planned to turn a small inner city property space - just 5 metres by 4 metres - next to his inner city photographic studio in east Melbourne into a car port with a roof. Instead, after prompting from his father, he came up with a better idea.

With the energy requirements for a cremator, small cool room, air conditioners, mortuary and processing equipment all being run from a battery bank, the environmentally conscious can now protect the planet even after death.

Aldi becomes latest retail chain to begin installing rooftop solar, as commercial solar market shows signs of maturity in Australia.

After a horror couple of months, SunEdison launches onto Australian market with exclusive offer of low-cost, high efficiency solar panel.

Blueprint for NSW town of Uralla says getting to majority renewables can be relatively easy, and save a lot of money. Getting to 100% renewables, however, will be harder. But it seems lots of towns want to try.

In Part 3 of this Tesla's 9,000kms odyssey through Queensland, without a super-charging network, we learn how the car plugged into the only wind farm in the state.

The northern NSW town of Tyalgum is considering a proposal to go 100 per cent renewable and to possibly quit the grid altogether, in what would be the first such move by a township in Australia.

WA grid operator Western Power wants to take up to 10 small communities off-grid, to save costs on grid upgrades and extensions. More could follow.

Enova extends share offer for community retailer after prospectus raises more than $1.1 million.

The largest straw-bale home in the southern hemisphere has solar hydronic heating and excellent acoustics - a great asset for people in the audio and music business.

California to move government buildings to 100% renewable energy across the state.

Stockland contemplates another three MW-scale rooftop solar arrays on its shopping centres, including what could be the largest array on an Australian car-park facility.

University of South Australia to co-develop an energy self-sufficient retirement village, with a renewable micro-grid of solar and battery storage, managed with energy demand software.

After looking into adding a grid-connected solar system, the Pilbara Meta Maya Regional Aboriginal Corporation has gone with the cheaper option of installing an off-grid solar PV plant with 70kWh battery storage – a first of its kind, commissioned this week.

A home owner with a passion for sustainable living gathered good people around her to complete a energy efficient extension that is now a favourite space for family members to meet, eat and curl up with a good book.

The 100% renewable energy scenario starts in the home. By 2030, a major new report predicts, all private consumers and small and medium enterprises (SME) will meet most of their electricity needs with solar PV and storage.