Topics tagged with 'Technology'
Minnesota's solar boom 10 years later
21 Dec 2022
It sounded absurd, the idea of spending a large sum of money to install solar panels in a Minnesota farm field that is covered in snow for much of the year.
Aussie Sunswift 7 solar car claims EV world record
21 Dec 2022
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sunswift Racing Team is the new provisional Guinness World Record holder for ‘Fastest Electric Vehicle over 1000km on a single charge’.
Aotearoa's largest wooden office building on the way for Tauranga
20 Dec 2022
Work is starting next month on what will be New Zealand's largest wooden office building, with builders aiming for a net zero carbon footprint for its construction process.
Facing headwinds at home, Europe and Japan are pushing waste-to-energy technology across South East Asia
20 Dec 2022
For decades, waste-to-energy has been a key waste management tool in developed countries. Now, they are looking to developing markets. There are dozens of waste-to-energy incineration plants planned or under construction across South East Asia using Japanese and European technology and framed as clean or renewable.
Government seeks feedback on offshore renewables
16 Dec 2022
The Government is seeking public feedback on the development of offshore renewable energy infrastructure like wind farms.
Best by the rest...
16 Dec 2022
Carbon market reforms mean big emitters may be eligible for more free credits; should cruise ships be banned from Milford Sound? and the slow pace of targeting agricultural production to a lucrative overseas market which puts a high value on sustainability.
Tiny cars, big opportunity
15 Dec 2022
Do you know your autocycles from your quadricycles? Your golf carts from your LSVs?
Opening of Tranmission Gully could pave way to Paekākāriki community windfarm
14 Dec 2022
By Isabella Cleary | Promoters of a community-operated windfarm near Paekākāriki, north of Wellington, are hopeful the completion of the Transmission Gully motorway will free up land needed for the project.
SolarZero and virtual power plants
14 Dec 2022
SolarZero has built on the launch of its nationwide virtual power plant with a specific geographic version.
Big tech is laying off workers. The growing ‘green collar’ job industry hopes to recruit them
14 Dec 2022
According to a Deloitte, more than 800 million jobs around the world are “highly vulnerable” due to climate change and the move toward net-zero. More than 13 million of them are in the U.S., notes Deloitte Global Human Capital Practice Leader Art Mazor.
New electric-hydrofoil to ply Hauraki Gulf
9 Dec 2022
Media release - Fullers360, the country’s largest ferry operator, has partnered with Auckland-based sustainable boating designers, Seachange, to bring a premium 10-seater zero-emission hydrofoiling F8 vessel to the Hauraki Gulf from September 2023.
New Australian EV tax deals will deliver $20k saving for BYD Atto 3 leases
9 Dec 2022
Australians with an eye to buy one of the country’s most popular electric vehicles (EVs) need to start talking to their boss, as novated leasing and tax deals make BYD’s highly sought after Atto 3 even more attractive.
Four-wheel e-cargo bike delivering scooter batteries in Wellington
6 Dec 2022
Micro-mobility company Beam is trialling what could well be the country’s first four-wheel e-cargo bike in Wellington.
NZ Post’s purpose-built bikes back in business - temporarily
6 Dec 2022
Last week NZ Post announced there would be delays in deliveries due to “issues” with its Norwegian-built electric Paxster postal buggies.
£35m carbon neutral high school opens in Cheltenham
5 Dec 2022
A £35m carbon neutral high school has opened its doors to pupils.
Europe's alpine villages producing their own power
1 Dec 2022
Small hydropower plants have long sustained remote communities in the Alps – but there is a growing debate over their environmental impact.
South Africa turns to solar to help stop power cuts
30 Nov 2022
Young engineer Nolwazi Zulu says that when she was a teenager she decided that she would "go out and do something" about the regular power cuts that bedevil her community.
Best by the rest...
25 Nov 2022
In our weekly round-up of the best climate coverage in local media: Why NZ can't lecture other countries on being "climate smart"; going fully electric for your car and appliances will be the cheapest option in four years; and concerns around the environmental impact of The Rings of Power.
The climate case against Elon Musk
24 Nov 2022
This newsletter has written a lot about so-called “climate billionaires”—billionaires who claim to be doing a lot for the climate. But we’ve never said much about Elon Musk.
Yealands turns green grapes into green apples with global sustainability award
23 Nov 2022
Media release - New Zealand premium wine producer, Yealands Wine Group, has won two golds at the 2022 International Green Apple Awards for its ground-breaking Biodiversity Plan, officially launched yesterday.
US, Indonesia, other nations sign $20B deal to accelerate clean energy transition
17 Nov 2022
The United States, Indonesia and other allies signed a $20 billion deal on Tuesday at the Group of 20 (G-20) summit that will help Indonesia reduce its reliance on coal.
Best by the rest...
11 Nov 2022
In our weekly round-up of the best climate coverage in local media: The National Party say they will repeal the offshore oil and gas exploration ban if elected next year; concerns raised on environmental impacts of international productions filmed in New Zealand; and should Australia be hosting UN climate talks with Pacific Nations in 2026?
In Mongolia, a quest to democratise carbon credits
11 Nov 2022
For several years, The Asia Foundation’s Mongolia office in Ulaanbaatar has been working to reduce their carbon footprint.
Why an old train could point to a clean energy future
9 Nov 2022
An old diesel freight train in British Columbia, Canada is about to get a new lease of life. Local firm Hydrogen in Motion (H2M) is currently converting the Green Goat locomotive to run on a mix of hydrogen and battery power.
Australian solar nears 60% of grid generation for first time
8 Nov 2022
The combination of large scale and rooftop solar set new Australian generation records on a sunny and mild spring day on Sunday, at the same time as sending grid demand – and the demand for coal – down to new lows
Is Ukraine war speeding Europe’s transition to renewable energy?
8 Nov 2022
Renewable energy production in Europe reached record levels following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, leading some energy analysts to predict that Europe is poised to surge forward in creating clean energy. Other analysts, however, forecast a cut in European emissions through a widely expected recession, energy austerity and de-industrialisation next year.
Best by the rest...
4 Nov 2022
In our weekly round-up of the best climate coverage in local media: Climate Change Minister James Shaw blames court delay for inaction on tougher climate pledge; could fermentation replace conventional farming to reduce NZ's emissions? and journalist Marc Daalder argues we shouldn't give up on limiting global heating to 1.5C.
More Kiwis working from home could save 400,000 tonnes of emissions a year: new report
3 Nov 2022
More people opting to work from home could result in 400,000 tonnes of carbon emission savings annually, a new study commissioned by Spark has revealed.
European parliament moves to mandate EVs by 2035
2 Nov 2022
The EU Parliament has agreed to a set of rules that will see an increase in the number of recharging and alternative refueling stations for cars, trucks, trains, and planes. This is part of the “Fit for 55 in 2030 package” which plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% come 2030.
Singapore explores hybrid wind, solar, tidal, & wave energy system
31 Oct 2022
Singapore has lots of inhabitants but not a lot of available land for solar panels and wind turbines. It does have a lot of open ocean to the south in the Singapore Strait, however. What it wants is renewable energy to power its economy that is reliable, consistent, and dependable.
The world's biggest source of clean energy is evaporating fast
27 Oct 2022
China’s Three Gorges Dam is an awe-inspiring sight, a vast barrier across the Yangtze River that contains enough concrete to fill seven Wembley Stadiums and more steel than eight Empire State Buildings. Its turbines could singlehandedly power the Philippines. But this summer, the world’s largest power plant was eerily quiet.
Pernod Ricard unveils €250m plan for carbon-neutral distillery in Ireland
19 Oct 2022
Whiskey company Irish Distillers, owned by Pernod Ricard, has announced a €250m investment to create a new distillery in East Cork that is carbon-neutral in its operations.
Gujarat: Modhera to be declared first solar-powered village by PM
10 Oct 2022
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will declare Modhera in Mehsana as the country’s first round-the-clock solar-powered village on October 9 during his three-day visit to Gujarat, stated an official release.
E-fuels will undermine Europe’s clean car race, if we let them
7 Oct 2022
To decarbonise Europe’s car fleet, internal combustion engines (ICEs) running on synthetic fuels are not a viable alternative to electric cars.
China’s climate push could spawn new global players, even if Beijing falls short on its pledge
5 Oct 2022
Two years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping formally announced the world’s second largest economy would strive for peak carbon emissions in 2030, and carbon neutrality in 2060. These ambitions are spawning companies that could one day become global leaders in their fields.
WA project looks to produce ‘carbon-neutral gold’ with 13 MW solar, wind, battery hybrid solution
5 Oct 2022
Australian gold miner Bellevue Gold has entered an agreement with distributed energy provider Energy Developments Pty Ltd (EDL) for an off-grid solar, wind and battery hybrid power station for the flagship project it is developing in central Western Australia.
The world’s largest carbon removal project will break ground in Wyoming
3 Oct 2022
A pair of climate tech companies is set to break ground on what will become the world’s largest carbon capture and storage project to help industries meet their net-zero goals and slow down the Earth’s rapidly warming climate.
Best by the rest...
30 Sep 2022
In our weekly round-up of the best climate coverage in the local media: A former petrolhead in Dunedin is converting gas guzzling vehicles to electric; children in Vanuatu are taking to the streets to protest climate change; and Keith Woodford dives deep into the how voluntary schemes surrounding carbon sequestration are regulated in the ETS.
First projects announced for $50 million fund to cut plastic waste
27 Sep 2022
Recycling old plumbing pipes to make new ones, and turning waste polystyrene into innovative building products, are among the first projects earmarked for the government’s $50 million Plastics Innovation Fund.
Puerto Rico is in the dark again, but solar companies see glimmers of hope
23 Sep 2022
Much of Puerto Rico is still without power after Hurricane Fiona battered the island on Sept. 19. The storm laid bare how vulnerable the territory's power system still is five years after Hurricane Maria plunged it into an 11-month blackout — the longest in American history — and led to the deaths of almost 3,000 people. Yet, some see hope.
Japanese, Australian firms collaborate on world's tallest timber tower
19 Sep 2022
Construction firms from Japan and Australia have started work on a 182-meter-high skyscraper in central Sydney in a collaboration to build what will be the world's tallest hybrid-timber building using an eco-friendly wood product.
As demand for electric cars grows, Chileans face the effects of lithium mining
19 Sep 2022
The South American country of Chile has become a center of lithium mining, which has boomed as demand for electric car batteries has risen. But what are the environmental costs?
Aotearoa's biggest EV expo set to electrify the garden city
16 Sep 2022
Christchurch residents will have new inspiration to ditch fossil fuels, with the country’s biggest public display of new battery electric vehicles set to hit the city this weekend.
Milestones for carbon capture projects at sea and in Scotland’s gas sector
15 Sep 2022
A major new partnership has been struck in Asia to develop carbon capture and storage (CCS) onboard ships, shortly after plans were unveiled for a major CCS trial at a gas-fired power plant in Scotland.
Floating solar farms are a game changer
13 Sep 2022
The sun’s power is virtually infinite — opportunities to collect and make use of it are not. As demand for renewable energy increases, so does the need for places to generate it.
Switching the world to renewable energy would cost $62 trillion, but the payback would take six years
8 Sep 2022
Researchers at Stanford University have published a new study which says that claims 145 of the world’s nations could switch to 100% renewable energy in a few years using renewable energy technologies available today.
Relying on carbon capture in fossil fuel sector will not work: IEEFA
2 Sep 2022
The number of failures and underperforming carbon capture projects has outnumbered the successful projects considerably. Ten of the 13 flagship projects reviewed, comprising 90% of the total capture capacity in the sample, have failed or are underperforming mostly by large margins, finds a new report titled The Carbon Capture Crux – Lessons Learned, produced by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).
Electric batteries are fueling the shift from petrol-powered bikes in Kenya
2 Sep 2022
Thousands of e-motorcycles have been provided by startup Roam to riders in Kenya, to initiate the move from petrol to electric.
Wooden cities ‘could save more than 100bn tonnes of CO2 by 2100’
2 Sep 2022
Housing a growing population in homes made out of wood instead of conventional steel and concrete could avoid more than 100 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions until 2100.
Living in timber cities could cut emissions, without using farmland for wood production
31 Aug 2022
Housing a growing population in homes made out of wood instead of conventional steel and concrete could avoid more than 100 billion tons of emissions of the greenhouse gas CO2 until 2100, a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research shows.
Urban rewilding combats global biodiversity decline
Wed 28 May 2025
Media release | A new study led by the University of Sydney reveals how cities around the world are restoring wildlife to their former habitats in the face of ongoing urban sprawl.
US dairy farmers consider return on climate-smart milk
22 May 2025
The approach is just one of many dairy practices now considered “climate-smart” because they could cut production of climate-warming gases.
Greenwashing is rife in Australia, but could its days be numbered?
Wed 28 May 2025
COMMENT: Have you ever ticked the box to “fly carbon neutral”, had something delivered via “carbon-neutral shipping” or chosen to pay a bit extra to buy “carbon-neutral gas” from your energy retailer?
Help sustainable aviation fuels take off or delay targets, airlines warn EU
20 May 2025
Earmarked funding, risk-reduction tools, and simplified imports top Airlines for Europe’s wish list for the EU’s upcoming Sustainable Transport Investment Plan.
Govt's RMA overhaul sparks fears for nature and climate
Fri 30 May 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government has opened public consultation on the biggest overhaul of environmental planning rules in New Zealand’s history, with critics warning it puts nature and climate at risk in favour of fast-tracked development and industry expansion.
Sustainability claims questioned as renewable diesel surges
14 May 2025
Critics are sceptical about industry claims of renewable diesel life-cycle greenhouse gas emission cuts and warn renewable diesel carbon releases will surge if sourcing is scaled up, triggering tropical deforestation as producers convert forests to energy crops, such as oil palm and soy.
Govt mulls status quo for ETS auction settings
Thu 29 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government has released its consultation on the Climate Change Commission’s latest advice on Emissions Trading Scheme auction settings and volumes, putting forward the option to ignore the commission’s advice to boost auction volumes from 2028-2030.
Pacific Island nations support China's Taiwan claims at high-profile foreign ministers' meeting
Fri 30 May 2025
Pacific nations have backed China's claim over Taiwan during a high-profile meeting, but have shied away from directly endorsing Beijing's push to "reunify" the democratically ruled island with the mainland.
Carbon price too low to fund carbon capture
20 May 2025
The government’s climate target to 2030 is at risk, after revelations that a carbon capture project which the government was relying on to deliver one third of its carbon reductions, might not go ahead.
Fight over coal mine heats up
Fri 30 May 2025
Forest & Bird is calling on the government to create a new scientific reserve covering the Denniston Plateau on the West Coast, which would stop a fast-tracked coal mine.
Trump’s actions are already having consequences for climate, especially for the IPCC - expert
11 Apr 2025
Leading climate scientist, Dr Kevin Trenberth, left the US and came home to New Zealand because of the rise of Donald Trump. In this comment piece, he writes that he is appalled in multiple ways by the so-called “war on science” unfolding through staff cuts and the president’s policy edicts.
Owning a green home could cut mortgage payback time by two years
9 May 2025
A green certified home plus a green mortgage and associated energy bill savings could save Kiwi families up to $98,800 over the course of their mortgage - the equivalent of being mortgage-free several years early, according to new research.
Cuts to climate finance put exports in jeopardy: Lawyers
23 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government has halved international climate finance, a move aid organisations describe as “devastating,” and which lawyers say could put our Paris Agreement commitments and export market access at risk.
Watts talks big on energy reform, but barriers persist
Thu 29 May 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Energy and Climate Change minister Simon Watts says the government is doubling down on efforts to boost renewable energy generation, streamline regulation, and drive private sector investment as New Zealand faces mounting energy security and affordability challenges.
Could ‘orange’ hydrogen be NZ’s key to net-zero?
Fri 30 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand could be sitting on resources for a thriving multi-billion-dollar, low-carbon hydrogen economy, which might even be capable of creating a net reduction of carbon dioxide, according to scientists.
Govt budgets $200m for would-be gas investors
23 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | Energy Resources Aotearoa has welcomed the government's plan to co-invest $200 million in fossil gas expansion, while environmental and climate groups have reacted with horror.
Glacier collapse buries most of Swiss village
Fri 30 May 2025
The Swiss village of Blatten has been partially destroyed after a huge chunk of glacier crashed down into the valley.
Oceans Commission must have teeth – minister
14 May 2025
If an Oceans Commission were to be established under the government it would need genuine powers to make change, says Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Shane Jones.
Water crisis on the horizon?
Mon 26 May 2025
Media release | Sewage contaminating Auckland oyster farms highlights the “dire state” of water infrastructure in Aotearoa, says University of Auckland Associate Professor Daniel Hikuroa.
Why expensive gas – not net-zero – is keeping UK electricity prices so high
Wed 28 May 2025
The UK’s high electricity prices have become intensely political, with competing claims over the cause of rocketing bills and how best to get them down.
Hotter and deeper: how NZ’s plan to drill for ‘supercritical’ geothermal energy holds promise and risk
2 Apr 2025
By David Dempsey, University of Canterbury | New Zealand’s North Island features a number of geothermal systems, several of which are used to generate some 1,000 MegaWatts of electricity. But deeper down there may be even more potential.
Electrification challenge for politicians, regulators
Tue 27 May 2025
Rewiring Aotearoa is calling for stronger political leadership to bring its vision of a cheaper, cleaner and stronger energy system to life, with the launch of its policy manifesto today.
Nelson backs ‘ambitious’ emissions target, but mayor nervous
Mon 26 May 2025
By Max Frethey, Local Democracy Reporter | Nelson’s mayor has been accused of “pouring cold water” on ambitious greenhouse gas emission targets proposed for the city.
Energy Australia is in court accused of greenwashing. What is the case about and why is it significant?
16 May 2025
Climate group alleges energy giant misled 400,000 customers about ‘Go Neutral’ product, arguing that carbon credits don’t actually remove emissions.
Methanex closure comes early this year
14 May 2025
The almost-now-annual closure of Methanex has come earlier this year, giving more confidence that the electricity system will get through the winter without a fuel shortfall.
While govt ‘refreshes’ fund for low carbon trucks, are transport emissions set to accelerate?
Wed 28 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government has announced it is updating the Low Emissions Heavy Vehicle Fund, however cuts to funds to decarbonise transport in last week’s budget, and potential changes to road user charges, could stall transport emissions reductions.
Climate change could drive surge in foreclosures and lender losses, new study finds
22 May 2025
Extreme weather linked to climate change could spell financial ruin for many American homeowners and lead to billions in losses for lenders, a new study finds.
Will NZ walk away from the Paris Agreement?
20 Dec 2024
By Geoff Bertram | COMMENT: Unless the government can find very cheap offshore mitigation, the temptation to walk away from its Paris Agreement obligations may well be too strong to resist for a coalition government focused on fiscal austerity.
Energy Australia apologises to 400,000 customers and settles greenwashing legal action
22 May 2025
Energy retailer says carbon offsetting ‘not the most effective way’ to reduce emissions.
Kiwi cleantech companies on the world stage
Tue 27 May 2025
Six New Zealand 'cleantech' companies were in Singapore earlier this month, along with a venture capital firm and the MacDiarmid Institute, to meet investors and multinational partners.
Carbon News launches price index
24 Jun 2024
Today’s issue is the first to feature Carbon News’ own carbon price index for secondary market spot prices for NZUs on New Zealand’s compliance market.
New research reveals NZ’s natural resource footprint
Thu 29 May 2025
Media release | New research from the office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment reveals that about 107 million tonnes of natural resources were required to produce the goods and services consumed by New Zealanders in 2019 – approximately 21 tonnes per person on average.
World’s nations to gather in France to tackle what UN says is a global emergency in the oceans
Fri 30 May 2025
The world’s nations are gathering in France next month to tackle what the United Nations calls a global emergency facing the world’s oceans as they confront rising temperatures, plastic pollution choking marine life, and relentless overexploitation of fish and other resources.
Europe’s next climate target may already have been agreed in Berlin
Wed 28 May 2025
Germany’s new coalition has adopted a climate stance shaped by talks with the EU’s top climate official, signalling where the bloc may land on a likely upcoming 2040 emissions target.
Warm water affecting Antarctica’s largest ice shelf - new research
22 Apr 2025
While Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf is currently stable, new research shows warm water is reaching up to 170 kilometres under the front of the ice shelf.
NZ's first chance in 20 years to catch up on waste
Fri 30 May 2025
Media release | The government has announced proposals for updating the Waste Minimisation Act and the Litter Act. For the first time in nearly 20 years, Kiwis have a chance to catch up with other countries to reduce our waste and litter.
Dismissals 'massive win' for climate movement
13 May 2025
The outstanding charges against 25 climate activists who disrupted traffic in Wellington have been dropped, a move the group calls a win for the climate movement.
Straterra has a new name: the New Zealand Minerals Council
16 Apr 2025
Media release | Straterra has been renamed as New Zealand Minerals Council, says chief executive Josie Vidal.
For the first time, China invests more in wind and solar than coal overseas
Thu 29 May 2025
China’s Belt and Road Initiative, long derided for its heavy carbon footprint, was dominated by wind and solar power projects for the first time from 2022 to 2023, according to a new analysis. But coal plants financed in earlier years are still coming online.
A fungus that can ‘eat you from the inside out’ could spread as the world heats up
Tue 27 May 2025
Infection-causing fungi responsible for millions of deaths a year will spread significantly to new regions as the planet heats up, new research predicts — and the world is not prepared.
Green budget 'ludicrous la-la land' – govt
15 May 2025
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the budget was "clown show economics" and an "absolute circus".
United Nations carbon market rules agreed but concerns remain
25 Nov 2024
New carbon market rules agreed at the fractious UN climate summit will be a relief to New Zealand and Singapore, who were leading the negotiations, but concerns about greenwashing and disadvantaging nature-based solutions remain.
More than 1 in 4 cars sold globally in 2025 expected to be EV: IEA report
Mon 26 May 2025
According to the Global EV Outlook 2025 report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), 2025 is set to be big for EV sales. The report predicts that about one in four cars sold worldwide this year will be electric, despite overall market uncertainties.
Brazil seeks early deals on two stalled issues at Bonn climate talks
Mon 26 May 2025
Moving forward work on just transition and implementing recommendations from the Global Stocktake of climate progress are key priorities for upcoming UN negotiations.
Global sea levels rise spelling catastrophe for coastal towns and cities
14 May 2025
For around 2,000 years, global sea levels varied little. That changed in the 20th century. They started rising and have not stopped since — and the pace is accelerating.
Tropical forest loss hit new heights in 2024; fire a major driver in Latin America
23 May 2025
Tropical forest loss skyrocketed in 2024, with vast swaths of primary forest consumed by fire, according to new satellite data.
NZ moving too slowly to decarbonise – former commission chair
22 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand's energy transition is too slow and too controlled by vested interests, according to former Climate Change Commission chair Rod Carr.
