Environment
Energy rating report card urged for all Aussie homes
11 March
All Australian homes should receive a score out of 10 for energy efficiency before they can be sold or rented, experts say, as part of an expansion to a national assessment program. The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme, which is used to rate...[Read More]
Rice could be key ingredient to cutting steel emissions
11 March
Leftover rice could be the key ingredient to halving carbon emissions from iron and steel production, according to a trial led by Australian researchers. The CSIRO and Indian Institute of Science revealed the findings on Tuesday from tests in which...[Read More]
No ill winds blowing for renewables spending in budget
11 March
The federal climate minister has hit back at speculation there will be budget cuts to clean energy policies, comparing it to stripping funds from health or education. Chris Bowen dismissed reports of cuts to new clean energy funding in the federal...[Read More]
Compact homes unlocking cheaper, cleaner city living
5 March
In a time of climate change and strained housing affordability, sometimes it pays to think small. At just 50 square metres, the apartments and townhouses inside the Two Sisters development in North Melbourne are far smaller than the 236 sq m average...[Read More]
Investment vehicle races off with $34b renewables push
4 March
Blessed with wind and solar resources, renewable energy companies are clamouring to take part in the bounty of NSW amid a global oil crisis. More than 15 projects worth a total of $34.4 billion in potential investment are being looked over at the...[Read More]
Electric car sales may stall if tax policy changes gear
18 February
At launch, the Electric Car Discount was expected to help about 5000 Australians get behind the wheel of a quiet, low-emissions, battery-powered vehicle. The policy, introduced in 2022, removed the fringe benefits tax from some electric cars,...[Read More]
‘Right the ship’: polluters tax could be vote spinner
18 February
Forcing Australia’s biggest polluters to pay tax for their emissions may no longer be electoral kryptonite, polling indicates. The survey of 3000 Australian adults by Redbridge Group showed most regional and urban voters supported introducing a...[Read More]
Discount loans to drive down the price of electric cars
5 February
Motorists will be offered another incentive to choose electric over petrol through a $60 million program to cut the cost of car loans. The Climate Energy Finance Corporation announced the scheme in partnership with Hyundai on Tuesday, revealing it...[Read More]
Petrol, diesel cars slow while hybrids, EVs speed up
4 February
A growing number of motorists are putting the brakes on petrol and diesel vehicles, instead choosing hybrid and electric models for their next car. The trend is accelerating in 2026, according to figures from the Federal Chamber of Automotive...[Read More]
Building smarter: How to create an environmentally friendly home
29 January
Sustainability is no longer a niche consideration in property—it’s becoming a core part of how Australians design, build, and renovate their homes. With rising energy costs, increasing climate awareness, and greater buyer demand for efficient...[Read More]
Savings coming for households able to use energy in day
29 January
A load of washing and pool pumps running in the middle of the day could save households hundreds of dollars a year once electricity is made free during a three-hour window. Government modelling of the savings possible under an incoming free solar...[Read More]
No seats, no dramas: $30m boost for self-driving cars
28 January
Self-driving cars without seats, windows or steering wheels could be manufactured in Australia within the year after a $30.7 million funding boost. The National Reconstruction Fund announced its investment in Melbourne-based Applied Electric...[Read More]
Stacking solar cells could deliver cheaper power
22 January
The next-generation of solar technology could be cheaper, more efficient and a step closer to reality after advances by a team of Australian scientists. The group, from the University of NSW, published evidence they had improved performance from a...[Read More]
Hybrid and electric vehicles rev up second-hand market
14 January
Australians’ blooming love affair with fuel-efficient vehicles is sweeping into the second-hand car market, with figures showing hybrid and electric models are wooing more candidates. But plug-in hybrid electric cars are rising in popularity...[Read More]
One-in-five solar panels degrading faster than expected
7 January
Most solar panels gradually lose their energy-generating powers over time, but roughly a fifth have been found to degrade much more quickly than expected. Tiny hairline cracks and other minor manufacturing flaws missed during quality control testing...[Read More]