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New study confirms natural cycles play little role in global temperature trends and tackles discrepancies in previous models

Emissions from fossil fuels and volcanoes can explain nearly all of the changes in Earth’s surface temperatures over the past 140 years, a new study has found.

The research refutes the popular climate denial myth that recent global warming is merely a result of natural cycles.

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There could be more than 1 billion flights in electric air taxis by 2030, in an industry predicted to be worth more than $2 trillion.

The post How we could clock up one billion electric flying taxi flights by 2030 appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Roy Morgan suggests drivers increasingly want to buy hybrid cars, but overall sales will fall as people look to electric and car-sharing options.

The post More Australian drivers looking to hybrid vehicles, young looking to ride-share appeared first on RenewEconomy.

ASX-listed property developer inks deal with Allume Energy to use its solar sharing technology at new apartment complex – and potentially across all multi-occupant buildings.

The post Mirvac taps Melbourne start-up for shared solar at new apartments appeared first on RenewEconomy.

New Zealand on Thursday allocated funds to begin building an NZU auctioning platform through its 2019 budget, but did not offer any new information on the future level of the fixed price option, sending prices tumbling to 6-month lows.

The London-based satellite operator announces a major expansion of its telecommunications network.

We don’t talk enough about the street food scandal – leftovers chucked away without a second thought

Every day for the past month complete strangers have bought me lunch. And breakfast. And dinner. And they don’t even know it.

I have been living high on the hog, and it hasn’t cost me a penny – because I have been dining out on the half-eaten fast food and takeaways thoughtfully abandoned by my fellow Britons on pavements and park benches and tube platforms all over the city. Sometimes they even leave them in bins.

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Human activity has transformed the Earth – but scientists are divided about whether this is really a turning point in geological history. By Nicola Davison

It was February 2000 and the Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen was sitting in a meeting room in Cuernavaca, Mexico, stewing quietly. Five years earlier, Crutzen and two colleagues had been awarded the Nobel prize in chemistry for proving that the ozone layer, which shields the planet from ultraviolet light, was thinning at the poles because of rising concentrations of industrial gas. Now he was attending a meeting of scientists who studied the planet’s oceans, land surfaces and atmosphere. As the scientists presented their findings, most of which described dramatic planetary changes, Crutzen shifted in his seat. “You could see he was getting agitated. He wasn’t happy,” Will Steffen, a chemist who organised the meeting, told me recently.

What finally tipped Crutzen over the edge was a presentation by a group of scientists that focused on the Holocene, the geological epoch that began around 11,700 years ago and continues to the present day. After Crutzen heard the word Holocene for the umpteenth time, he lost it. “He stopped everybody and said: ‘Stop saying the Holocene! We’re not in the Holocene any more,’” Steffen recalled. But then Crutzen stalled. The outburst had not been premeditated, but now all eyes were on him. So he blurted out a name for a new epoch. A combination of anthropos, the Greek for “human”, and “-cene”, the suffix used in names of geological epochs, “Anthropocene” at least sounded academic. Steffen made a note.

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Blustery conditions lead to record wind output in Australia's main grid on Tuesday, as the Tesla big battery also plays heavily in the arbitrage market.

The post Wind energy sets new records as strong investment and windy weather combine appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Rush of new fossil fuel projects, egged on by the Coalition Government, is likely to push global emissions higher while ACCC warns gas producers on prices.

The post Galilee Basin “carbon bomb” about to explode as coal and gas developers rush in appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Leading Australian clean energy accelerator to launch Women in Clean Energy Fellowship in Melbourne.

The post EnergyLab on the lookout for female founders to take on the Clean Energy sector appeared first on RenewEconomy.

An alliance of 21 local governments have called for a renewed state government commitment to renewable energy and tackling climate change.

The post WA councils urge state to step up on clean energy appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Solar industry exhales as Queensland Supreme Court throws out controversial, potentially crippling solar rule change. State government has promised to appeal the decision.

The post Relief as “common sense” and Supreme Court prevail over Queensland solar rule change appeared first on RenewEconomy.

ASX listed scale solar fund says solar projects in the US are more attractive than those in Australia because competition is hitting profit margins for investors.

The post Why Australian solar projects offer lower returns to investors than US appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Ratch-Australia’s 227MW Collector Wind Farm set for construction after reaching financial close this week, and getting finance for its merchant model from CEFC.

The post CEFC notches up 2GW of wind farms, with delivery of 227MW Collector project appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A daily summary of our news plus bite-sized updates from around the world.

Varta signs agreement to acquire Europe-based VARTA Consumer Batteries business from US battery company, Energizer.

The post Varta acquires Varta Consumer Batteries business from Energizer appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Climate change played a role in the deaths of thousands of puffins in Alaska, according to a study.

Tailem Bend solar farm formally opened as developer eyes the next stage for project expansion and large-scale battery storage in South Australia

The post Tailem Bend solar farm officially opens, now for second stage and battery appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Dr Vanessa Pirotta has created a specially designed waterproof drone that collects bacteria, viruses and DNA from the snot that humpbacks blow from their blowholes.