The current flurry of energy policy aims to make power cheaper and more reliable. But it will take more than that to meet vital longer-term goals like cutting carbon while keeping future prices low.
Better managing how we use electricity in our homes will reduce pressure on the grid, and reduce the need for more power stations.
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Fossil fuel advocates claim only coal and gas can deliver cheap and reliable energy, and renewables are synonymous with sustainability. But demand management can solve all three problems.
Will 2017 be the year Australia sorts out its energy policy?
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The fifth generation of tall buildings are here, and they’re more efficient than ever before.
Think of all the resources needed to transform Shenzhen, a fishing town 35 years ago, into a megacity of more than 10 million people.
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André Stephan, The University of Melbourne; Alexei Trundle, The University of Melbourne; Dave Kendal, The University of Melbourne; Hayley Henderson, The University of Melbourne; Hesam Kamalipour, The University of Melbourne, and Melanie Lowe, The University of Melbourne
Our cities need to become much more efficient not just to conserve precious resources but to improve the economy, wellbeing and resilience to environmental change and disasters.
A third of Scots can’t afford it.
Monkey Business Images.
Poor thermostat settings are making people uncomfortable and wasting hundreds of millions of dollars, an analysis shows. What can be done about this?
Nne-star-rated ‘Catalyst’ houses built to maximise passive solar principles were evaluated against seven control houses built to DHHS standards.
Trivess Moore
Emerging research challenges the idea that sustainable housing is unaffordable. It shows sustainability and good design can be affordable when analyses include social, health and wellbeing benefits.
Australia will likely have to close more coal power stations to meet climate targets.
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Australia’s energy watchdog has warned that closing coal power stations could leave us vulnerable to supply problems. But not if we help take the pressure off the grid.
Those who struggle the most with bills can also find it hardest to change their energy choices.
AAP Image/Dan Peled
It’s not just about finding money for things like solar panels – poorer households can also find it harder to gain access to reliable information about the green energy options they do have.
Software is eating everything in this online, digital world. We need to design code that uses as little energy as possible.
When it comes to TV use energy, calling one household ‘average’ can be misleading.
Evert F. Baumgardner - National Archives and Records Administration.
People who watch a lot of TV consume a disproportionate amount of electricity so we should tailor energy efficiency incentive programs to these and other big energy users.