Rooftop solar capacity to eclipse national demand in coming decades

A report charting the staggering rise of rooftop solar technology in Australia has found that its capacity will eclipse the country's entire electricity demand in coming decades. The authors argue that rooftop solar will play an outsized role in helping Australia meet its climate goals.

Industry leaders have warned a Senate committee that governments must work together to support Australia’s transition to renewables by developing rebate schemes that help households bring more solar storage online and considering how electric vehicles can be used to strengthen the system. 

Elsewhere, researchers from the University of New England are delighted after welcoming a set of twin Bell's turtles as part of their repopulation project, which has been successfully boosting numbers of the endangered Bell's turtles in NSW Northern Tablelands.

Top stories:

'Staggering' rise of rooftop solar to put all other power generation in the shade, report finds
The capacity of rooftop solar will soon exceed that of coal, gas and hydro combined in Australia's main grid, a green energy report finds.

Battery storage needed to make solar power effective, senate committee told
Australia has had a great take-up of solar panels, but industry leaders have warned that having somewhere to store the power is needed.

Twin Bell's turtles hatch during research project to repopulate the species in the New England region
The twins form part of a repopulation project that has so far put almost 3,000 Bell's turtles back into the local ecosystem in NSW’s Northern Tablelands.

RuralAgforce raises funds to challenge Glencore Great Artesian Basin carbon capture project
Rural lobby groups and farmers have ramped up their opposition to a project that aims to store carbon dioxide in Australia's biggest underground freshwater reservoir in a move that could cause irreversible damage to a precious natural resource.

Fashion industry on a 'watchlist' over climate impact
With 200,000 tonnes of clothing ending up in landfill each year, Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek is considering government regulations to slash the mountain of clothing ending up in landfill and improve textile recycling.

Hundreds of Victorians remain without power after last week's storms. Some are at relief centres and unable to work
The lights are still out in some hard-hit areas of the state more than a week after deadly storms tore through Victoria, fuelling calls for grid decentralisation using renewables.

Spotted tree frogs released into Victorian high country after Zoos Victoria breeding program
Researchers have released 70 of the 800 spotted tree frogs that they were able to breed from the 26 collected in north-east Victoria in 2021 in a win for the critically endangered species.