Australian firm Vicinity has announced it will trial a blockchain solution for its energy network. The company revealed this Thursday, September 25 in an official press release.

Most businesses will take control of their own energy use by generating a quarter of their electricity onsite by 2025, with 81% of US businesses predicting this change will take place in just seven years, according to a study by Centrica Business Solutions. The study of more than 1,000 global businesses was launched to identify the key drivers and barriers to adopting new energy approaches including battery storage, on-site generation and demand side response. Around one-quarter of businesses have already invested in on-site generation in the form of solar and/or combined heat and power(CHP) with one-third considering investing in these technologies. The increase in demand for flexibility that rewards businesses for increasing, decreasing or shifting their energy use has been identified as an opportunity by 44% of businesses planning to feed energy into the grid in the future, according to the report.  

Deputy Minister at the Federal Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC), Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis, herself an electrical engineer by profession, welcomed the initiative by Renewable Energy Association of Sabah (REASabah) to further promote the development of clean green technologies in the electricity supply industry. She recently met with REASabah, led by its chairman, Datuk Ir. Peter Lajumin.

Materials scientists from the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering have developed a highly efficient thin-film solar cell that generates more energy from sunlight than typical solar panels, thanks to its double-layer design.  

A report published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) earlier this year found that the cost of renewables is falling at such a rapid rate that it will be a consistently cheaper electricity source than traditional fuels in only a few years’ time, posing a mounting threat to the fossil fuel industry.

Hospitals are energy hogs. With their 24/7 lighting, heating and water needs, they use up to five times more energy than a fancy hotel. But some hospitals are revamping with a different goal in mind: becoming more energy-efficient, which can also boost the bottom line.

The impact of heavy droughts, heatwaves and cold spells on energy demand and supplies would be lessened with seasonal climate forecasts that allow energy companies to better predict spikes in usage ahead of time, researchers say.

The world’s largest solar energy farm is expected to be completed next year in the Egyptian desert, a showcase project that is part of an multinational effort to overhaul Egypt’s dilapidated electricity system with renewable energy projects.

If distributed power networks are to become a reality, energy storage technology is essential. Alice Cooke looks at the barriers to the storage revolution.

The elements may well hold the key to the future of energy production on Earth. Already, sophisticated solar projects and imposing wind turbines have dropped drastically in costs, making them an ever more attractive alternative to polluting fossil fuels.

The island nation of Samoa is continuing its effort to convert from diesel-reliant powerplants to 100% renewable energy with the help of Tesla’s scalable Powerpack battery storage solution.

Climate conscious architecture has been around for some time, but renowned Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta is upping the bar – designing buildings that generate more energy than they consume throughout their whole lifecycle (calculated as 60 years).