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The head of mining giant Rio Tinto has once again underlined his company’s commitment to renewables, but questions remain about the future of its giant smelters and refineries in Queensland after the new LNP state government put a halt to new wind farm approvals.

The decision by the Queensland LNP – first reported by Renew Economy last week – puts a pause on the approvals of four major wind projects in the state – including the 1.4 gigawatt Bungapan wind project that is essential to Rio’s plans to wean its energy intensive industries off its dependence on coal.

The decision by the Queensland LNP, which follows their refusal in opposition to endorse the previous Labor government’s renewable energy targets, has rattled many in the energy industry.

The state has the lowest share of renewables of any in the country, a situation that would have been unchanged even with Labor’s target of 80 per cent renewables by 2030, but the LNP intervention seems sure to make it even more of a laggard.

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cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/17862588

Archived

In a landmark move reinventing the working week in the United Kingdom, at least 200 British companies have signed up for a permanent four-day working week for all their employees without any loss of pay.

Together, these 200 companies employ over 5,000 people, and among these charities, marketing and technology firms are the best-represented, a report by The Guardian said quoting the 4 Day Week Foundation.

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The change was first adopted by around 30 marketing, advertising and press relations firms. The suit was followed by 29 charity, NGO, and social care industry-based organisations, and 24 technology, IT and software firms. Later, another 22 companies in the business, consulting and management sectors also joined the bandwagon and permanently offered four-day weeks to staff, according to The Guardian report.

Archived

In a landmark move reinventing the working week in the United Kingdom, at least 200 British companies have signed up for a permanent four-day working week for all their employees without any loss of pay.

Together, these 200 companies employ over 5,000 people, and among these charities, marketing and technology firms are the best-represented, a report by The Guardian said quoting the 4 Day Week Foundation.

...

The change was first adopted by around 30 marketing, advertising and press relations firms. The suit was followed by 29 charity, NGO, and social care industry-based organisations, and 24 technology, IT and software firms. Later, another 22 companies in the business, consulting and management sectors also joined the bandwagon and permanently offered four-day weeks to staff, according to The Guardian report.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/17862259

Archived

As the world races to decarbonise its energy systems, Europe faces mounting challenges in competing with global powerhouses like China and the US in PV manufacturing. To address these challenges, the European Technology and Innovation Platform for Photovoltaics (ETIP PV) has emerged as a key player in fostering collaboration, innovation and strategic policymaking among European countries.

“PV is a global technology,” Rutger Schlattmann, chair of ETIP PV and head of the Solar Energy division at Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, tells PV Tech Premium. “The technology is developed worldwide, and some of the effort should be done across countries because these challenges are bigger than what individual countries – especially the smaller ones – can afford.”

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Meanwhile, the EU sets a new record for renewable energy use in 2024.

In the European Union (EU), 47% of electricity now comes from renewable sources like wind and solar, a new record according to a report from the think tank Ember. This is a far higher percentage than in other countries, including the United States and China, where about two-thirds of energy comes from fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and gas.

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The share of electricity produced by renewables jumped to 47% last year compared to 34% in 2019, in large part due to strong growth in solar and wind energy. In 2024, 11% of the EU’s electricity came from solar power, 17% from wind, and 24% from nuclear. The share produced by traditional fossil fuels dropped from 39% in 2019 to 29% in 2024.

Archived

As the world races to decarbonise its energy systems, Europe faces mounting challenges in competing with global powerhouses like China and the US in PV manufacturing. To address these challenges, the European Technology and Innovation Platform for Photovoltaics (ETIP PV) has emerged as a key player in fostering collaboration, innovation and strategic policymaking among European countries.

“PV is a global technology,” Rutger Schlattmann, chair of ETIP PV and head of the Solar Energy division at Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, tells PV Tech Premium. “The technology is developed worldwide, and some of the effort should be done across countries because these challenges are bigger than what individual countries – especially the smaller ones – can afford.”

....

Meanwhile, the EU sets a new record for renewable energy use in 2024.

In the European Union (EU), 47% of electricity now comes from renewable sources like wind and solar, a new record according to a report from the think tank Ember. This is a far higher percentage than in other countries, including the United States and China, where about two-thirds of energy comes from fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and gas.

...

The share of electricity produced by renewables jumped to 47% last year compared to 34% in 2019, in large part due to strong growth in solar and wind energy. In 2024, 11% of the EU’s electricity came from solar power, 17% from wind, and 24% from nuclear. The share produced by traditional fossil fuels dropped from 39% in 2019 to 29% in 2024.