by Komoneed | Jun 28, 2024
As the impacts of climate change intensify globally and emission reduction deadlines loom, Australia must prioritise its power supply.
The 2019–2020 Australian bushfires, which triggered widespread blackouts nationwide, underscore the urgent need for power resilience. These events highlighted the critical necessity for reliable energy sources and robust energy storage solutions for businesses and communities alike. Moreover, they emphasised the importance of integrating renewable energy sources into the national grid to ensure a resilient and sustainable power supply during disruptions.
To do so, we must embrace digital technologies in the energy sector. These advancements not only support growth and sustainability but also enhance the resilience of our energy systems. By making renewable energy more practical and efficient, digital innovations pave the way for a stable and sustainable energy future for Australia. The transition to a digitally enabled, renewable energy infrastructure is not just an option — it is essential for securing our energy needs in the face of ongoing and future challenges.
Renewable progress in Australia
The government has set ambitious targets to expand renewable energy capacity, planning to add substantial wind and solar projects. This demonstrates Australia’s significant progress in adopting renewable energy systems (RES). Australian energy provider Origin Energy has recently demonstrated its strong commitment to renewable energy infrastructure by investing AU$400 million to build a 460 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) at its Victoria peaker plant.
Adopting RES helps drive the reduction of emissions and ensures energy availability. However, renewable energy generation is variable, depending on the fluctuating intensity of the sun and wind. To address this variability, we need grid-scale energy storage. Research indicates that implementing such solutions can help develop resilient grids capable of accommodating high levels of RES.
Long-duration storage
Long-duration energy storage (LDES) remains a significant technical challenge, as storage requirements can vary from hours to months. Pumped-storage hydroelectricity is widely used but holds untapped potential in many regions. Batteries, particularly lithium-ion, are the most scalable form of grid-scale storage due to their modular deployment and availability. Other technologies, like compressed air and gravity storage, play smaller roles in current power systems. Additionally, hydrogen storage holds promise for the seasonal storage of renewable energy.
Emerging technologies, such as flow batteries, also offer potential. Flow batteries use a liquid electrolyte to store electrical charge, scalable and adaptable to the variability of wind and solar generation. According to recent studies by 2040, LDES could deploy between 1.5 and 2.5 terawatts (TW) of power capacity globally, representing a significant increase from current levels.
Microgrid support
LDES can support micro-grid designs for large energy users, such as manufacturing and heavy industry. These facilities can deploy large battery systems, like lithium-ion batteries in intelligent uninterruptible power systems (UPS), to enhance storage capacity and facilitate greater RES adoption. Microgrids offer short-term storage capacity, helping to smooth peak grid usage and address variability concerns. This is especially beneficial for rural deployments and areas where proximity to RES generation is an issue. Microgrids ensure resilience, allowing power to flow even when generation sites are offline due to atmospheric conditions or disruptions.
As Australia moves towards implementing smart national grids, microgrids play a significant role. Large energy users can be rewarded for their storage and resupply capabilities, supporting peak grid usage. These measures can be quickly implemented through economies of scale, reference designs and vendors’ pursuit of efficiency. Organisations can confidently build out capacity while supporting decarbonisation efforts, moving Australia closer to a net zero energy future.
Digital innovation in power
The digitalisation of energy, or Electricity 4.0, is crucial for smart grids, microgrid integration, RES adoption and achieving net zero goals. Digital innovation enhances visibility in energy generation and distribution, eliminating waste and driving efficiency. Technologies like metering and monitoring enable better energy usage, while smart devices, apps, analytics and software allow for more efficient deployment of smart energy. These solutions enable everyone to contribute to a renewable-powered, sustainable energy future.
Renewable energy sources will form a significant part of future energy generation, crucial for achieving a decarbonised, net zero goal. Grid-scale energy storage and its resilience are critical for integrating renewable energy sources into digitised smart grids. Large energy consumers can support this transition by leveraging digitalised energy systems, increasing transparency and underpinning the development of sustainable digital economies accessible to all.
Australia’s renewable energy future depends on the effective integration of energy storage solutions. By embracing digital innovation and scalable storage technologies, we can build resilient and sustainable energy systems that meet our future needs.
Natalya Makarochkina.
Top image credit: iStock.com/JaCZhou
by Komoneed | Jun 28, 2024
Scientists have studied the nutritional profiles of 57 varieties of pollen and discovered that, in order to have a balanced diet of essential amino and fatty acids, bees must forage from a wide array of plants. Urban expansion, farming and climate change have altered the habitats of these crucial pollinators. “Despite public interest and a […]
The post Bees Need Pollen From a Variety of Plants to Stay Healthy, Study Finds appeared first on EcoWatch.
by Komoneed | Jun 28, 2024
Alaska is known for its natural beauty and stunning landscapes teeming with vast wilderness and abundant wildlife. But staining the landscape is a strange phenomenon: Dozens of the most remote rivers and streams in the Land of the Midnight Sun are turning from clear blue to cloudy orange. New research has found that the discoloration […]
The post Alaska’s Pristine Rivers and Streams Are Turning Orange From Thawing Permafrost, Study Finds appeared first on EcoWatch.
by Komoneed | Jun 28, 2024
It’s the season for summer BBQs and gatherings with family and friends. This also means that a lot of bottles and cans, paper products, and foods are purchased and served. If you’re not composting, it’s time to start.A Beyond Food report found that an event in a venue wastes as much as 20% of the […]
The post Incorporating Composting Into Your Summer BBQ Plans: Tips & Tricks appeared first on RecycleNation.
by Komoneed | Jun 28, 2024
Empowering Jordan’s Youth for Water Conservation and Efficiency
jschoshinski
Thu, 06/27/2024 – 13:43
Imagine a Jordan where youth champion water conservation and efficiency, securing sustainable water for future generations. This vision is becoming a reality through the USAID Water Efficiency and Conservation (WEC) Activity, which empowers young leaders to use their innovative solutions and unwavering dedication to tackle the pressing challenge of water scarcity.
Jordan has one of the youngest populations in the world while youth unemployment reached 50 percent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unemployment coupled with growing distrust in institutions and civil society has created a population of young people with a negative outlook on their future. Despite these hurdles, young Jordanians are well-educated and possess a strong desire to make a positive impact in their country. Their energy and ambition are essential for addressing critical issues such as water conservation and climate change. By tapping into this potential, Jordan can leverage the creativity and commitment of its youth to drive sustainable development and ensure a resilient future.
USAID/Jordan seeks to increase the meaningful participation of the country’s youth aged 10-29 within their communities and the national economy.
Image
Scouts learn about water-saving technology in an interactive session at Al Hassad Al Tarbawi School in Amman, Jordan.
Photo Credit: Nour Zabalawi, USAID Water Efficiency and Conservation Activity
The USAID WEC Activity supports this aim in its work to enhance water use efficiency and promote conservation across Jordan by engaging youth. USAID WEC is working through youth organizations in Jordan to build water conservation leaders for today and tomorrow. By empowering young leaders and champions, USAID WEC promotes water demand management and climate change adaptation. Youth play a critical role in strengthening water sector governance, expanding water use efficiency, and increasing access to climate information. USAID WEC’s capacity-strengthening interventions recognize youth as primary consumers and active contributors to water conservation.
For example, USAID WEC is partnering with the Jordanian Association for Boy Scouts and Girl Guides to promote water conservation practices and climate action by developing educational materials, empowering water conservation trainers, and conducting training workshops. The initiative also includes promoting the Water Conservation badge to encourage scouts and guides to educate community members and promote water-saving techniques. Scouts and guides earn the badge once they provide messages to their respective communities to promote water-saving practices that can be adopted in homes, schools, mosques, churches, playgrounds, youth centers, and other community facilities.
Initially, 5,000 scouts and guides will participate in the program to reach at least 10,000 households, public institutions, community-friendly spaces, and youth centers, contributing to saving at least 300,000 cubic meters of water annually. Additionally, a training room equipped with relevant tools and equipment for water conservation learning and awareness raising will be established at the Jordanian Association for Boy Scouts and Girl Guides.
By empowering youth and leveraging collaborative efforts, USAID WEC is making significant strides in water conservation and climate action, ensuring a sustainable and resilient future for Jordan. Through these efforts, USAID WEC is not only addressing immediate water scarcity challenges but also fostering a generation of environmentally conscious leaders poised to secure Jordan’s water future.
Teaser Text
The USAID Water Efficiency and Conservation Activity empowers young leaders to use their innovative solutions and unwavering dedication to tackle the pressing challenge of water scarcity.
Subtitle
USAID Water Efficiency and Conservation and Jordan’s Scouts Unite for Climate Action and Water Conservation
Publish Date
Thu, 06/27/2024 – 12:00
Author(s)
Nour Zabalaw
Heba Ababneh
Hero Image
Scout-Gudies_School_20240317 (11).JPG
Blog Type
Blog Post
Strategic Objective
Adaptation
Mitigation
Integration
Region
Middle East & North Africa
Topic
Climate
Climate Change Integration
Gender and Social Inclusion
Locally-Led Development
Partnership
Resilience
Training
Water and Sanitation
Water Management
Youth
Country
Jordan
Sectors
Gender and Social Inclusion
Water and Sanitation
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