THINK ACT REGENERATE is a podcast by Leigh Baker of ThinkActRegenerate which explores the wealth of regenerative design solutions happening on the ground in Australia and New Zealand, as well as around the world.
SUMMARY
Some people think that “renewable energy” is all about solar panels, wind turbines and batteries. They can be trapped into thinking that if they can’t afford to install solar panels and batteries or buy green power then there’s no useful action they can take towards increasing the take up of renewable energy.
Climate energy solutions are about re-inventing our complex, 1-way energy distribution systems. There’s a lot more than just plugging in a couple of new power sources to replace coal-fired generators.
So it can really be worth looking at the broader picture – because you might have options you didn’t realise – at home, where you work, or in your community. Let’s explore just some of the fascinating solutions being implemented in Australia and around the world.
LINKS
Local renewable energy
Refrigeration solution in Africa: https://www.fastcompany.com/90489600/this-pay-as-you-go-solar-fridge-helps-poor-african-families-save-money-and-food
Totally Renewable Yackandandah: http://totallyrenewableyack.org.au/
Indigo Power: https://indigopower.com.au/
Enova Energy: https://enovaenergy.com.au/
Australian Community Energy Coops: https://c4ce.net.au/
Solar garden in the Riverina: https://pingala.org.au/haystacks-solar-garden/
Community hydro in the Yarra Valley: https://upperyarra.net.au/upper-yarra-community-power/
EV solutions
EV recharging with wave power: https://www.thedrive.com/tech/39885/ocean-waves-alone-power-the-ev-charger-on-this-remote-scottish-island Lamp post EV chargers: https://thedriven.io/2020/03/24/siemens-converts-all-lamp-posts-on-residential-street-to-electric-car-chargers/ and https://www.ubitricity.com/
Australian Ace EVs https://www.ace-ev.com.au/
Lifetime costs of EVs: https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2021/09/electric-cars-can-cost-40-less-to-maintain-than-gasoline-cars/
EV cost calculator: https://electricvehiclecouncil.com.au/about-ev/cost-calculator/
Solar re-imagined
Wholesale market access: https://www.amberelectric.com.au/how-it-works
Solar without panels: https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/batteries-with-no-solar-changing-market-gives-households-new-energy-options/
Factories as solar farms: https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/new-rooftop-solar-urban-power-stations-to-play-both-sides-of-the-meter/
Floating solar: https://reneweconomy.com.au/massive-60mw-floating-solar-plant-secures-25-year-ppa-in-singapore-25262/ and
https://reneweconomy.com.au/china-completes-new-70mw-floating-solar-pv-project-on-old-coal-area-93542/ and https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-16/australias-first-floating-solar-farm-will-be-buoyant-in-lismore/9157878
Plant-saving solar farm: https://reneweconomy.com.au/gupta-solar-farm-to-employ-innovative-construction-method-to-save-bonsai-forest-86366/
Farms as solar farms: https://www.energymatters.com.au/renewable-news/how-a-solar-and-agriculture-partnership-can-rescue-aussie-farms/
Enabling financial shifts
Blockchain-enables local energy tradinghttps://www.me-solshare.com/what-we-do/
Solar AND battery as a service: https://thefifthestate.com.au/energy-lead/energy/so-now-you-can-pay-for-your-solar-on-a-planit-looks-like-a-phone-plan-and-business-is-doing-really-well
Community-funded renewables investing: https://www.thefifthestate.com.au/energy-lead/business-energy-lead/green-loans-on-the-rise-with-plentis-opensolar-deal
Hydrogen variants
Green hydrogen from Fukushima: https://www.rechargenews.com/transition/japan-opens-worlds-largest-green-hydrogen-plant-near-fukushima-disaster-site/2-1-769361
Large scale hydrogen storage: https://reneweconomy.com.au/regional-nsw-town-to-host-large-scale-hydrogen-energy-storage-project-states-first-79334/
BP and hydrogen: https://reneweconomy.com.au/bp-looks-to-add-1-5gw-wind-and-solar-for-huge-renewable-hydrogen-project-in-w-a-45931/
Home hydrogen energy storage: https://ideaspies.com/posts/residential-solar-hydrogen-energy-stor
(Recorded prior to Think Act Regenerate launch in 2024)
Some people think that “renewable energy” is all about solar panels, wind turbines and batteries. They can be trapped into thinking that if they can’t afford to install solar panels and batteries or buy green power then there’s no useful action they can take towards increasing the take up of renewable energy.
Climate energy solutions are about re-inventing our complex, 1-way energy distribution systems. There’s a lot more than just plugging in a couple of new power sources to replace coal-fired generators. So it can really be worth looking at the broader picture – because you might have options you didn’t realise – at home, where you work, or in your community. Let’s explore just some of the fascinating solutions being implemented in Australia and around the world.
LINKS
Local renewable energy
Refrigeration solution in Africa: https://www.fastcompany.com/90489600/this-pay-as-you-go-solar-fridge-helps-poor-african-families-save-money-and-food
Totally Renewable Yackandandah: http://totallyrenewableyack.org.au/
Indigo Power: https://indigopower.com.au/
Enova Energy: https://enovaenergy.com.au/
Australian Community Energy Coops: https://c4ce.net.au/
Solar garden in the Riverina: https://pingala.org.au/haystacks-solar-garden/
Community hydro in the Yarra Valley: https://upperyarra.net.au/upper-yarra-community-power/
EV solutions
EV recharging with wave power: https://www.thedrive.com/tech/39885/ocean-waves-alone-power-the-ev-charger-on-this-remote-scottish-island
Lamp post EV chargers: https://thedriven.io/2020/03/24/siemens-converts-all-lamp-posts-on-residential-street-to-electric-car-chargers/ and https://www.ubitricity.com/
Australian Ace EVs https://www.ace-ev.com.au/
Lifetime costs of EVs: https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2021/09/electric-cars-can-cost-40-less-to-maintain-than-gasoline-cars/
EV cost calculator: https://electricvehiclecouncil.com.au/about-ev/cost-calculator/
Solar re-imagined
Wholesale market access: https://www.amberelectric.com.au/how-it-works
Solar without panels: https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/batteries-with-no-solar-changing-market-gives-households-new-energy-options/
Factories as solar farms: https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/new-rooftop-solar-urban-power-stations-to-play-both-sides-of-the-meter/
Floating solar: https://reneweconomy.com.au/massive-60mw-floating-solar-plant-secures-25-year-ppa-in-singapore-25262/ and
https://reneweconomy.com.au/china-completes-new-70mw-floating-solar-pv-project-on-old-coal-area-93542/ and https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-16/australias-first-floating-solar-farm-will-be-buoyant-in-lismore/9157878
Plant-saving solar farm: https://reneweconomy.com.au/gupta-solar-farm-to-employ-innovative-construction-method-to-save-bonsai-forest-86366/
Farms as solar farms: https://www.energymatters.com.au/renewable-news/how-a-solar-and-agriculture-partnership-can-rescue-aussie-farms/
Enabling financial shifts
Blockchain-enables local energy trading https://www.me-solshare.com/what-we-do/
Solar AND battery as a service: https://thefifthestate.com.au/energy-lead/energy/so-now-you-can-pay-for-your-solar-on-a-planit-looks-like-a-phone-plan-and-business-is-doing-really-well
Community-funded renewables investing: https://www.thefifthestate.com.au/energy-lead/business-energy-lead/green-loans-on-the-rise-with-plentis-opensolar-deal
Hydrogen variants
Green hydrogen from Fukushima: https://www.rechargenews.com/transition/japan-opens-worlds-largest-green-hydrogen-plant-near-fukushima-disaster-site/2-1-769361
Large scale hydrogen storage: https://reneweconomy.com.au/regional-nsw-town-to-host-large-scale-hydrogen-energy-storage-project-states-first-79334/
BP and hydrogen: https://reneweconomy.com.au/bp-looks-to-add-1-5gw-wind-and-solar-for-huge-renewable-hydrogen-project-in-w-a-45931/
Home hydrogen energy storage: https://ideaspies.com/posts/residential-solar-hydrogen-energy-stor
