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Australia: Infigen to build PV integrated energy storage demonstration project. Infigen has begun work on a one MW photovoltaic and energy storage plant in Australia's New South Wales. A first for both the company and the country, the demonstration project aims to pave the way for future utility-scale projects.

"Australia's largest concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) solar power plant was officially opened today, with the Victorian energy minister joining executives from the plant's developer, Solar Systems, to cut the ribbon on the 1.5MW demonstration facility in Mildura. The demonstration of the "dense array" solar technology of parent company Silex Systems is a fore-runner for what is expected to be a 100MW power plant, with construction slated to begin in 2014. Another 1MW demonstration plant is being built in Saudi Arabia, with hopes of further development as that country pushes into the start of a $100 billion solar spending program"

Tired of hearing that sustainable construction has to cost more, Josh and his colleagues want to prove that resource efficient homes can be built at comparable cost and timeframes to regular houses. The homes will be thermally comfortable year round, without the need for air conditioning or additional heating. They will generate more electricity than they use, and will harvest and recycle water. In addition to private garden areas, a common productive garden will supply both houses with fresh food. What sets this project apart from many others is that the building designs have achieved a 10 Star energy efficiency rating*, whilst intentionally using conventional building materials and construction methods so they can easily be replicated by industry and the wider community. The project also demonstrates a more sensitive approach to residential subdivision that has considered maximising effective garden area around the homes to allow for natural shading, children's play spaces and local food production - important health and lifestyle benefits that are rapidly disappearing from our suburbs. Construction started in November 2012 and is scheduled for completion by May 2013.

"The Schools Water Efficiency Program aims to provide data loggers to all Victorian schools to continue the education and demonstration of water efficiency in practice. SWEP is managed by the Department of Sustainability and Environment and supported by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development."

"If you're thinking about building green, keep this infographic nearby, as it covers thirteen elements that you'll want to consider in the design and construction of your home. Also keep in mind that this list isn't definitive; it does, however, demonstrate well that building green involves big-picture thinking beyond "Hey, let's put solar panels up.""

"THE Customer DATA centers run by Apple are now entirely fueled by renewable energy, as are 75% of all its corporate facilities, according to the company's recently released 'Apple and the Environment` report. But despite the commitment demonstrated by building one of the world's largest solar arrays, as well as a biogas plant, beside its new iCloud facility in Maiden, North Carolina, the annual review of environmental impact also acknowledges that the total greenhouse gas emissions attributable to Apple's products and operations rose by 34% in 2012."

Social Traders is a small nonprofit organisation established in 2008 to support and encourage the establishment of commercially viable social enterprises throughout Australia. Working with government, community, business and research partners, we aim to: * Raise awareness about social enterprise and demonstrate its benefits * Open up markets for social enterprise products and services * Increase finance available to start and develop social enterprises * Build capacity of social enterprises to trade successfully * Support the coordination of social enterprise development in Australia.

"A GEELONG-BUILT wind turbine which is spruiked as the quietest in the world has been placed at Tullamarine. It is the second commercial installation of the Eco Whisper Turbine, following a pilot demonstration at Geelong manufacturer Austeng's North Geelong plant last October."

"The Gunditjmara seasonal calendar is presented for the interest and information of the broader community to demonstrate the Gunditjmara people's deep understanding of the environment in which they lived. Traditional seasonal calendars are very different to western calendars. For Indigenous people, seasons are not bound to specific dates but are based on climatic conditions. The on-set of rains or the arrival of hot weather signified the passage of time and triggered different activities."

"So we have a system of regulation that encourages the network service providers to over-egg their expenditure proposals, and should it ever be demonstrated that the regulator has given them too little in some part of their budget, they get to come back during the regulatory period and apply, successfully, for more. From the network service provider's point of view it's a case of heads I win, tails you lose."

"Remember carbon capture and storage? Five years ago, the idea of grabbing the carbon dioxide from coal and gas power plants and burying it deep underground was considered an essential technology for curbing the world's greenhouse-gas emissions. A diagram of how various sorts of carbon capture might work. (Congressional Budget Office) But carbon capture hasn't fared well in the years since. Since 2008, world governments committed at least $25 billion to fund large-scale demonstration projects, the Financial Times reports. And we have remarkably little to show for it so far."

"Passive solar architectural principles have come of age. They have given rise to thousands of buildings of all sizes and purposes around the world, in all climate types, to demonstrate how buildings don't need to consume fossil fuel energy to support their occupants. They can even generate more power, or absorb more carbon, than they use. Below is a ten-step guide to how to go about designing and building one."