Climate Change Solutions Update

Category: Electricity & Industry

Cut Emissions:
– Enhance Efficiency
– Cut Fugitive Emissions
– Shift Production

  • Electric School Buses & V2G — Match Made in Heaven

    The article highlights the advantages of utilizing electric school buses as a V2G fleet, showcasing real-world outcomes from V2G programs and addressing the financial viability challenges post federal tax credits. It also delves into the importance of EV fleet energy management. Readers are encouraged to further explore the topic through a podcast or video, and to participate in the ongoing discussion in the comments section.

    https://cleantechnica.com/2025/11/25/electric-school-buses-v2g-match-made-in-heaven/

  • Australia doesn’t have to choose between energy affordability and emission reductions

    IEEFA has found that improving energy affordability in Australia does not have to be incompatible with emissions reduction targets. The country's aging coal fleet and network assets need to be replaced, with renewables backed by storage and transmission being the most cost-effective option. Gas-based generation has become increasingly uncompetitive, with high prices and declining consumption. Contrary to misconceptions, renewables have not been driving electricity prices up, with high gas and coal prices, coal outages, and network costs being the main factors. Faster approval processes and better market regulations are needed to ensure a smooth transition to cleaner energy sources. Reforms to improve competition, allow distributed energy resources to compete, and promote energy efficiency, electrification, and flexible demand are key to lowering household energy bills. Transitioning to modern electric alternatives, such as heaters and hot water systems, along with solar and battery systems, can significantly reduce costs. Industrial energy efficiency and electrification also offer major savings. The key pathways to improve energy affordability are aligned with net zero emissions goals, emphasizing the need for accelerated deployment of renewables, energy efficiency, and electrification. The narrative that lowering bills and cutting emissions are mutually exclusive is false.

    https://reneweconomy.com.au/australia-doesnt-have-to-choose-between-energy-affordability-and-emission-reductions/

  • Community-based energy trading system for home solar-plus-storage

    A cloud-based system developed by Washington State University allows for local energy trading and sharing within neighborhoods, resulting in potential cost savings of up to 12% over a five-day test period. The system, tested in collaboration with a local utility network, highlights the importance of coordinated operation at the distribution level in the changing electricity industry landscape. Published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, the research paper presents a community-based transactive coordination mechanism for enabling grid-edge systems, with the ability to reduce energy costs by up to 12% in communities with solar and battery energy storage systems.

    https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/11/25/community-based-energy-trading-system-for-home-solar-plus-storage/

  • Longi achieves 33.35% efficiency for flexible perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell

    Chinese PV module manufacturer Longi has achieved a power conversion efficiency of 33.35% for a 1 cm2 flexible perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell, certified by the US Department of Energy's NREL. The tandem device utilized a dual-buffer layer strategy to enhance interfacial adhesion and charge extraction, with the top cell incorporating layers such as a perovskite absorber and a self-assembled monolayer hole transport layer. Testing showed the cell design's durability, retaining over 97% of its initial efficiency after bending and thermal cycling tests. These findings were detailed in a study published in Nature, showcasing advancements in flexible solar cell technology.

    https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/11/26/longi-achieves-33-35-efficiency-for-flexible-perovskite-silicon-tandem-solar-cell/

  • When solar meets next-gen nuclear

    Researchers in China have proposed a scheduling framework for microgrids that integrates solar power with small modular nuclear reactors to improve short-term dispatch capability and long-term economic viability. The framework utilizes multi-objective distributionally robust optimization and real-time reinforcement learning to co-optimize photovoltaic and SMR generation. The system includes a generator, battery, electrolyzers for hydrogen production, and an energy management system to make decisions based on forecasts and real-time data. The proposed optimization framework reduces operational costs by 18.7% and carbon emission intensity by 37.1% compared to conventional fossil-dominated microgrids, while enhancing critical load supply reliability to above 98% across all uncertainty scenarios. Researchers have developed a new operational strategy for microgrids that combines demand response optimization with reinforcement learning to adapt to real-time environmental changes, allowing for flexibility in managing energy imbalances and reducing reliance on carbon-intensive backup generation. The coordination between short-term battery storage and long-term hydrogen storage enhances cost-effectiveness and reliability.

    https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/11/25/when-solar-meets-next-gen-nuclear/

  • New transmission towers are crucial for renewables – but contentious. Here’s where they should go

    Solar and wind provide 99% of new generating capacity in Australia, with renewables supplying over 40% of power to the main grid. Australia will need six times as much solar and wind to reach net zero through electrification. Building new transmission corridors is necessary, but existing lines are not sufficient. The grid operator plans to build 10,000 km of new transmission lines, with a focus on high-voltage direct current lines to unlock renewable resources. Optimizing new transmission corridors is crucial for Australia's future grid. A study has identified potential high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line corridors in Australia to connect renewable resources in northern regions to population centers in the southeast. These corridors could significantly reduce wholesale electricity costs by 8-18%. Energy storage schemes like Snowy 2.0 could also help cover seasonal gaps locally. Community buy-in is crucial for such projects, and the benefits of unlocking renewables can be quantified for each local government area. Policymakers should prioritize building these transmission corridors to meet new demand and consider pairing them with pumped-hydro schemes. The article discusses the importance of energy storage in balancing variable renewable generation and maximizing the use of transmission lines. Cheng Cheng, a Senior Research Officer at the Australian National University, highlights the role of energy storage in the transition to a more sustainable energy system. This technology helps to ensure a reliable and stable energy supply while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Energy storage is a key component in achieving climate solutions and increasing the efficiency of renewable energy integration.

    https://reneweconomy.com.au/new-transmission-towers-are-crucial-for-renewables-but-contentious-heres-where-they-should-go/

  • Wind-PV-powered heat pump for low-energy residential buildings

    Researchers from China have developed an optimized energy management strategy for a hybrid wind-PV heat pump system with thermal and electric energy storage. The study found that adopting seasonal interaction management strategies improved power-to-load interaction and enabled zero-energy performance. The optimal system configuration includes PV modules, wind turbines, batteries, and heat pumps. The research showed significant improvements in system performance and cost savings with the implementation of the optimized energy management strategy, resulting in a reduction in system integration factor, levelized cost of electricity, and carbon emissions, while increasing self-consumption ratio.

    https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/11/24/wind-pv-powered-heat-pump-for-low-energy-residential-buildings/

  • COP30 and the Just Clean Energy Transition

    The COP30 climate conference in Belém, Brazil highlighted efforts to implement the Paris Agreement by transitioning from coal to clean energy in developing countries. The Kinetic Coalition, led by C2ES, is driving investment in clean energy systems in emerging economies through energy transition credits, with a focus on affordable, reliable, and secure electricity to meet Paris Agreement goals. The Final Report of the Transition Credits Coalition (TRACTION), led by MAS, aims to establish integrity and demand for energy transition credits, emphasizing a just transition for coal plant workers and communities. The partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation and the signing of a Statement of Support for Energy Transition Credits by various sectors demonstrate a commitment to advancing energy prosperity and accelerating the clean energy transition.

    https://www.c2es.org/2025/11/cop30-and-the-just-clean-energy-transition/

  • Big solar grabs record 30.6 pct share of Australia’s main grid, before being shunted aside by rooftop PV

    Large scale solar farms in Australia have reached record shares on the main grid, but are now being overshadowed by rooftop PV causing curtailment during the day. To address this issue, new large scale solar projects are incorporating integrated batteries to store excess energy for evening peaks. Australia's first solar hybrid plant in Cunderdin is feeding power into the grid during evening peaks, with more solar-hybrid projects to follow. Large scale solar in NSW reached record shares, marking progress towards a cleaner energy grid.

    https://reneweconomy.com.au/big-solar-grabs-record-30-6-pct-share-of-australias-main-grid-before-being-shunted-aside-by-rooftop-pv/

  • Huge 105 turbine wind project and four-hour big battery seeks green tick to link into VNI West

    Equis has proposed the construction of a wind farm and battery energy storage system in New South Wales, featuring 105 large turbines and a 600 MW/2400 megawatt-hour battery. The project aims to connect to the National Electricity Market via a new transmission line in the South West Renewable Energy Zone, with a focus on minimizing environmental impact. Additionally, Equis has returned to Australia with a new portfolio of wind and big battery storage projects across four states, backed by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan. The battery projects include the Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub, Calala BESS, Koolunga BESS, and Lower Wonga BESS, along with wind farms like Bell Bay and Jackson North. Plans are in place to support new renewable energy generators in the region despite delays in the transmission line project.

    https://reneweconomy.com.au/huge-105-turbine-wind-project-and-four-hour-big-battery-seeks-green-tick-to-link-into-vni-west/