Renewable Energy

Some 300 homes in Fife to be fitted with free boilers, heaters and cooking appliances

Hundreds of homes in Scotland will soon become the first in the world to use 100% green hydrogen to heat their properties and cook their meals as part of a new trial that could help households across the country replace fossil fuel gas.

Some 300 homes in Fife will be fitted with free hydrogen boilers, heaters and cooking appliances to be used for more than four years in the largest test of whether zero carbon hydrogen, made using renewable energy and water, could help meet Britain’s climate goals.

Angus Taylor hails data – but experts say much of fall not related to government action

Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions fell 3% in the year to June due to the Covid-19 shutdown, the ongoing impact of drought and an influx of cheap solar and wind power, according to government figures.

The government said it meant Australia had beaten its international 2020 target – widely regarded among experts as an unambitious goal.

Related: Scott Morrison's climate language has shifted – but actions speak louder than words

Great news! Australia's emissions are 16.6% below 2005 levels!!! (*if we include land use)

If we exclude land use like everyone else does, our emissions are 1.2% *higher* than in 2005

Greta job, Angus, well done pic.twitter.com/eUpSvrovzz

Angus Taylor’s dire warnings about abandoning coal are going unheeded as the states forge their own path towards renewables

There may have been other weeks that packed in as many transformative developments in clean energy in Australia as the past seven days, but they don’t come often.

On Friday, the New South Wales parliament passed laws to build 12 gigawatts of clean energy – roughly equivalent to the country’s entire existing large-scale renewable capacity – and 2GW of energy storage in the state over the next decade.

Related: Scott Morrison's climate language has shifted – but actions speak louder than words

Related: Australia's climate record labelled 'simply embarrassing' and among worst of G20 nations

Home owners can get help from government schemes but do they really cut costs?

When Graham Davidson and his wife, Pauline, retired to a bungalow in Norfolk three years ago they ripped out the old boiler and replaced it with an air source heat pump at a cost of £10,000. But this pricey replacement has turned into a moneyspinner for the Davidsons – and millions of British households are likely to follow suit in what is expected to be a revolution in home heating.

Davidson, 68, who used to work in the car electronics business, says it was financial gain rather than saving the planet that was at the forefront of his decision. But dumping the gas boiler has probably cut his household carbon emissions by more than half.

The pumps are electrical devices that work like an air conditioning unit in reverse

Remaining UK coal plants, including Drax, supply 6% of grid’s electricity to cover power supply drop and colder weather

Britain has fired up some of its last remaining coal power plants to help keep the lights on as the country’s wind turbines slow over a few days and the demand for electricity rises.

Three of the UK’s last coal power plants, operating at Drax, West Burton, and Ratcliffe, were called on to supply 6% of electricity on Thursday morning.