Australia and Japan recently signed a memorandum at the headquarters of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority ( AMSA ) which will allow liquid hydrogen (LH 2 ) to be shipped in bulk for the first time. Ship containment systems are being developed in Japan that will be capable of safely transporting liquid hydrogen in bulk from Australia to Japan as part of a pilot project scheduled to commence in 2020. Australia Hydrogen Japan Ports and Marine MORE

emissions Australia Fuel Economy Volkswagen diesel scandalThe Volkswagen diesel scandal has placed greater scrutiny on laboratory emissions testing of new cars pretty much around the world. Over the year since the news of VW's use of illegal "defeat device" software first broke, other carmakers have come forward to confess errors or outright cheating in their own emission and fuel-economy tests. Now the. MORE

Australia-based Licella , a wholly owned subsidiary of Ignite Energy , has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand to examine the development and commercialization of a process to convert woody biomass into sustainable aviation biofuel. Virgin Australia and Licella will explore the potential of the Licella technology to produce aviation fuel, with the aim of supporting its certification and reaching a commercial off-take agreement. MORE

A wind powered car has successfully completed an epic journey across Australia this week. The German-built Wind Explorer arrived in Sydney on Monday, having travelled more than 5000km across Australia, starting in Perth and passing through Adelaide and Melbourne. Green credentials Australia German journey power wind MORE

Switchable EV battery company Better Place announced the promotion of Evan Thornley, Chief Executive Officer of Better Place Australia, to CEO of the global company, effective immediately. Better Place said that in Australia, Thornley was instrumental in the creation of EV Engineering Ltd., Better Place Founder Shai Agassi will continue as a Board member and shareholder. MORE

Batteries lithium-ion Australia plug-in carsIf electric-car sales continue to rise, then demand for battery cells will rise along with them. That, in turn, will lead to increase demand for the raw materials that make up those cells. Lithium-ion is currently the dominant chemistry for battery cells in electrified cars, and that's creating a lithium-mining boom. DON'T MISS: LG Chem's Large. MORE

Qantas will operate Australia’s first commercial flights powered by sustainable aviation fuel on 13 April 2012. Qantas’ Head of Environment, John Valastro, said the goal of the flights was to raise awareness about the potential for sustainable aviation fuel in Australia. The flights, a Sydney-Adelaide return service operated by an Airbus A330, will be powered by a biofuel derived from used cooking oil (split 50:50 with conventional jet fuel). MORE

Renault and Better Place formed a strategic partnership in Australia, expanding their global relationship. earlier post ), into Australia, and Better Place will provide the electric car charging network and services that make the car more convenient and affordable for the mass market. The cars will arrive in Australia by the middle of 2012 for the first customers in Canberra, with general sales due to commence later in the year. Australia Batteries Electric (Battery MORE

It will be much harder and more expensive for Australia to do its fair share on climate change without a carbon pricing scheme, according to the final report of the Garnaut Climate Change Review – Update 2011, Australia in the Global Response to Climate Change. The Garnaut Review 2011: Australia in the Global Response to Climate Change , is the final report of the update. Australia Climate Change Emissions Policy MORE

Having already formed strategic partnerships around the world, Renault and Better Place will now be expanding their global relationship in Australia. Electric cars Green cars Latest news Renault Australia Better Place Renault Fluence switchable batteriesUnder the terms of a new agreement, Renault will import the first electric car fitted with a switchable battery – the Renault Fluence ZE – into the country with Better Place providing its electric [.]. MORE

Could Australia''s loss be Tesla Motors'' gain? DON''T MISS: Elon Musk Vs Ward''s: A Sales Battle Tesla Brought On Itself Tesla--which launched the Model S in Australia earlier this As Ford, General Motors'' Holden division, and Toyota prepare to shut down their Australian factories, the Silicon Valley electric-car maker is attempting a talent grab. MORE

Solar Australia car solar World Solar ChallengeThe final leg of the World Solar Car Challenge is drawing close as the lead cars quickly approach the finish line. Team Tokai from Japan is currently in the lead with around 160 kilometres left to Port Augusta, the final camp site stop before reaching journey’s end in Adelaide. Second placed is currently being held [.]. MORE

Evonik Corporation is featuring the Wind Explorer—a lightweight, electric vehicle that crossed Australia on less than $15 of electricity—at its administrative center in Parsippany, N.J. MORE

Japan-based INPEX Corporation and its joint venture partner Total have made the final investment decision (FID) for the Ichthys liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Australia, representing an investment of US$34 billion dollars. The Ichthys FID announced today by INPEX and Total signals the start of construction of one of the world’s largest LNG facilities based on an estimated 40 years of gas and condensate reserves from the Browse Basin offshore Western Australia. MORE

emissions Australia Fuel Economy Volkswagen diesel scandalThe Volkswagen diesel scandal has placed greater scrutiny on laboratory emissions testing of new cars pretty much around the world. Over the year since the news of VW's use of illegal "defeat device" software first broke, other carmakers have come forward to confess errors or outright cheating in their own emission and fuel-economy tests. Now the. MORE

and Australia, to concentrate on its original markets of Denmark and Israel. If you've been following our reports on battery-swapping company Better Place, the news probably won't come as much of a surprise. The company has decided to shut down its operations in the U.S. Loss-making Better Place will close its Palo Alto office, says the San MORE

Australia-based underground coal gasification (UCG) company Linc Energy Ltd announced the “Jet A1 Dash”, a flight using synthetic jet fuel created by using the company’s combination of Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) and Gas to Liquids (GTL) technology at its Chinchilla Demonstration Facility in Queensland. After the fuel was produced in Australia, further specialist refining was undertaken in the US. MORE

Researchers at Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have years of experience researching the best ways to separate pure hydrogen from mixed gas streams. CSIRO’s vision is to use the membrane technology to open up a new world market for renewable hydrogen produced via electrolysis in Australia. Ammonia Australia Hydrogen Hydrogen Production Power Generation Power-to-Gas MORE

Australia solar roof plug-in cars solarMany electric-car owners use solar panels to generate power that they can use in home charging stations. But what if they could actually put those panels directly on their electric cars instead? Solar-car racing is nothing new, and solar panels have been used to a very limited extent to supplement battery power in a few production cars. DON'T. MORE

Having made its mark in Japan and Hong Kong, the much sought-after electric car will now head to Australia. The company, along with its Australian distributor Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited, has been conducting electric vehicle promotional activities aimed [.]. Tags: Electric cars Green cars Latest news Mitsubishi Australia electric vehicles Hong Kong japan Mitsubishi i-MiEV Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicle The Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicle is on the move. MORE

Algae.Tec has signed a deal with Australia’s largest power company to site an algae carbon capture and biofuels production facility alongside a 2640MW coal-fired power station near Sydney. million tonnes of coal per year and delivers power to eastern Australia, from South Australia to Northern Queensland. MORE

Through a competitive bidding process, Tesla was selected to provide a 100 MW/129 MWh Powerpack system to be paired with global renewable energy provider Neoen’s Hornsdale Wind Farm near Jamestown, South Australia. Tesla Powerpack will charge using renewable energy from the Hornsdale Wind Farm and then deliver electricity during peak hours to help maintain the reliable operation of South Australia's electrical infrastructure. MORE

The Victoria (Australia) EV Trial—a major 5-year initiative ( earlier post )—has released a comparative lifecycle assessment of the environmental impacts of electric vehicles relative to conventional gasoline vehicles in Victoria from now until 2030. MORE

Australia has abolished plans to help develop greener cars and encourage consumer uptake of lower emission vehicles. billion Green Car Innovation Fund will be dropped along with the Cleaner Car Rebate Scheme as part of spending cuts to help finance rebuilding Australia’s flood-affected regions. Australia [.]. Green credentials Australia cleaner car fund grants green car Innovation fund rebate MORE

Back in 2013, a group of students from the Eindhoven Univserity of Technology built a solar-powered car for the World Solar Challenge race held in Australia. Stella EV Australia The Netherlands solarCalled Stella, the Dutch vehicle was built to somewhat resemble a conventional family car. Now the group--known as Solar Team Eindhoven--is back with an improved car. Just like the previous. MORE

Qualcomm Incorporated and Lumen Australia, a leading global supplier and integrator of electrical and electronic systems, entered into a Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging (WEVC) license agreement. Lumen is based in Asia-Pacific but represented globally through, Manufacturing, Technical and Sales divisions and supported by the Global Centre of Excellence, situated in Melbourne, Australia. MORE

Australia-based Tritium, developer and manufacturer of the Veefil 50 kW DC fast charger for electric vehicles, will open its first overseas premises in Torrance, California in early 2017. At the moment all the units are manufactured in Australia, but as our market share has expanded significantly since we launched in 2013, we now need to open regional facilities to maintain our high levels of customer support. MORE

The students are in Australia preparing for the 2013 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, to be held from 6 to 13 October. The car is taking part in next month’s 2013 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia. Students from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) covered a distance of 875 km (544 miles) last week without recharging in the solar?powered powered family car which they have developed themselves. Earlier post.) MORE

emissions energy policy Australia plug-in cars renewable energy transportation policyWhat would it take to convert an entire country to 100-percent renewable energy? How about a country that occupies an entire continent? Australian climate think tank Beyond Zero Emissions is publishing a series of plans addressing how different aspects of the country's economy and infrastructure can be converted to renewable energy. DON'T MISS. MORE

Elon Musk Australia renewable energy energy storage Solar CityIf only we could all be as optimistic, and energetic, as Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Even as Tesla gears up for mass production of the Model 3 electric car and a hoped-for annual production rate of 500,000 total cars by next year, Musk has found time to place a high-profile bet on the renewable energy part of Tesla's businesses. In this case, it has to. MORE

road trips Australia Tesla Motors plug-in carsWhen modern electric cars first appeared in large numbers about five years ago, long road trips were often an adventure. The relatively sparse network of public charging stations meant driving long distances required considerable planning and commitment on the part of electric-car owners. More recently, an increase in the number of public charging. MORE

Clean Air Power CAP), the developer of a dual-fuel combustion technology that enables heavy-duty diesel engines to operate on a combination of diesel and natural gas, has launched its Genesis Edge Dual Fuel Volvo FM13 Euro5 product in Australia. CAP says that Australia is a mature Dual Fuel market and its existing Caterpillar product, which has sold more than 200 units, is reaching the end of its life cycle having been operational since 2001. MORE

Brisbane, Australia-based Tritium, developer of the Veefil Electric Vehicle (EV) Fast Charger, has launched a Fast Cities Network initiative to establish Australia’s largest fast-charging network in Australia and the first in Eastern Australia. The Fast Cities Network. MORE

Off-road Australia plug-in cars Commercial vehicleOver the last decade, the Australian car industry has been in a long-term decline. Ford, General Motors, and Toyota have all decided to end local vehicle production, opting to import cars from other markets instead. But one Australian company plans to begin production of a new electric vehicle later this year. DON'T MISS: Immortus Electric-Car. MORE

Australia’s CSIRO and its equivalent in India, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research ( CSIR ), have launched a three-year, A$6-million (US$5.6-million) collaboration focused on improving processes involved in the production of dimethyl ether (DME), a clean-burning synthetic liquid fuel. The project is being jointly funded by the Australian and Indian governments, through the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund ( AISRF ) as one of the latest Grand Challenge winners. MORE

Having already established projects in countries including Denmark and Israel, as well as making breakthroughs in the US state of California, Better Place is now set to embark on projects in Japan and Australia. In Australia, the company has formed a partnership with the University of Melbourne. Tags: Electric cars Green cars Latest news Australia Better Place electric taxis japan Melbourne University Nihon Kotsu Tokyo MORE

A consortium led by Boston Energy and Innovation (BEI) has signed an exclusive memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Townsville, Australia City Council to investigate the financial viability of building a 15GWh battery manufacturing plant in Townsville. MORE

It may not be the most practical of designs, but a German duo recently succeeded in crossing much of Australia in a wind-powered car. They set records for longest distance traveled in such a vehicle, as well as a 36-hour distance record and others. Dirk Gion and Stefan Simmerer both developed and piloted the Wind Explorer, which traveled from MORE

The motoring organisation will be provided with expert advice from charities for the blind, Vision Australia and Guide Dogs Queensland throughout the project. The RAC’s Queensland branch known as RACQ has launched a new research project in the Australian state to assess the risk that ‘low noise’ hybrid vehicles may pose to pedestrians. MORE

million tonnes per annum (MTPA) production train for its Australia Pacific LNG coal seam gas (CSG) to liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Queensland, Australia. and Bechtel Australia Proprietary Limited contract for facilities on Curtis Island. In April 2011, Australia Pacific LNG and Sinopec Corp. subscribed for a 15% equity interest in Australia Pacific LNG. s additional equity subscription provides Australia Pacific LNG with a net payment of US$1.4 MORE

Every two years, teams from around the world converge on Australia to compete in the World Solar. Australia solar World Solar Challenge MORE

Readers Down Under should keep their eyes peeled for a host of hybrid trucks that will soon be making their way to Australia after Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation agreed to deliver 25 vehicles to the country by the end of March. Tags: Green cars Hybrid cars Latest news Mitsubishi Australia green trucks hybrid trucks Mitsubishi Fuso Mitsubishi Fuso Canter Star Track Express MORE

If Australia is to do its fair share in tackling climate change, then it must include a carbon pricing scheme. That’s the verdict of the Garnaut Climate Change Review – Update 2011, which recommends that Australia’s initial carbon price be in the range of $20-$30. According to Garnaut, Australia is a long way behind in [.]. Green credentials Latest news Australia carbon pricing carbon pricing scheme climate change review Garnaut report Green cars MORE