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With the boom in rooftop solar and other distributed energy resources (DER), the opportunity exists to change the dominant paradigm of centralised control of the energy system to one based on local resources and democratic governance — but this opportunity must be recognised and acted on quickly to prevent new energy being stuck in the old model. TEC’s Designing DERtopia discussion paper is intended to get the ball rolling. 

An appallingly bad proposal to give developers flexibility over environmental standards for all urban areas in NSW is condemned by Total Environment Centre.  The proposed Design and Place State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) must go back to the drawing board.

For the first time, hard numbers on the benefits of offgrid energy systems in meeting the challenge of climate change, are now available.

It’s not well known that 98% of cigarette butts are made from plastic and they are the most littered plastic pollution item breaking up into billions of pieces of microplastics in the ocean. They also contain toxic chemicals.

TEC is calling for legislation agreed by the NSW Liberals and National Party to be withdrawn from the Parliament. 

The Western Australian Container deposit scheme, launched today, will need a lot more work to be accessible and maximise recycling, said TEC on releasing a new briefing today.  Claims it is the most accessible in Australia are simply wrong.

At a time when the NSW government needs to fully focus on managing the COVID crisis, the National Party’s ‘’split’’ from the Coalition over the koala protection is one the most irrational moves seen in many decades and will do a great disservice to the community, TEC said today.  

The release of the draft Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan is the last chance to protect and regenerate remaining endangered habitat before the area is engulfed in urban development.

Queensland’s Container Recycling Scheme (CRS) has come under fire in an independent health report that calls for greater transparency and reporting, an increased number of refund locations and expansion to the types of bottles and cans which can be returned.

The TEC/ACOSS rule change “More sun for everyone“ aims to benefit solar owners and support greater uptake of solar and other distributed energy resources to help accelerate decarbonisation and improve affordability for everyone, reports Mark Byrne, our Energy Advocate.

A new plan to protect Sydney’s Koala colony threatened by development on the western edge of the city was released today calling for a national park, wide wildlife corridors and improved state planning controls.

National Electricity market regulators have agreed to implement a rule change championed by TEC, PIAC and the Australia Institute by 2021, that will reduce energy use, bills and CO2 emissions.