CSIRO has helped develop a solar-powered air-conditioning system for use at Stockland Wendouree Shopping Centre in Ballarat, Victoria and says it is a shining example of how to use the sun to cool buildings — making the most from the Australian climate. [ + ]

Manslaughter charges have been laid four years after the death of Jason Garrels, who was killed in heavy rain on a building site in central Queensland. [ + ]

Death on NSW roads is up almost 25% on last year, with 208 fatalities since the beginning of the year. This figure is causing widespread community concern and the NSW motoring association NRMA is now calling on the state government to implement a scheme which would replace fines and demerit points for low-level speeding offences with compulsory driver training. [ + ]

South Australia's newest wind farm, the Neoen and Siemens-developed Hornsdale project, has been switched on to the grid in a special 'energisation ceremony' that brought together South Australian and ACT government officials, as well as members of the local community. [ + ]

Researchers at Queensland University of Technology are predicting that petrol-powered vehicles will continue to dominate Australian roads in the year 2030, despite advances in new technologies and public concerns about the environment. [ + ]

Schneider Electric has been listed in LinkedIn Top Attractors, a global ranking of the 40 companies that attract most interest on the business-oriented social network. [ + ]

Paris has commenced its program of restriction on cars made prior to 1997 and motorcycles predating 2000, making it illegal to drive in the centre of Paris on weekdays between 8 am and 8 pm, according to Green Car Reports (GCR). [ + ]

Local rewnewable energy company Solgen Energy Group has announced completion of 1.75 megawatts of solar capacity installed across the NBN Satellite Earth Stations (SES) and Technical Aggregation Node and Development (TAND) facilities. [ + ]

In news you don't hear every day, a team of physicists at Temple University in Philadelphia has made a discovery that could change the face of chocolate as we know it. According to a report on The Verge, the electrorheology research team has found an unusual application for electric fields. [ + ]

In an interesting move, insurance company Allianz has expanded the cover available under its Private Car Insurance policy to include the use by eligible car owners for ridesharing activities. [ + ]

A thought leadership discussion at the upcoming Queensland Mining and Engineering Exhibition (QME) will feature The Hon. Dr Anthony Lynham, Minister for State Development and Natural Resources. [ + ]

There's a new crop of airbag issues for Toyota, this time for its Prius and Lexus models. In Australia, the company has issued a recall on vehicles from the Prius ZVW30 and Lexus CT200h ranges. [ + ]

Concerns raised by NECA and other industry bodies regarding the level of training given to some electrotechnology apprentices recently led to a formal review of training standards at the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT). [ + ]

Thin-film solar expert Hanergy Holding Group has launched four full solar-powered vehicles in Beijing at a ceremony dubbed 'Disruptive innovations drive the future'. [ + ]

In case you were in doubt as to how much smartphones rule our lives, a new study reveals that car buyers will not purchase a vehicle that doesn't provide adequate mobile phone connection. The National Road Safety Partnership Program (NRSPP) has published details of the research which shows that other factors including styling, price and fuel economy can't be trumped by an inability to connect. [ + ]