Tom Longden

Lab Notes: Why buying a star name is nonsense - ABC listen A quick online search reveals multiple paid services for naming stars as commemorative gifts. You'll be provided with a certificate and a map for finding your star in the sky. But these names are not ...

Selling stars is big business. If you missed my written rant about it last week, you can listen to me rant about it on the ABC instead 😆
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr... 🔭🧪

“The government thanks #Original_Power for their work on the #Right #to #Power report & will continue to work with them, alongside states and territories, on how best to address and improve outcomes for remote communities,” a spokesperson 4 Senator #Kate_Thwaites told @australia.theguardian.com 🤔

🧪🔌

The Right to Power: Keeping First Nations' Communities on Prepayment Connected

Link to #Right #to #Power report produced in partnership with many including the @firstnationscen.bsky.social
researchers.westernsydney.edu.au/en/publicati...

‘What’s more important, the electricity or food?’: extreme heat is driving up power bills in central Australia Vanessa Napaltjari Davis puts $70 a week on her prepaid electricity card – but as Alice Springs swelters through ever-hotter summers, that credit lasts less than three days

For more, here is the link to the @australia.theguardian.com article
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

“The government thanks #Original_Power for their work on the #Right #to #Power report & will continue to work with them, alongside states and territories, on how best to address and improve outcomes for remote communities,” a spokesperson 4 Senator #Kate_Thwaites told @australia.theguardian.com 🤔

How the UK’s cold weather payments need to change to help prevent people freezing in winter The cold weather payment is important but needs to be made in advance of freezing temperatures.

❄️Winter's here & keeping #homes warm is a priority.
@uk.theconversation.com article by Dr Brenda Boardman, Dr Thomas Longden, and @tinafawcett.bsky.social calls for increased cold weather payments to protect households in hard-hit areas. ⤵️ @ecioxford.bsky.social
doi.org/10.64628/AB....
#SocSciHome

Our work on fuel / energy poverty and transforming cold weather payments so they provide effective help at the right time is particularly relevant at the moment @tomecon.bsky.social

Protecting First Nations communities from frequent power disconnections in Australia’s hottest regions

Remote First Nations communities live in regions that experience the hottest temperatures in Australia. There are numerous communities that experience more than 60 days above 40°C, as shown below using 2024 data.

This pattern matches historical data from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology for 1981-2018, showing the regions with more than 6 days in January above 39°C. Most of the communities with more than 60 days above 40°C in 2024 are located in the dark red zone shown in the map below.

'𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿' report found that #disconnection rates more than double during #extreme #heat & proposed that governments and retailers implement an #exemption from #disconnection during extreme heat.
Here we explain how it could be implemented - thepolicymaker.appi.org.au/protecting-f... 🧪⚡

@firstnationscen.bsky.social
@cleanenergywire.bsky.social

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟰: Implement measures to assist vulnerable people during 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 & 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. For more, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 - 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 report ⚡ ⚡ ⚡
𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: researchers-admin.westernsydney.edu.au/ws/portalfil...

Protecting First Nations communities from frequent power disconnections in Australia’s hottest regions

Remote First Nations communities live in regions that experience the hottest temperatures in Australia. There are numerous communities that experience more than 60 days above 40°C, as shown below using 2024 data.

This pattern matches historical data from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology for 1981-2018, showing the regions with more than 6 days in January above 39°C. Most of the communities with more than 60 days above 40°C in 2024 are located in the dark red zone shown in the map below.

'𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿' report found that #disconnection rates more than double during #extreme #heat & proposed that governments and retailers implement an #exemption from #disconnection during extreme heat.
Here we explain how it could be implemented - thepolicymaker.appi.org.au/protecting-f... 🧪⚡

Constant power denied to 65,000 customers forced to pay upfront or disconnect Communities on prepaid power meters face regular disconnections amid 40 degree-plus heat, meaning no aircon, food rotting in the fridge and long, hot walks to get reconnected.

‘A landmark report, The Right to Power — Keeping First Nations' communities connected on prepayment, found nearly 9,000 households were impacted by frequent disconnections that are "undermining health, wellbeing and economic participation".’

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...

The #birmingham_mail on proposed improvements* to the #UK #Cold #Weather #Payment ❄️🌨️ - news article 📰 link: www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/cost-of...

* these improvements mentioned in a @uk.theconversation.com article I co-wrote with @tinafawcett.bsky.social #Brenda_Boardman @ecioxford.bsky.social

How the UK’s cold weather payments need to change to help prevent people freezing in winter The cold weather payment is important but needs to be made in advance of freezing temperatures.

The @uk.theconversation.com article: theconversation.com/how-the-uks-...

The #birmingham_mail on proposed improvements* to the #UK #Cold #Weather #Payment ❄️🌨️ - news article 📰 link: www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/cost-of...

* these improvements mentioned in a @uk.theconversation.com article I co-wrote with @tinafawcett.bsky.social #Brenda_Boardman @ecioxford.bsky.social

As the weather turns colder, this research is only going to become more relevant — and more talked about.

Important insights from Dr Tom Longden, Dr Tina Fawcett and Dr Brenda Boardman. ❄️📝

@tomecon.bsky.social @tinafawcett.bsky.social

Using smart energy meter data to design better policy: Prepayment meter customers, fuel poverty and policy targeting in Great Britain During winter 2022–23, residential energy prices were exceptionally high in Europe. Governments provided unprecedented energy support payments, but mi…

Using smart energy meter data to design better policy: Prepayment meter customers, fuel poverty and policy targeting in Great Britain – #Energy_Research_&_Social_Science www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Temperature-related energy insecurity and heating degree thresholds for prepayment gas customers in England and Wales Extreme temperatures can be dangerous when increased energy use for heating or cooling leads to household energy insecurity events, such as de-energis…

Temperature-related energy insecurity and heating degree thresholds for prepayment gas customers in England and Wales – #Energy_Economics www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

How the UK’s cold weather payments need to change to help prevent people freezing in winter The cold weather payment is important but needs to be made in advance of freezing temperatures.

@uk.theconversation.com theconversation.com/how-the-uks-...

#daily_express discussing our* research on the #UK #Cold #Weather #Payment ❄️🌨️ - news article 📰 link: www.express.co.uk/finance/pers...

* this Daily Express article refers to a @uk.theconversation.com article that I co-wrote with #Tina_Fawcett & #Brenda_Boardman @ecioxford.bsky.social @nea.org.uk

Georgina Sweet Awards The Georgina Sweet Awards for Women in Physics/STEM were created by Professor Catherine Stampfl as part of her Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship program to promote and support female sci...

Our @sydney.edu.au Laureate Fellow, Professor Catherine Stampfl is generously supporting these awards for women in STEM in Australia.

1) Georgina Sweet Early Career Researcher STEM Parents Award

2) Georgina Sweet Regional and Remote STEM Award

⚛️ 🔭 ☄️ 🧪

www.georgina-sweet-awards-cmt.com/awards

𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲 #5 📈📉📊 - concession payments and the National Energy Bill Relief initiative 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. ⚡
This week I am posting a 'data deep dive' each day to explain The Right to Power - Keeping First Nations' Communities on Prepayment Connected report 🧪
lnkd.in/g467fFP4

Another #COP #out?

Good point - will use them less frequently...

@firstnationscen.bsky.social
@cleanenergywire.bsky.social

𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲 #5 📈📉📊 - concession payments and the National Energy Bill Relief initiative 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. ⚡
This week I am posting a 'data deep dive' each day to explain The Right to Power - Keeping First Nations' Communities on Prepayment Connected report 🧪
lnkd.in/g467fFP4

Data deep dive #4 📈📉📊 - over 300 household surveys to understand real-World experiences using prepayment for electricity.
This week I am posting a 'data deep dive' each day to explain 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 - 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 report 🧪 lnkd.in/g467fFP4

We're excited to share our new webpage detailing 59 clean energy projects successful in tenders awarded via the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS), and its implications for First Nations communities and groups.

Visit www.firstnationscleanenergy.org.au/project_comm... #auspol #cleanenergy #mobsky

@firstnationscen.bsky.social