RenewEconomy, a new online publication created by former Climate Spectator editor Giles Parkinson, launched yesterday. The site aims to cover clean technology and a green economy, with new articles appearing daily and a free email newsletter available.

Prior to Climate Spectator, Parkinson served as business editor and deputy editor at The Australian Financial Review and penned columns for The Australian and The Bulletin.

There’ll be more of a focus on technology over the politics of climate policy in this new venture, Parkinson tells Crikey.

The first stories on the site include:

Parkinson predicts readers will come from industry, government, media, academia and think tanks, telling Crikey “it’s a reasonably focused audience, it’s not the general public.” Having said that, Parkinson noted that topics like solar panels and electric cars are capturing the attention of the wider public and there’s a growing interest in the business community.

When asked why he went out on his own, Parkinson replied: “A lot of people thought Climate Spectator was mine but it wasn’t. But this is and I quite like working for myself.”

The site is funded by private investors — who Parkinson declines to name — but is expected to operate on an advertising model. “We’re pretty confident that’s going to work,” said Parkinson.

Currently all articles on the site are written by Parkinson or Paul Gilding, a corporate advisor on climate change and sustainability and author of the book The Great Disruption. Opinion pieces from writers are welcomed, but unpaid. Plans are made to pay for journalists contributions in the future.

But keep an eye out enviro journos, Parkinson hopes to put staff on in the next few months.