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Angela Macdonald-Smith

Today

IKEA Australia zero emissions project lead Alexandra Kelly said the revised targets were more realistic.

IKEA drops hopes of emissions-free deliveries by this year

Poor charging infrastructure for vans and trucks has forced a move to “more realistic” goals on emissions-free deliveries, the retailer says.

Yesterday

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have raised fears of a trade war.

China hits back at Trump with tariffs on US coal, LNG, crude

China will impose a 15 per cent tariff on coal and LNG products and 10 per cent on crude oil and other products in response.

This Month

BP’s proposed hydrogen and clean fuels precinct in Kwinana, WA.

Hydrogen backers push ahead as Qld flagship project crumbles

Chris Bowen described the Crisafulli government’s decision to drop funding for the state’s most advanced project as “surprising and disappointing”.

January

Santos has suggested delays to the Barossa project could cost $456 million.

EDO rejects bankruptcy fears after $9m Santos court flop

The taxpayer-funded environmental law charity has secured a $6.5m interest free loan to stay afloat after costs from its case against the gas giant pushed it to the brink of collapse.

Australia hit a milestone in the December quarter with coal power supplying less than half the National Electricity Market for the first time.

Coal drops below 50pc for first time as solar powers to record

Renewables supplied a record 46 per cent of the National Electricity Market in the December quarter when a milestone was reached with coal power.

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NextDC chief executive Craig Scroggie says DeepSeek, or other more efficient AI models would still ultimately use the same amount of power overall.

DeepSeek dents outlook for AI-fuelled power boom

NextDC’s CEO says data centre power use will not fall after US energy stocks were smashed by expectations DeepSeek will pierce AI-fuelled electricity demand.

The CEFC has evolved into a taxpayer funded green bank.

As CEFC billions roll in, the green bank faces a political test

Extra funds of $2 billion for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation invite questions over its future, as the opposition’s Ted O’Brien says “the whole thing is absurd”.

Offshore wind is well established in Denmark but remains in its infancy in Australia.

WA minister splits with Canberra on offshore wind

WA energy minister Reece Whitby said offshore wind may be better suited to the west coast after several developers dropped plans for WA projects, opening up a divide with his federal counterpart

Shale wells drilled by Santos in the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo Basin.

Santos eyes Darwin LNG expansion with Beetaloo gas

The plan could offer a lower-cost export avenue for gas from the remote Northern Territory region but remains tentative and in its early stages.

  • Updated
Much of the CEFC funding in 2025 would go to clean generation and large transmission projects.

Labor pumps $2b into green bank despite Trump’s fossil fuel push

The first extra funding for the country’s green bank since it was set up in 2012 contrasts with the pullback on clean energy under Trump 2.0.

Elizabeth Johnstone, chair of the ASX Corporate Governance Council.

ASX diversity rules in limbo amid Trump DEI backlash

New rules requiring listed companies to report on diversity measures remain up in the air, after the ASX’s governance council refused to put a timeline on finalising the changes.

Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill.

Woodside joins backdown on some clean energy projects

The move mirrors an industry pullback from marginal green investments that has grown over the past several months and been reinforced by Trump 2.0.

  • Updated
An LNG cargo ship in Taichung, Taiwan. Taiwan’s CPC Corporation is a big investor in the Dorado field.

Santos puts massive West Australian oil and gas project on ice

The decision to stall the $3.2 billion Dorado development pushed the share price of smaller venture partner Carnarvon Petroleum down by as much as 27 per cent.

  • Updated
Drilling at the Golden Beach gas project off the Victorian coast.

Vic gas squeeze opens up $1b storage opportunity

A gas storage project off Victoria’s coast has grown by 50 per cent amid a flood of demand from customers looking to stave off the risk of winter shortages.

Tankers will arrive on Australian shores in 2026.

Time’s up? LNG imports destined for Australia next year

After years of warnings, importing gas looks to be the only way left to head off an energy shortfall in Victoria, a move likened to “importing sand to the Sahara”.

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Industry Minister Ed Husic.

Husic blocks controversial NSW offshore gas drilling

The minister’s decision on the contentious drilling project known as PEP-11 comes as south-east Australia is facing the risk of gas shortages in the next few years.

An impression of a Westinghouse small modular reactor.

Costs, delays threaten ‘new era’ for nuclear power: IEA

Small modular reactors have the potential to be a “game-changer” but only if expenses can be slashed, the International Energy Agency says.

Industrial action by tug workers could disrupt LNG exports from Gladstone over the next two weeks.

Gladstone industrial action threatens LNG exports

Any disruption to shipments from the Queensland port could temporarily boost gas supplies for the domestic market just as the ACCC is warning of potential shortages in the southern states.

Rooftop solar adoption has taken off.

Vic minimum solar tariffs to be slashed close to zero

Solar households in Victoria will hardly get anything for exports to the grid under a regulatory proposal that reflects the shrinking value of power on sunny days.

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the Capacity Investment Scheme will help Australia achieve its 2030 climate targets.

Green power scheme’s flaws emerge after making crucial progress

Action is needed to turbocharge the build-out of clean generation, but the shortcomings in Labor’s game plan mean 2030 climate targets remain in doubt.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/by/angela-macdonald-smith-j7gcz