NewsBite

Angela Macdonald-Smith

This Month

The area around Hay and Balranald in south-west NSW hosts several large solar farms.

Renewables logjam hits NSW transmission grid

A disconnect between federal and NSW tender processes for new renewable energy projects has left a wind project controlled by billionaire Andrew Forrest stranded.

Quinbrook managing partner David Scaysbrook.

Quinbrook plots $3.5b investment in giant batteries

Managing partner David Scaysbrook says cutting the cost of round-the-clock renewable power was key to Australia delivering on its “green superpower” ambition.

Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill indicated that most IPCC 1.5 degree warming scenarios require new oil supply, the complaint alleges.

Woodside targeted by activist complaint to ASIC over oil forecasts

Woodside might have misled investors over oil demand forecasts it used to justify an $11.6 billion oil project in Mexico, an activist shareholder group alleges.

ConocoPhillips is one of the biggest energy companies in the world, and is proposing to explore for gas in the Bass Strai.

Massive gas drilling program approved in Bass Strait

ConocoPhillips’ junior partner in the venture said it was “very unusual to see a drilling program of this size”.

February

The underground work at the Snowy 2.0 site requires significant ventilation equipment.

Snowy 2.0 dig shut down after shrapnel flies from fan

The incident could cause further delays to the project, which has been plagued by overruns including when the tunnel boring machine was bogged for over a year.

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Genex Power’s Kidston pumped hydro project in North Queensland.

‘Big water battery’ wins backing in NSW storage tender

The success of a $1.8 billion project near Mudgee in a NSW underwriting tender for clean energy comes amid mounting evidence that pumped hydro can be difficult and costly.

Viva Energy CEO Scott Wyatt in an On the Run store in Melbourne in August.

Petrol station owner Viva Energy smashed as 2025 outlook disappoints

The owner of the Shell-branded network has suffered a heavy sell-off in its shares after underwhelming analysts with its guidance.

Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill in Sydney on Tuesday.

Woodside laments NW Shelf future under minority government ‘nightmare’

Meg O’Neill said consumers would suffer if the Greens and teals demand the North West Shelf gas venture closes in 2030 as a condition for supporting a minority Labor government.

CopperString will connect Townsville to Mount Isa in Queensland’s north.

Qld urged to flip giant power line project to save money

The state-owned company in charge of delivering an enormous transmission line in Queensland has asked the government to approve a change in direction for a project blasted by APA Group as economically “horrendous”.

EnergyAustralia’s Yallourn Power Station in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley is due to close in mid-2008.

EnergyAustralia owner would rather contract green power than build it

Parent CLP Group is “open-minded” about funding options for transition projects at EnergyAustralia, which needs to be self-funding, CEO Chiang Tung Keung says.

Ampol CEO Matt Halliday at an EV charging station, the roll-out of which has been slower than hoped.

Ampol says transition ‘challenging’ as fuel demand hits record

Slow grid connections are delaying the rollout of EV charging sites, says CEO Matt Halliday, after the fuels supplier posted a slump in full-year profit.

APA Group chief executive Adam Watson.

APA eyes $2b gas grid expansion to avoid ‘disastrous’ LNG imports

The five-year plan will allow a 24 per cent increase in the gas piped south from Queensland and comes as the company posts a slump in bottom-line earnings.

The Barossa gas project in the Timor Sea is due to start production in the September quarter of 2025.

US giant MidOcean linked to Barossa gas stake interest

Santos boss Kevin Gallagher says he is not surprised by interest from outside suitors.

The pumped hydro project is planned at Lake Borumba south of Gympie in Queensland.

Qld may shrink $18.4b hydro project to save venture

The Crisafulli government is considering scaling down the Borumba storage project after a blowout in costs in latest setback to Queensland’s energy transition.

Pacific Green’ Limestone Coast North battery project is due online in early 2027.
Supplied 21 February 2025

Pacific Green flags more battery sales after $460m Palisade deal

The US-based vendor regards its role as rapidly developing large-scale batteries to support the energy transition before selling them to infrastructure funds.

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Geelong Port CEO Brett Winter says Australia’s entire offshore wind program is at risk if the Gippsland initiative is not successful.

Labor stand-off threatens $100b offshore wind rollout

At the heart of the dispute is where to develop the port facilities that would support the assembly and servicing of a field of huge turbines off the Gippsland coast.

Woodside’s North West Shelf gas project in WA.

Labor’s delay on North West Shelf gas decision ‘political’: opposition

The decision had been due by February 28 but will now come by March 31, after the elections in Western Australia.

Santos chief executive Kevin Gallagher. Santos and Woodside broke off merger talks in February.

Santos CEO urges government action to clear path for Narrabri gas

The plea comes after energy ministers tasked department officials to advise on how to tackle the escalating gas supply crisis in the south-eastern states.

An LNG tanker docked in Louisiana.

Revival of US LNG project complicates Woodside’s Louisiana purchase

The first gas venture granted an export licence by the Trump administration had a supply deal with the ASX-listed giant – which now has its own nearby project.

Woodside’s Sangomar oil project off the coast of Senegal in West Africa.

Woodside shares hit amid worries on costs, dividends

Guidance provided by the oil and gas producer on field restoration costs also was much higher than anticipated, one analyst said.

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