Latest
Everything you need to know about Santos’ deep-pocketed suitor
As shareholders wait to see if Treasurer Jim Chalmers will bless the $36 billion takeover, here’s all you need to know about the lead player, XRG.
AGL raises bet on after-dark solar with SA acquisition
The innovative project to be built on the Eyre Peninsula will make solar power available after the sun sets, but will require government support.
Step up on energy rollout or lose out: industry’s warning
Faster approvals, smarter planning and efficient gas development rules should be on the table at the government’s productivity roundtable, Ai Group says.
Investors see gold in Origin’s $15b tech play, sending shares soaring
Analysts had put a far lower valuation on Kraken, the cloud-based utilities software, than suggested in British media reports at the weekend.
New projects revive hopes for east coast hydrogen exports
Two projects at Newcastle, worth about $2 billion, are out to prove that Australia’s clean hydrogen vision isn’t dead – it will just require a more pragmatic approach.
This Month
Takeover target Santos deepens Middle East ties with Qatar deal
The two-year LNG sales contract comes as the company’s Abu Dhabi-led bidders have started a tour the oil and gas producer’s assets.
AGL buys Tesla home battery network in community power push
The acquisition of thousands of batteries and solar panels in South Australia takes AGL closer to its growth target in distributed energy assets.
Fortescue’s British battery maker slumps to $152m loss
The iron ore miner has now pumped close to $1 billion into the British battery maker that was previously named after Formula 1 legend Sir Frank Williams.
NSW’s $1b green bank to pick first investment this year
Cameron O’Reilly, chairman of NSW Energy Security Corporation, wants to get more clean power into the grid faster, smoothing the transition away from coal.
June
Alinta Energy says it is ‘open to exploring options’ with rivals
The Hong Kong-owned electricity generator and retailer could run into competition concerns if it proceeds with discussions to merge with EnergyAustralia.
Queensland refinery slumps to $57m loss in year of pain for processing
The poor result from the Sun Metals plant near Townsville is the latest challenge to the government’s hopes of expanding the local processing of minerals.
French energy giant backs multibillion-dollar NSW pumped hydro project
Government-owned EDF, better known for its large nuclear power fleet, is buying into an EnergyAustralia plant and wants to acquire more.
Power price crackdown to aid households: Bowen
The system used to cap standing offer prices for household electricity isn’t working and will be overhauled, the energy minister says.
Energy security is driving Abu Dhabi’s tilt at overlooked Santos
The pull of LNG is proving strong in the Middle East, driving the surprise takeover bid for an Australian producer that others have looked at and left.
BHP and Rio’s hopes for carbon millions dashed by sceptical officials
The country’s two biggest miners wanted approval to generate lucrative credits for storing carbon in mineral waste and producing diesel from trees.
May
Customers won’t pay for green metals, mining veteran warns Labor
Mining and manufacturing bosses say Australia’s heavy spending on green metal processing will only pay off if costs fall significantly.
Alcoa CEO pushes for nuclear and gas, says batteries can’t save smelters
Alcoa chief Bill Oplinger has distanced himself from Rio Tinto’s suggestion that aluminium smelters could run on a mix of renewables and batteries in the future.
April
NSW backs BHP’s early coal mine closure
Decades of coal production will be kept in the ground after the NSW government backed BHP’s plan to shut a mine early and convert to clean energy generation.
Santos CEO says he’s not going anywhere, hits out at politicians
Kevin Gallagher has denied that he is about to step down after nine years of leading Santos, and has attacked politicians over the handling of the energy transition.
No extra gas for domestic market under Dutton plan: industry
The sector has changed its criticism of the Coalition’s energy policy from complaining it would create a glut, to arguing it would create a shortfall.
Queensland tears up transition targets and will keep coal for longer
Queensland’s five-month-old LNP government will unveil its broad energy platform today with a plan to extend the life of the state-owned coal-fired generators.
Woodside CEO: too expensive to make deep cuts to carbon emissions
Meg O’Neill said investments in carbon capture to cut emissions at LNG plants were still $US200-$US500 a tonne, too high to be worthwhile for shareholders.
Gas policy ‘taken over by activists’: Beach CEO
Brett Woods also took aim at politicians opposing local gas supply projects that are forcing the industry towards more emissions intensive and expensive imports.
Korean giant strikes out at gas intervention
Kogas has questioned whether it can still rely on its contracts to buy Australian LNG, given mounting government intervention in the domestic gas market.
March
Federation plots a path from asset manager to batteries developer
The investment firm is launching a multi-billion dollar platform that will specialise building and operating large, long-duration storage.