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Energy & Climate

Yesterday

Origin Energy CEO Frank Calabria (l), HydroTasmania CEO Rachel Watson, and EnergyAustralia MD Mark Collette at the Clean Energy Summit in Sydney on Wednesday.

‘Staggering’ cost of grid expansion to hit energy bills: Calabria

Origin Energy CEO Frank Calabria and EnergyAustralia’s Mark Collette have warned of the tough task ahead to expand clean energy.

July

The Collector wind farm. The rollout of renewables infrastructure in the regions has been met with strong pushback in some parts.

Big super lobbies Ley, Canavan to back renewables investing dream

Some of the country’s largest retirement savings funds have met senior Coalition figures, urging them to set aside their infighting on climate change.

Jigar Shah anticipates Australia can take advantage of the US abandoning clean energy efforts

Clean energy companies will evacuate to Australia, says US expert

Australia should prepare to welcome clean energy companies fleeing the shifting US policy environment, says a former senior Biden energy official.

Despite Australia being one of the world’s biggest LNG exporters, some pundits have argued for gas imports as a short-term solution to the supply squeeze.

‘Steam out their ears’: Australians fired up about gas exports

A plan being considered by Labor to set aside export gas for domestic use has almost no political opposition.

Renowned economist Ross Garnaut says an overreliance on subsidies is slowing the energy transition.

Labor risks ‘buying failure’ with supersized renewables subsidies

Former Labor climate adviser Ross Garnaut says an overreliance on renewables subsidies could be catastrophic for the budget.

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Australia is seeking to commence offshore wind generation for the first time, although the technology is well established in Europe.

Huge extra costs for first offshore wind, nuclear plant: CSIRO

The science agency found that deploying offshore wind and other low-carbon technologies for the first time in Australia would involve major additional costs.

Chris Bowen will announce an 8 gigawatt expansion of the Capacity Investment Scheme – up from its existing 32 gigawatts – which he says is enough to power millions of Australian homes.

Labor supersizes renewables subsidy scheme

The government will expand its scheme underwriting new clean energy projects by 25 per cent to speed up the flagging energy transition

BCA chief executive Bran Black said a range of business and community organisations agree that policy change is needed to boost the economy.

Corporate Australia keeps climate talks behind closed doors

The Business Council of Australia is unlikely to declare a public view on emissions reductions even as the government prepares to announce its new target.

Porsche imports 100,000 litres of HIF’s e-fuels for racing events.

In an EV-first world, can e-fuels drive the decarbonisation of transport?

HIF Global is just one of the businesses betting big on green tech to provide a viable alternative to electric vehicles.

Origin’s Stockyard Hill wind farm. Brookfield has outlined plans to spend between $20 billion and $30 billion on renewable energy projects if it wins Origin at Thursday’s scheme meeting.

Honesty and credibility needed on Victoria’s energy transition

The AEMO has confidently defended its energy costings plans as the best laid to be had, despite turning out drastically worse than its predictions.

CEFC investments hit record $4.7b as grid bill climbs

Clean Energy Finance Corporation boss Ian Learmonth expects another record year for the green bank, depending on the big-ticket Marinus Link project.

Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes a Court.

Holmes a Court warns Liberals over net zero

Nationals threats to abandon net zero will be mercilessly exploited by Climate 200 if the seat of Bradfield goes to a fresh vote.

Electrical workers say approval delays for renewables projects are a major drag on productivity.

Grid bottlenecks pushing workers into ‘valley of death’

Electrical workers say clearer planning approvals for energy projects are needed to reverse skills shortages and boost productivity.

Our oceans are in crisis as a toxic algal bloom devastates commercial fisheries, tourism operators and oyster farmers in South Australia, while Queensland’s tour operators and fisheries also grapple with successive bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef.

No better time than now to set stronger net-zero targets

It’s time to lead with conviction. Targets work; strong targets even better. Cutting climate pollution is not only essential, but also an economic opportunity.

Our electricity cost advantage has been utterly squandered. Even Japan, which is forced to import virtually all its energy needs (mostly from Australia) has lower electricity prices ($US0.22) than Australia.

Why net zero targets are impoverishing our nation

If we stick with them, our economy will weaken, living standards will suffer and the electricity price advantage we once enjoyed will be even more of a distant memory.

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Decomposing sea sponges at the Ardrossan Big Jetty are part of the sea creatures killed by the algal bloom off South Australia’s coast.

Toxic algal bloom may still be here in summer: Malinauskas

The South Australian premier announced he would match $14 million in federal funding to help deal with fallout from the marine catastrophe.

New wind farm projects have slowed due to soaring costs.

Clean energy rebound masks wind ‘disaster’

Clean energy capacity added into the grid doubled last year, but analysts say the figures mask stalled wind-farm construction amid soaring costs.

Former 2GB radio presenter Chris O’Keefe is part of a new look Clean Energy Council. 

Gas is in as renewables industry adopts new playbook

In a detailed letter to its members, the Clean Energy Council says it must be realistic about gas and work harder to secure support for regional wind and solar projects.

Reporter Daniel Arbon beside a pylon of the Ardrossan Big Jetty, where decomposing sponges are part of the wildlife that has been killed by the algal bloom.

We went diving into South Australia’s marine collapse

Thousands of sea creatures have died and washed up on the coastline in recent months, an ecological crisis that is now becoming a political issue.

Sun Metals zinc refinery near Townsville is one of several metals processing plants in financial trouble.

‘Bailouts don’t cut it’: Coalition wants metals processing inquiry

Costly taxpayer-funded bailouts for smelters aren’t good enough, with action needed to tackle the underlying challenges, Coalition MPs say.

Uncle Paul Kabai, Uncle Pabai Pabai, and Aunty McRose Elu spoke to more than 150 Torres Strait Islanders outside the Federal Court in Cairns after the ruling

Court rules government has no duty to protect from climate change

The Federal Court has ruled the Commonwealth government does not have a duty of care over Torres Strait Islander people to protect them from climate change.

Slow rollout of poles and wire projects set to limit the power of renewables projects.

Solar farms forced to ‘switch off’ due to energy grid logjam

Delays to critical poles and wire projects will force some solar farms to shed more than two-thirds of the power they produce.

Australia’s top climate diplomat Kristin Tilley has left her post.

Australia loses top climate diplomat as COP bid on edge

The Albanese government has left a key diplomatic post vacant as it scrambles to secure hosting rights for a major UN climate summit next year.

The costs of building new large energy projects need to be reined in to lift flagging productivity, Ai Group says.

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.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/policy/energy-and-climate