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Energy transition

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Protesters march against Rio Tinto’s Jadar mine.

Inside Rio Tinto’s all out war to unlock Serbia’s lithium riches

The mining giant has been trying to develop the resource rich Jadar Valley for two decades. So why is it persisting in the face of intense opposition?

  • 24 mins ago
  • Hans van Leeuwen

This Month

A worker checks solar panels at a factory in Jiujiang in central China. The country has emerged as an industry leader in green energy sectors.

This is how China could lift growth while cutting global emissions

A shift towards green development could help stabilise the Chinese economy while supporting the world’s energy transition.

  • Yiping Huang
South Australia’s Northern coal power station in Port Augusta was closed in 2016 and subsequently blown up.

Power findings show ‘failure of privatisation’: SA energy minister

Minister Tom Koutsantonis says the behaviour of large power generators reported by the Australian Energy Regulator is “extremely concerning”.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Yallourn coal station in Victoria. Coal and gas plants dominate the market when solar is offline.

Energy grid’s power imbalance could blow out bills, AER warns

In a review to be released on Friday, the energy regulator also said the government should consider the need to diversify ownership as it underwrote projects.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
Australia is considering more new coal mines than any other country, despite climate protests.

Coal demand hits record with Australia bulking up

Australia is over-represented on the world stage as a source of new coal output, the International Energy Agency found.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
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BHP suspended its WA nickel operations earlier this year after heavy losses, helping cut demand for gas in the state.

Nickel shutdowns ease WA’s gas shortage fears

While gas for Western Australia’s domestic users is adequate for the next few years, a shortfall may emerge in 2028, the market operator says.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
Novonix CEO Chris Burns: “If you step away from the noise, we continue to see that the battery and critical minerals sectors will be supported.”

US backs Oz firm’s graphite factory to loosen China’s EV grip

The energy department has offered Novonix a $1.2 billion loan to underwrite construction of the first large-scale synthetic graphite facility in North America when complete.

  • Nic Fildes and Harry Dempsey
EnergyAustralia executive, operations and projects, Sue Elliott, at the Mount Piper power station near Lithgow in NSW last Thursday.

EnergyAustralia’s fight for future of NSW coal plant

The large Mount Piper generator may be needed by the market for another 15 years, but in a vastly different role that will require policy support.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
Opposition leader Peter Dutton (centre) flanked by shadow energy spokesman Ted O’Brien (l) and Nationals leader David Littleproud in Brisbane on Friday.

Any hope of a rational debate about nuclear power is gone

Households and businesses would be better served by a rational debate on the merits of including nuclear power in the future energy mix. They aren’t getting that.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
Much less new transmission would be needed under the Coalition’s nuclear plan.

Dutton’s nuclear costings underpinned by ‘distorted numbers’

Critics point to what they call four miscalculations in the modelling by Frontier Economics.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
Opposition energy spokesman Ted O’Brien.

Meet the man on whom Peter Dutton is pinning his nuclear hopes

The opposition leader picked a relatively untested backbencher to create the Coalition’s nuclear energy policy.

  • Ronald Mizen
Andrew Forrest is approaching a big moment for his empire.

Mercurial Forrest is approaching a vital moment at Fortescue

In coming years, Andrew Forrest must juggle growing pressure on his flagship iron ore business, a capital-hungry decarbonisation program, and a push into green iron.

  • James Thomson
A transmission “bottleneck” is emerging in WA’s southwest.

The human factor holding up wind power project

A bottleneck is emerging in Western Australia’s transmission infrastructure pipeline, an industry source has warned.

  • Tom Rabe
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape (r) and Anthony Smare, president of PNG Chamber of Resources and Energy, in Sydney on Tuesday.

PNG PM’s big hopes for delayed LNG project

James Marape reported “good progress” in reducing a 50 per cent cost blowout that delayed the Papua LNG project, but doubts remain on its timing.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
Potentia Energy CEO Werther Esposito in Sydney on Friday.

Revamped Potentia Energy scours market for big battery investments

The company once known as Enel Green Power Australia has plenty of cash to splash on renewable assets.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
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Peter Dutton’s nuclear policy is about to be tested.

CSIRO doubles down on nuclear power as too costly, slow

The science agency’s latest report on future energy needs comes just ahead of the long-awaited costings for Peter Dutton’s nuclear energy policy.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
A BHP pilot boat near the mining giant’s iron ore facilities at Port Hedland in the Pilbara.

The Pilbara plots its path from diesel to clean, green mining

Port Hedland is bang in the middle of the country’s industrial engine. There are ambitious plans to decarbonise with miles of transmission and new generation.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
isn’t eliminating plans to develop any of its wind farm projects, but the reductions in staff reflect a broader belt-tightening in the offshore wind industry.

Macquarie-backed offshore wind developer Corio lays off staff

Soaring equipment and debt costs have hurt the renewable power industry, leading to project cancellations and job cuts at major companies.

  • William Mathis
David Di Pilla.

Di Pilla finds big super backers as he clinches $950m clean energy buy

The veteran dealmaker’s HMC Capital is acquiring a portfolio of renewable generation assets from Neoen and becoming a major player in the energy transition.

  • Updated
  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
Squadron Energy’s terminal at Port Kembla may be able to deliver gas to Victoria by 2026, but customers have been so far unwilling to commit to firm commercial agreements.

Victoria is running out of gas and there is no easy fix

A gas-rich, wealthy country unable to supply gas to its major population centres is a massive policy failing. There is one “least-worst” solution.

  • Tony Wood

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/energy-transition-1ni0