ENERGY POLICY – AUSTRALIA

Sims urges energy price competition

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Original article by Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 27-Jul-17

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims says state governments have contributed to the spike in electricity prices over the last decade. He cites factors such as appeals against the Australian Energy Regulator’s decision to reduce electricity network tariffs, mergers between electricity retailers and generators, and high solar feed-in-tariffs. Sims has also called for measures to curb the market dominance of established electricity retailers, such as making it easier for more companies to enter the market.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET COMMISSION

Canavan turns up heat on LNG exporters

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 20 : 25-Jul-17

The Federal Government will decide by November 2017 whether to impose LNG export controls in 2018 via its Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism. Resources Minister Matt Canavan has sought advice from regulatory agencies regarding the outlook for gas supply and demand. He has expressed disappointment with gas producers’ proposals to date for resolving the gas crisis on the east coast. Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher has urged greater co-operation between the gas industry and governments to encourage investment in new projects.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, ENERGYQUEST PTY LTD

Exporter warning over gas shortfall

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 6 : 24-Jul-17

Resources Minister Matt Canavan will advise LNG exporters on 24 July 2017 that he may trigger the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism in 2018. Doing so would mean the Federal Government is not confident that there is enough gas to meet domestic needs, and it would take appropriate steps to ensure this does not happen. Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency, wants Australian states that have imposed restrictions on conventional and unconventional gas exploration to reconsider their stance.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Turnbull cool on ‘clean coal’ funding

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Original article by Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 21-Jul-17

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had stated on 19 July 2017 that high efficiency low emissions (HELE) coal-fired power stations could help Australia to meet its emission goals set out in the Paris climate agreement. However, when asked on the following day at the Economic and Social Outlook conference whether the Federal Government would be prepared to help finance the construction of such plants, he said he would prefer if the market decided whether HELE plants had a place in Australia’s future energy mix.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIA. CLEAN ENERGY FINANCE CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED, TESLA INCORPORATED

‘Lift your gas exploration bans’

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 13-Jul-17

Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg will use the Council of Australian Governments meeting on 14 July to urge state and territory energy ministers to endorse the recommendations of the Finkel energy review. He will also urge Victoria and the Northern Territory to overturn their moratoriums on onshore gas development. Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio argues that Australia’s current level of gas exports is not sustainable and is resulting in higher prices for domestic users. She favours the introduction of a clean energy target rather than increased gas production in Victoria.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, VICTORIA. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT, LAND, WATER AND PLANNING, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SCIENTIST, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, TESLA INCORPORATED, NEOEN, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY COUNCIL, ENERGY NETWORKS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Get on with energy fix

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Original article by Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 12-Jul-17

The Finkel energy review will be on the agenda for the Council of Australian Governments Energy Council meeting on 14 July. Australian Energy Market Operator CEO Audrey Zibelman has urged the nation’s energy ministers to endorse the Finkel review to enable appropriate action to be taken to ensure Australia’s energy security. Zibelman notes that the falling cost is prompting businesses, consumers and power companies to embrace renewable energy without the presence of a clean energy target.

CORPORATES
COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS. ENERGY COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR, COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA

Set energy target or feel price pain: gas boss

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 11-Jul-17

EnergyAustralia has urged the Federal Government to introduce a clean energy target within 12 months. This would allow the company to proceed with two gas-fired power stations in New South Wales. EnergyAustralia says the two plants would help offset the loss of the output from AGL Energy’s Liddell coal-fired power station, which is slated to close in 2022. However, EnergyAustralia warns that there is a limited time-frame to commence these projects, as gas-fired power stations typically take three years to build.

CORPORATES
ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, CLP HOLDINGS LIMITED, ALCOA OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Reform or fail: BHP’s Nasser

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 30-Jun-17

BHP Billiton chairman Jac Nasser has told the Competitive Advantage Forum that Australia needs bipartisan political support for reform in areas such as taxation, energy policy and education. He warned that Australia is approaching a "tipping point" and without strong leadership on key issues it risks ceasing to be a "great country" socially and economically. Amongst other things, Nasser says a national policy on energy security is required, while he has criticised proposals for bank levies by the federal and South Australian governments. Nasser will step down as chairman of BHP in August.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, FORD MOTOR COMPANY

PM urged to decide on Finkel

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 5 : 20-Jun-17

Council of Small Business of Australia CEO Peter Strong says many firms in the sector will collapse and jobs will be lost unless the Federal Government acts quickly on the Finkel review’s recommendations on energy policy. He says the Council of Australian Governments should hold an emergency meeting to discuss the findings of the review. Strong will release COSBOA’s energy policy on 20 June. The Small Business & Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Kate Carnell, has called for bipartisan political support for action on energy security.

CORPORATES
COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SMALL BUSINESS AND FAMILY ENTERPRISE OMBUDSMAN, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SCIENTIST

20pc power price shock hits home; Energy Australia urges Finkel blueprint

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Original article by Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 : 16-Jun-17

Energy Australia has announced large price increases for its gas and electricity customers in New South Wales and South Australia. The increases – of up to 20 per cent – take effect as from 1 July 2017, and come as the Turnbull government deliberates on whether to adopt the Finkel’s energy review recommendations. Kim Clarke, Energy Australia’s chief customer officer, says the Finkel review represents a good "blueprint" for Australia’s future energy needs.

CORPORATES
ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, ACTEWAGL, CARBON CONSERVATION PTY LTD, ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY