RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES – AUSTRALIA

Solar, wind cheapest long-term mix: CSIRO

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith, Ryan Cropp
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 17-Dec-25

The CSIRO’s latest draft GenCost report has concluded that onshore wind farms and solar power would allow Australia to meet its 2030 renewable energy target and result in lower wholesale electricity prices than at present. The national science agency also states that these renewables are also the most cost-efficient way for the nation to meet its 2050 targets. Meanwhile, CSIRO estimates that adding offshore wind power to the energy mix would result in slightly higher electricity costs, while building nuclear power plants would add signicantly to the cost.

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CSIRO

ALP subsidy too late to save 1200 smelter jobs

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Original article by Perry Williams, Jack Quail, Lachlan Leeming
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 29-Oct-25

Tomago Aluminium’s CEO Jerome Dozol says the fate of its NSW smelter is likely to be decided long before the federal government’s $2bn green production credit scheme becomes available. The smelter’s current electricity supply deal will expire in 2028, and it faces the prospect of negotiating a new coal-fired supply deal at much higher prices until it has access to sufficient renewable generation. Dozol says this is unlikely to occur until "well into the 2030s". The Energy Users Association of Australia says the shutdown of the Tomago smelter due to high electricity prices is an "unimaginable situation", given the nation’s abundant energy resources. Tomago’s closure would result in the loss of about 1,200 direct jobs.

CORPORATES
TOMAGO ALUMINIUM COMPANY PTY LTD, ENERGY USERS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

Real and growing threat to grid if Australia goes for nuclear power

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Original article by Peter Hannam
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 26-Jun-24

The Australian Energy Market Operator has concluded that the rollout of wind and solar power needs to be accelerated as part of the energy transition. The latest edition of AEMO’s Integrated System Plan warns that there is a "real and growing" risk that replacement generation will not be available when coal-fired power stations are shut down, which underlines the need for increased investment in renewables. AEMO has also cautioned that nuclear plants could not be built and powered up before coal exits the energy grid.

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AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED

Nuclear too expensive: Forrest

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Original article by Colin Packham
The Weekend Australian – Page: 29 : 18-May-24

Fortescue’s executive chairman Andrew Forrest says that while he is not ideologically opposed to nuclear power, using it in Australia does not "stack up" economically. Forrest contends that large-scale wind and solar projects, together with storage batteries and ‘green’ hydrogen are the best, fastest and cheapest forms of energy that will reduce power bills in Australia. He adds that politicians who advocate adding nuclear to the nation’s energy mix are merely dividing the country in order to get elected. Meanwhile, a report from consulting firm Egis has concluded that nuclear power would be six times more expensive than renewables in Australia.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE LIMITED – ASX FMG, EGIS CONSULTING AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Nuclear too expensive: Forrest

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Original article by Colin Packham
The Weekend Australian – Page: 29 : 18-May-24

Fortescue’s executive chairman Andrew Forrest says that while he is not ideologically opposed to nuclear power, using it in Australia does not "stack up" economically. Forrest contends that large-scale wind and solar projects, together with storage batteries and ‘green’ hydrogen are the best, fastest and cheapest forms of energy that will reduce power bills in Australia. He adds that politicians who advocate adding nuclear to the nation’s energy mix are merely dividing the country in order to get elected. Meanwhile, a report from consulting firm Egis has concluded that nuclear power would be six times more expensive than renewables in Australia.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE LIMITED – ASX FMG, EGIS CONSULTING AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Former PM Gillard to chair $2bn energy fund

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 14 : 7-May-24

HMC Capital has announced that former prime minister Julia Gillard has agreed to chair the newly created $2 billion HMC Capital Energy Transition Fund, which will make investments in energy assets such as wind, battery and bio-fuels. Gillard said she was "excited and honoured" by her appointment, noting it was in the nation’s interests to make the most of its abundant sources of renewable energy, while for his part, HMC Capital CEO David Di Pilla said he was "absolutely delighted" that someone of Gillard’s global standing and experience had agreed to chair the new fund.

CORPORATES
HMC CAPITA LIMITED – ASX HMC, HMC CAPITAL ENERGY TRANSITION FUND

Former PM Gillard to chair $2bn energy fund

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 14 : 7-May-24

HMC Capital has announced that former prime minister Julia Gillard has agreed to chair the newly created $2 billion HMC Capital Energy Transition Fund, which will make investments in energy assets such as wind, battery and bio-fuels. Gillard said she was "excited and honoured" by her appointment, noting it was in the nation’s interests to make the most of its abundant sources of renewable energy, while for his part, HMC Capital CEO David Di Pilla said he was "absolutely delighted" that someone of Gillard’s global standing and experience had agreed to chair the new fund.

CORPORATES
HMC CAPITA LIMITED – ASX HMC, HMC CAPITAL ENERGY TRANSITION FUND

CSIRO survey finds most Australians want moderately paced energy transition and are unwilling to pay more

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Original article by Daniel Mercer
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 10-Apr-24

Australians are generally supportive of the nation’s transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, according to a survey undertaken by the CSIRO. Nearly 50 per cent of the 6,700 respondents favour a ‘moderately paced’ transition to clean energy, while 40 per cent believe that the transition should be faster and more extensive. The survey also found that nearly 60 per cent of respondents are not prepared to risk more power blackouts as part of the clean energy transition, while 64 per cent of said they ‘disagree’ or ‘strongly disagree’ with paying more for electricity. The survey was carried out in August and September 2023.

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CSIRO

El Nino a threat to power grid

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Original article by Rhiannon Down
The Australian – Page: 2 : 26-Sep-23

The Bureau of Meteorology’s CEO Andrew Johnson has warned that the El Nino weather pattern will present some challenges for Australia’s electricity grid during the coming summer. He says renewable energy generation will be impacted by El Nino, with expectations of more sunshine in some parts of the country and lower-than-average wind levels in others. Johnson adds that the proportion of renewables in the energy mix has increased since Australia’s last very hot summer. Tony Wood from the Grattan Institute notes that coal-fired power stations can also be heavily impacted by hot weather.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY, GRATTAN INSTITUTE

Investment in new Australian wind and solar farms stalls amid ‘raft of barriers’, report finds

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Original article by Peter Hannam
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 23-Aug-23

Data from the Clean Energy Council shows that only four proposed renewable energy projects reached financial closure during the June quarter. The four wind and solar projects will have a combined generation capacity of 348 megawatts, while their combined investment value is just $225m; this compares with a rolling 12-month average of $1.3bn. CEC CEO Kane Thornton says the lack of political leadership, planning and foresight over the last decade has resulted in significant barriers to investment in clean energy projects in Australia. He adds that these barriers make Australia less attractive at a time when there are significant clean energy investment opportunities worldwide.

CORPORATES
CLEAN ENERGY COUNCIL LIMITED