We conduct public interest financial analysis on the most profound economic transformation since the industrial revolution: the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.
About
Climate Energy Finance (CEF) is a think tank established in 2022 that works probono in the public interest to accelerate decarbonisation. We conduct research and analyses on global financial issues related to the global energy transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, as well as the implications for the Australian economy, with a key focus on the threats and opportunities for Australian investments and exports. Read more
Our Work
AGL | CEF NEWS UPDATES | CEF SERIES ON CRITICAL MINERALS | China | Coal/electricity/electrification | Critical minerals | Decarbonisation | Energy Crisis | Finance Sector & Emissions | Green Iron | Hydrogen | India & Adani | Monthly China Energy Updates | Nuclear | Submissions | Taxes & subsidies | US IRA/ NZIA et al |
PRESENTATION | ANU Solar Oration – Solar step change
Tim Buckley gives the prestigious ANU Solar Oration, detailing how solar has become the dominant source of net new electricity capacity installed globally with China leading a global step change in cleantech manufacturing capacity. Solar continues to be deflationary, driving deployment – and disruptive in combination with batteries and EVs. Tim also looks at the implications for Australian energy transition and the policy frameworks we need to speed decarbonisation. Read more
Storm Clouds for QLD’s Clean Energy Leadership as LNP Assumes Power
The QLD state election last week saw the David Crisafulli-led LNP form a majority government. The sunshine state is now at serious risk of being locked into high-emission fossil fuels to power the state, derailing the crowding-in of tens of billions of renewable energy and green industry capital unlocked by the critical new transmission and grid firming investments made under the previous government. Read more
Media
AGL China Coal Critical minerals Decarbonisation Electricity/electrification Energy crisis Finance Sector & Emissions Green Iron/Steel Hydrogen India & Adani Nuclear offshore wind Renewables Taxes and subsidies TIM BUCKLEY ON THE SPARK CLUB PODCAST US IRA/EU NZIA et al
Big Battery Bonanza
PV Magazine
Tim Buckley said: “There’s been such a dramatic rate of technological improvement with batteries, coupled with scaling up, that any advantage other technologies may have had, to meet the evening demand peak, from five to six years ago is gone,” he said. “Batteries will do a huge amount more heavy lifting than even thought a few years ago.” Read more
Electrification is saving the grid from mass defections
Renew Economy
Tim Buckley comments that “although networks across the country are “antagonising” Australians by creating “sun taxes”, a fee to export rooftop solar power into the grid during peak periods, the cost is still immaterial compared to the savings people get from their rooftops. “That antagonism and mistrust and misinformation is an issue,” he says. “But the real one is when you put rooftop solar in, your electricity use goes down by 50 per cent, so how does the grid operator maintain their compensation? The answer is increasing their charges. If you put a battery in as well, your grid use goes down by 90 per cent, so your retailer’s and transmission operator’s revenue goes down by 90 per cent. “In one respect the electrification trend is a perfect counter to that [because AEMO forecasts electricity use will rise by 30 per cent in the coming decade].” Read more
New Energy World | How Australia Plans for Massive Australian Renewable Energy Hub
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CEF published a major report on the electrification and decarbonisation of the Pilbara in August 2024, that argued that AREH could be a key part of the solution. Tim Buckley and colleague CEF Net Zero Transformation Analyst Matt Pollard, believe that AREH has the potential to act as a model for the Pilbara in how private enterprise can effectively collaborate with state and federal governments to accelerate large-scale renewable energy projects. ‘Renewable energy hubs at the scale of AREH can provide significant cost advantages over distributed, smaller-scale renewable energy projects,’ they say. Read more
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