We conduct public interest financial analysis on the most profound economic transformation since the industrial revolution: the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.

In recent years, Chinese companies have come to dominate the market for wind energy equipment thanks to rapid domestic deployment of powerful low-cost turbines. But their overseas investment plans have run into steeper hurdles than companies in other clean energy sectors, such as electric vehicles and solar power, said Tim Buckley, director of Climate Energy Finance, a think tank. Regulators are partly concerned about connecting Chinese-made wind turbines, which are more technologically sophisticated than other clean tech products such as solar modules, to national power grids, he said. But geopolitical concerns and the desire to protect domestic industries have also played a part. Read more

The foreign minister is travelling to Japan, China and Korea – to try and ensure Australia is prioritised by fuel supplier’s. The three countries provide a mix of diesel, petrol and jet fuel to Australia. Petrol prices have come down from the initial highs triggered by the closure of the strait of Hormuz. Tim Buckley the director of ‘climate energy finance’, says the dip stems from cautious energy companies. Read more

Beyond the BHP deal, Tim Buckley, director at Climate Energy Finance, noted that Fortescue Metals – another major Australian mining firm – had already agreed last year to expand its yuan-denominated trade with China. In return, the Australian miner was rewarded with a five-year, 14-billion-yuan (US$2 billion) syndicated loan led by the Bank of China at a highly favourable 3.8 per cent annual interest rate. “China is … leveraging the US’ geopolitical isolation under [US President Donald] Trump as a way of building momentum away from the world’s historic reliance on the US dollar as the functional and reserve currency,” Buckley said. Read more