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

A powerful coalition of industry, investor, climate, legal and public interest groups has declared that data centres must “Bring Your Own New Clean Energy” or households and businesses will pay. The rules must apply to all data centres in the development pipeline (including in the NT and QLD), bring genuinely new renewable energy online within three years of operation, and limit the role of offsets. Read more

Climate Energy Finance director Tim Buckley says while he has no problem with setting up rehabilitation bonds for renewables, he questions why the new industry should be held to a much higher level of account than the mining industry, “which for 200 years has got away with doing next to no rehabilitation.” “Governments have only taken responsibility for end of life assets because the fossil fuel industry has been brilliant at outsourcing that. “The fact that rehabilitation is only set at a quarter of the cost, is a failure to hold that industry to account.” “The mining industry has been exempt from polluter pays.” Buckley compares Vast Solar’s solar thermal site in New South Wales (NSW), yet to be cleaned up after a fire tore through it 10 months ago because liquidators are still untangling the assets, with coal mines intentionally shuttered years ago by viable companies that remain toxic pits. Read more

Climate Energy Finance director, Tim Buckley tells The Business, this case sets a precedent for considering the whole emissions profile of burning fossil fuels, including the exported emissions. Read more