Media

Climate and green energy experts say the decision by Origin Energy to keep the country’s biggest coal-fired power plant, Eraring in NSW, open for an additional two years is a sign renewables haven’t been built fast enough. They say it means higher electricity bills because the cheapest power in the NSW grid comes from renewable energy. Tim Buckley, the founder and director of Climate Energy Finance, says the news that Eraring will be extended to April 2029 is “disappointing”. Read more

In 2024 wind and solar accounted for 37% of total power capacity in the country, poised to overtake coal’s 39% share imminently. With the foundational energy transmission, generation and storage capacity infrastructure now in place, the Chinese energy transition has evolved beyond state-led and funded projects. “What’s really driving China’s transition now isn’t just big state projects – it’s the mix of private innovation, tech partnerships, and everyday choices,” Climate Energy Finance China lead Caroline Wang said. Read more

Historically, summer has been the uneasiest period for system operators, but this is now shifting to winter, experts said, and a late summer heatwave when everyone is back at work could yet stress the system. Still, Climate Energy Finance director Tim Buckley highlighted the role of booming solar and batteries to system resilience: “Risks and vulnerability have never been higher, but we also have a lot more fast-to-deploy solutions – when the sun is baking, solar power generation is (almost) highest. And batteries – both utility scale + behind the meter (BTM) home batteries – are a new solution that dramatically build system resilience.” Read more

Analyst Tim Buckley, the founder of think tank Climate Energy Finance, thinks that if Rio ends up buying Glencore’s coal mines as part of the deal “they’re probably paying more than they sold them for, having missed several years of very nice profits”. Buckley says coal miners have made “obscene profits” in recent years as the transition to clean energy slowed due to the influence of Donald Trump and prices soared due to Vladimir Putin. “There was some massive windfall war profiteering going on with Putin’s invasion of Ukraine,” he says. But he says costs have also soared and “when prices go back to anything like normal it’s going to be ugly”. Read more

Buckley outlines the national significance of maintaining and modernising steel production in Australia, especially as energy security, manufacturing diversity, and strategic supply become critical priorities. He argues that investment is only justified if operations shift rapidly towards clean and green production—a new electric arc furnace in Whyalla could add significant value. Buckley sees alignment with government strategies such as the “Future Made in Australia” push, warning that private interests alone will rarely deliver transformational change or national benefit. Read more

Tim Buckley says Australia’s power grid is vulnerable in heatwaves because it was built 50–70 years ago and not designed for frequent 40–45°C temperatures. Extreme weather is increasing due to climate change driven by fossil fuels, making resilience upgrades essential. The issue is grid resilience, not just generation type. Old transmission lines over long distances are prone to heat, bushfires and shutdowns. Buckley argues for major investment in modernisation, including microgrids, batteries, rooftop solar and the ability for remote towns to operate independently during outages. These solutions are now cheaper, faster to deploy and more reliable than maintaining ageing infrastructure. Read more

This interest could mean the Whyalla Steelworks remains reliant on gas, Climate Energy Finance (CEF) director Tim Buckley told InDaily. A recent report from CEF warned that a gas-led transition for the Whyalla Steelworks could benefit South Australian oil and gas giant Santos with billions of dollars in taxpayer funds; a “grave strategic misstep” for the state and nation, the think tank said. “Beach is definitely an alternative supplier to Santos for gas,” Buckley said. Read more

“This is the first time Australia has generated more than 50% of its electricity nationally from renewables in a quarter,” he said, describing it as clear evidence the country was “making strong progress” towards the federal government’s clean energy targets. The surge in renewables comes as climate and energy minister Chris Bowen pushes towards Labor’s goal of reaching 82% renewable electricity by 2030, a target he has described as “ambitious and achievable”. Buckley agreed the task would be challenging but said the latest figures showed Read more

Whitehaven Coal’s growing coal mining operations in Australia are pushing its methane and fuel emissions up, raising concerns over its long-term climate liability, according to a new report. CarbonBridge and Climate Energy Finance (CEF) released the report highlighting Whitehaven’s rising regulatory risk, estimating it could face $129 million to $221 million in cumulative government liabilities by 2030. Read more

Multibillion dollar federal diesel rebate a perverse disincentive for Whitehaven to reduce emissions A new report released today by CarbonBridge and Climate Energy Finance highlights that Whitehaven Coal’s growth trajectory is structurally misaligned with Australia’s climate legislation and emissions targets, exposing Whitehaven, its shareholders and the community to mounting climate, regulatory and financial risks. Read more

Whitehaven’s growth trajectory is contrary to Australia’s climate legislation and emissions targets, exposing the coal mining company, shareholders and the community to climate, regulatory and financial risks, according to a report by CarbonBridge and Climate Energy Finance (CEF). Using the NSW Treasury shadow carbon price, the report finds that the social cost of Whitehaven’s Scope 1 emissions to 2030 could reach A$4.7 billion in today’s dollars, excluding the global Scope 3 emissions from customers burning its coal. Read more

Real estate will be the new currency of AI power: But environmental concerns loom over centres’ significant water usage and supply of electricity to fuel them. Sustainability experts such as Tim Buckley, Director of Climate Energy Finance, are calling for simultaneous investment in renewable power sources. “Data centres can be a win-lose for investors-consumers, or converted to a win-win by enabling the financing of firmed renewable energy as part of the approval process, ensuring that location chosen has then enabling grid infrastructure to allow development, along with the associated water infrastructure,” he writes on LinkedIn. Read more