Media

The Fels report released today finds There is price gouging in the electricity market and widespread gaming of the system by gentailers, as there has been in transmission, meaning consumers are paying too much and exacerbating the cost of living crisis. Read more

Climate and energy experts criticised a $137 million federal grant to BlueScope Steel for a $1.15 billion upgrade of its Port Kembla blast furnace – extending coal-based steelmaking for two decades – as a missed chance to spur more ambitious carbon reductions. The Climate Capital Forum, which represents investors, decarbonisation firms and policy experts, said that “while Australia procrastinates, developed world leaders are pivoting”. Read more

Blair Palese, Founder, Climate Capital Forum comments on the Coalition’s campaign to suspend investment in decarbonisation , calling it “reckless and short sighted”. Read more

Clean Energy Finance director Tim Buckley says extensive community consultation, including with landholders, communities and First Nations peoples must be central to planning for the rollout of renewables. But “so should pivoting policy momentum and public capital to our massive, once in a century opportunity to establish Australia as a renewable energy and zero-emissions trade and investment superpower. Read more

Tim Buckley speaks to Charging Sessions podcast about the energy and eMobility transition Read more

“The result is that China has a dramatically larger capacity to export solar modules as 2024 and 2025 unfold, and the resulting global oversupply is pushing [solar] module prices down dramatically,” said Tim Buckley, Sydney-based director of Climate Energy Finance. China’s export prices of modules have halved, and their efficiencies have improved dramatically because of investments in research and development, he said. “All of this is increasing the commercial viability of solar relative to alternative sources of electricity, both within China and in the wider Asian markets and globally,” Buckley said. Though its early days, China should be able to leverage its leadership with trade partners in Asia, Africa and South America, he added. Read more

Lachlan Maddock, Editor of Investor Strategy News points to Climate Capital Forum’s proposal in its pre-budget submission for the Future Fund to include a “strategic national interest objective”. Read more

Climate Capital Forum founder Blair Palese comments on federal government grant to Bluescope Steel for work to reline existing arc furnace in Port Kembla through Critical Inputs to Clean Energy Industries program. “There is no time left for federal government support for anything except strategies to fully decarbonise as global demand for net-zero materials grows exponentially,” she said. Read more

Blair Palese, Climate Capital Forum founder criticises a $137 million federal grant to BlueScope Steel for a $1.15 billion upgrade of its Port Kembla blast furnace. “We need policy vision and ambition that encourages this transition, not more support for existing emission-intensive industries.” Read more

Energy analyst Tim Buckley said the regulator would set the next Default Market Offer, which determined what consumers pay, in coming months after wholesale electricity prices halved in the past year. “This follows the progressive unwinding of two years of hyperinflation in coal and gas commodity prices, both internationally and in our domestic energy markets,” he said. Wind and solar supported by big batteries and transmission are expected to bring permanently lower prices for homes, businesses and industry. “After two years of 20 per cent annual retail electricity price rises, consumers can hope for some real energy cost of living relief,” he said. Read more

Amid the cost of living crisis one ray of sunshine of late has been falling energy prices. And while the mild weather, lower fuel costs and fewer coal supply issues have played a part, the increase in cheap wind and solar energy has also been helping to drive down the cost of keeping the lights on and heating and cooling our homes and businesses. Read more

Tim Buckley, the director of think tank Climate Energy Finance, said consumers want real energy cost-of-living relief after two years of 20 per cent annual hikes in retail electricity prices, particularly now that wholesale prices halved last year. “This follows the progressive unwinding of two years of hyperinflation in coal and gas commodity prices, both internationally and in our domestic energy markets,” Buckley said. Read more