Media

Xuyang Dong talked to Carbon Brief about CEF’s new report POWER SHIFT: China installed a record 293 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar in 2023 – pushing its total capacity to 1,050GW, according to a new report. The report, published by Australia-based thinktank Climate Energy Finance, says that, if this rate of renewables growth is maintained, then China could reach its “dual carbon” climate goals earlier than planned. Read more

Continued reaction to NSW Government decision to extend life of Eraring power station, including commentary from Tim Buckley, director Climate Energy Finance. Read more

Continued coverage in The Guardian on the extension of Eraring coal powered electricity station in NSW; commentary from CEF founder and director, Tim Buckley. Read more

Environmental groups say they are “deeply disappointed” by the New South Wales government’s decision to extend the life of Australia’s biggest coal-fired power station for at least two more years, saying it would have “far-reaching consequences” for investments in renewable energy. Tim Buckley, founder and director of Climate Energy Finance comments in The Guardian’s coverage. Read more

Tim Buckley on ABC Illawarra, breaking down the NSW government’s justification for the extension of massive end of life coal clunker Eraring power station on the central coast, explaining how chronic delays in firmed renewables planning and approval processes in the state have been a key factor. (interview starts part way in to the clip). Read more

As the NSW government extends the Eraring power station for two years, Newcastle Herald notes that in In our report “The Lights Will Stay On: NSW Electricity Plan 2024-2030 Think tank Climate Energy Finance found an unprecedented number of clean energy projects had come online over the past six months, which more than offset the loss of 2880 megawatts of coal-fired generation from Eraring. This includes super battery projects at Munmorah, Eraring and Liddell. These batteries will act as shock absorbers during periods of fluctuating generation and demand.” Read more

The Minns government will pay Origin Energy up to $450 million over the next two years to extend the life of Australia’s largest coal-fired power station, Eraring, should the company opt in to a deal that NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey insisted was “not an act of corporate welfare”. But some experts, including many from the renewable energy sector, have criticised the government for agreeing to a deal they say is unnecessary. Tim Buckley, the head of pro-renewables think tank Clean Energy Finance, labelled it “yet another massive coal subsidy funded by electricity users in NSW”. Read more

Syndicated widely across 100+ mastheads via AAP | The life of Australia’s largest coal-fired power station will be extended for at least two years beyond its scheduled 2025 closure date. “This is essentially Coalkeeper 2.0 – yet another massive coal subsidy funded by electricity users in NSW” – Climate Energy Finance director Tim Buckley. Read more

The deal to extend the life of Australia’s largest coal generator – 2.88 GW – is being sold as necessary to “keep the lights on”, but there is no guarantee that it will do that. As Tim Buckley, from Climate Energy Finance, observes, Origin has “kindly offered” to share 20 per cent of any profits, capped at $40 million a year, but will share 80 per cent of the losses with the people of NSW, capped at $225 million per year. “This is essentially Coalkeeper 2.0 – yet another massive coal subsidy funded by electricity users in NSW,” he said. Read more

Climate Energy Finance’s Tim Buckley joins Kieran Gilbert on Sky News to discuss the extension of the life of Eraring coal-fired power station. Read more

Australia’s transition to renewable energy appears to have been dealt a blow, with the nation’s biggest coal-fired power plant to be kept open longer than expected. Read more

Sun-soaked Australia’s lofty renewable energy ambitions were given a harsh reality check on Thursday, as looming electricity shortfalls delayed the long-awaited shutdown of the country’s largest coal-fired power plant. In many cases, nuclear makes sense for energy-deficient countries that had no domestic renewable options, such as Japan, energy analyst Tim Buckley told AFP. “Nuclear has no future in Australia,” he said. “Australia has not continuously built it, we have none of the skillset, none of the engineering, and none of the capacity for nuclear.” Read more