Media

NSW has been slow to build out transmission infrastructure for its REZs which slowed development within the zones and saw projects outside of them deprioritised, and has only just opened tenders for “access rights” to the new REZs≥ This has contributed to the state’s mammoth renewables slowdown, says Clean Energy Finance director Tim Buckley. “The devil will be in the detail,” he told Renew Economy. “If the Victoria scheme provides greater clarity on where firmed renewable projects can be located, and rewards hybrid renewable projects, that is an overall benefit. “We see that in China, where they actively develop renewable energy zones to maximise grid access by building wind and solar and battery storage and coal fired power plant projects together. “Start with the major constraint, which is grid transmission, and give investors confidence they won’t be constrained. “Investors need clarity and reduced risks from opaque approval structures and lack of visibility of where it’s best to put a renewable energy project. We need to deploy at speed and scale.” Read more

Tim Buckley heralded the announcement of electrified trucks in WA mining as a “massive opportunity” for Australia’s mining and industrial future. “For us to deploy and derisk new technology and that does require collaboration. BHP and Rio can be rivals in selling iron ore, but we need them to collaborate on supply chains to really derisk and get the benefit of common buying and scale. We know they will need a massive amount of trucks and it could underwrite a factory. Four or five of the biggest mining companies in the world are in Australia and that is a competitive advantage. Let’s extend that comparative advantage by encouraging a world leader like Caterpillar or Komatsu or Liebherr to come and build a factory here.” Read more

Mads Prange Kristiansen & Tim Buckley take an extended look at how Australia can leverage its huge opportunity in offshore wind. Read more

As CEF’s Tim Buckley and AM Jonson write in the AFR, the NSW government has left its green energy project pipeline languishing for years. Now it is charging a coal keeper tax instead, gouging consumers hundreds of millions of dollars to keep ageing coal wheezer Eraring open. 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 federal government has set aside more than $500m to encourage battery production in Australia. But it’s not yet clear exactly how the scheme will work. The Government says it’s time Australia played a bigger role in battery production but some experts believe its the wrong place to invest. CEF’s Tim Buckley joins ABC Radio alongside Ed Husic, Minister for Industry and Science; Tony Wood, program director for energy and climate change, Grattan Institute; and New South Wales Energy Minister Penny Sharpe. Read more

The new CSIRO GenCost 2023-24 report released this week makes for very interesting reading. In the report, the Australian Government’s independent scientific body subjects the nuclear barracking of Peter Dutton and Ted O’Brien to a comprehensive science and economics based, peer reviewed debunking. Peter Dutton has now pivoted to spruiking large scale nuclear reactors, having repeatedly thumped the table last year asserting in the face of all the available evidence that small modular reactors are the solution for Australia’s energy transition, with a similar reception from the CSIRO. Read more

As a new CSIRO report demonstrates once and for all that nuclear is not viable in Australia as a zero-emissions energy source, Tim Buckley explains that nuclear would lock in permanent, ultra-high energy prices for Australians. Read more

Tim Buckley, an energy analyst and director of Climate Energy Finance, labelled AEMO’s forecast “exceptionally disappointing” for NSW. “The real reliability gap here is the failure of authorities to accelerate the rollout of renewable energy, transmission and grid connections needed to ensure cheap and reliable energy to consumers statewide,” he said. Read more