Media

As Comms Declare exposes PR firms involved in greenwashing fossil fuels, Tim Buckley notes Australia’s profit margin from exporting $240 billion in fossil fuels in 2022 had resulted in more money than ever to “fund their lobbying efforts to delay climate action and protect their profits”. Read more

In a beat up on the “failures” of energy transition reporting by the ABC and SMH, The Australian notes that the ABC AM program interviewed CEF’s Tim Buckley on Climate Energy Finance’s call for $100bn in government investment in renewables and critical minerals such as copper and lithium, and for the Future Fund to become an equity holder in renewables projects. Read more

Climate Energy Finance Founder, Tim Buckley, said that the package would re-industrialise the state and provide thousands of job opportunities for Australians. “A $100 billion package will help re-industrialise the nation, create hundreds of thousands of jobs, diversify our export base and revenue streams as well as increase local value-added production, secure supply chains and develop sovereign manufacturing capabilities. Read more

The Biden administration’s package includes generous tax incentives for clean energy and other key technologies and has triggered a global investment race. The alliance – including the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the Australian Conservation Foundation, Climate Energy Finance and the Smart Energy Council – is calling for a $100 billion sum over 10 years. Read more

CEF joined The call for a ten-year $100 billion Australian Renewables Industry Package to respond to the US IRA, endorsed by partners including the Australian Conservation Foundation, Australian Council of Trade Unions, Climate Action Network Australia, First Nations Clean Energy Network, New Energy Nexus, Rewiring Australia and the Smart Energy Council. Read more

Climate analyst Tim Buckley said the EPA “courageously” attempted to tackle the climate challenge when there was a policy vacuum at a national level. He said withdrawal of the guidelines meant there had been four years of inaction with the federal government only just implementing an effective safeguard mechanism, when in reality the original policy wouldn’t have cost the industry much at all to comply with. “The burden on the industry is nothing compared to the profits the industry makes,” Mr Buckley said. Read more

Tim Buckley has a menu of “no regrets” investments in renewables that NSW Energy Minister Sharpe and the Treasurer Mookhey should consider regardless of Eraring. They include: backing with front-loaded finance and accelerated planning approvals 1200MW of utility scale renewables and 1200MW of distributed (customer-owned) renewables each year until 2030; accelerating the rollout of rooftop solar and batteries in public housing and schools across NSW; accelerating the frequency and ambition of Renewable Energy Zones auctions; cajoling NSW transmission and distribution companies to use tech company Neara to identify existing spare grid capacity for new renewables to be plugged in (it reckons there’s room for 10,000MW); and accelerating electrification for rentals and behind-the-meter batteries. Read more

While the usual suspects, including the National Party, railed against the move, it has been welcomed by many in the clean energy industries, including think tank Climate Energy Finance (CEF). Its Director, Tim Buckley, said: “CEF prefers the Queensland government’s progressive royalty approach, which only applies in full less than once a decade or or even more infrequently, at times of coal export sector superprofits, but an increased share in NSW to guarantee a fairer return to public coffers is definitely a good start.” Read more

The director of the public interest think tank Climate Energy Finance, Tim Buckley, described the move as “politically courageous”. The think tank had been advocating for the introduction of a progressive coal royalty scheme, similar to what has been introduced in Queensland. Read more

Climate Energy Finance founder Tim Buckley said the northern state ran the preferred model, which delivered major windfalls at times of high prices while easing pressure on producers when prices were low. “(We have) long been calling for a progressive NSW coal royalty scheme to generate revenues for alleviation of cost-of-living pressures and energy poverty in the state, following the leadership of Queensland,” he said. Read more

The New South Wales (NSW) State Government has entered talks with Origin Energy to discuss extending the life of Australia’s largest coal-fired power station. The move comes after the nation’s grid operator flagged concerns of energy shortfalls over the next ten years as it retires 62% of its coal power fleet. Tim Buckley, director at the think tank Climate Energy Finance, was critical of the proposals for the Eraring plant stating: “The idea that a 50-year-old plant can just be extended without serious risk of catastrophic failure is ridiculous.” Read more

Climate Energy Finance director Tim Buckley prefers Queensland’s progressive approach over the flat NSW tax as it allows the government to participate in periods of super profits. “But an increased share in NSW to guarantee a fairer return to public coffers is definitely a good start,” he said. “The previous flat 6-8 per cent coal export royalty rate in NSW was long overdue for review and uplift. “It is imperative that the revenue generated is not used to subsidise the continued operation of coal power in the state, including the end-of-life Eraring coal power station due for closure in 2025, but applied to reduce cost of living pressures and support essential services, as per the government’s commitments made today.” Read more