Media

Tim Buckley’s Sky News interview excoriating the LNP’s nuclear con is embedded in this feature on the Australian by its Canberra Bureau Chief and Political Editor summarising responses from a broad range of thought leaders Read more

Tim Buckley demolishes the Coalition’s fact-free nuclear press release on Sky News AM Agenda Read more

While the Coalition has failed to release any detail or costings, today we have confirmation that if it gets into office, Australians will be paying a mult-billion dollar “nukebuilder” tax for generations to come for a national build out of government-owned nuclear reactors across seven locations, including on the sites of former coal-fired power stations. It beggars belief that opposition leader Peter Dutton proposes nationalising a nuclear public debt bomb and detonating it at the heart of energy policy in this country. Read more

Tim Buckley, director of think tank Climate Energy Finance, said Australians would be paying “a multi-billion dollar ‘nukebuilder’ tax for generations to come by being forced to front the cash for a national buildout of government-owned nuclear reactors”. “Electricity prices would skyrocket as private investment in new replacement capacity is crowded out, resulting in undersupply for the next 15-25 years while we wait for the LNP’s nuclear white elephants to arrive,” Buckley said. Read more

Syndicated in News Corp state based mastheads across Australia – Climate Energy Finance Director Tim Buckley says Opposition leader Peter Dutton’s plan to use nuclear energy is “financially illogical”. Read more

Director of think tank Climate Energy Finance Tim Buckley says nuclear is “financially illogical” and is about extending “climate wars”. Mr Buckley told Sky News the proposed plan announced today does little to address the current climate challenges, and the infrastructure delivery plan is not commercially viable. “We have no nuclear capacity in Australia,” he said. “We don’t have the workforce, and we can’t afford the 20+ year delay (opposition leader) Peter Dutton is proposing today.” {scroll down to 4:06pm post at link). Read more

Tim Buckley takes a deep dive into the LNP’s nuclear energy ‘policy’ on Sky Afternoon Agenda with Ashleigh Gillion detailing why it makes zero sense here, including that it’s uninvestable, meaning the taxpayer will be gouged billions to bankroll it, the energy produced is too expensive at double the coast of renewables and it would be too late, with first operation not until 2040 at the earliest – and when firmed renewables provide an available least cost solution to our energy and climate crises. Read more

Syndicated globally via AFP – Australia’s conservative opposition will build nuclear power plants across the country if it wins the next election, according to plans detailed Wednesday that have reignited debate over climate policy. Opposition leader Peter Dutton said he would overturn a 26-year nuclear ban to build seven government-owned reactors on the sites of ageing coal-fired power stations.Climate finance expert Tim Buckley said nuclear power in Australia was “impossible”. “The idea that nuclear could be up and running in 2035-37 is fanciful, and even that is too late given our concurrent climate and energy crises,” he said. Read more

As Tim Buckley says on ABC TV’s The Business, nuclear is the most expensive option for Australia and the technology in the Australian context is entirely unproven – notwithstanding the claims to the contrary by the Coalition. Read more

The biggest problem of nuclear energy is “the technology in the Australian context is entirely unproven”, according to Climate Energy Finance director Tim Buckley, “We don’t have any of the supply chains, any of the labour, skilled workforce or knowledge to actually do it,” he said. He said it was “impossible” for any private investor (without taxpayer subsidies) to take on the risk of building a nuclear power plant. Read more

CEF’S Xuyang Dong and Dr. Muyi Yang – Senior Policy Analyst from Ember and senior policy fellow at Asia Society Australia – published an oped in South China Morning Post on the challenges faced by Southeast Asia, now the world’s second-largest solar module producer, from potential US tariffs. With a production capacity of 70 GW by 2022, the region supplies a significant portion of US solar imports, particularly from Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Despite geopolitical tensions and increasing protectionism, Southeast Asia can leverage its strong domestic market to maintain growth. The region’s GDP was $3.8 trillion in 2023, with projected 4.6% growth in 2024. To achieve carbon neutrality by mid-century, the region needs to expand its solar capacity to over 2,100GW by 2050. By accelerating its clean energy transition, Southeast Asia can not only counter the impact of trade tensions and barriers, but also enhance energy security, attract investment, and promote sustainable economic development. Read more

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