Capital
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As Australia hosts 13 US clean tech manufacturing companies, it has released an Investment Blueprint that emphasises Australia’s position as an attractive and stable investment destination. “Australia has long-established partnerships with the US, and both our nations can benefit from working together to establish clean tech ecosystems,” said Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science Tim Ayres.
AGL (ASX: AGL) will use $750 million from divesting its Tilt Renewables stake, which was sold to existing investors led by QIC and the Future Fund, as capital for more spending on flexible, dispatchable capacity. Tilt continues to provide 1.6GW of renewable generation capacity under long-term agreements with AGL, including recent commitments to Palmer and Waddi Wind Farms. “Our strategic partnership with Tilt Renewables, QIC and Future Fund will advance both Tilt’s expanding asset portfolio and AGL’s decarbonisation goals as we work towards our ambition of delivering 6GW of new firming and renewable projects by FY30,” CEO Damien Nicks said.
 Projects
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The $1 billion Waratah super battery suffered a “catastrophic failure” of one of its three transformers last month. The battery is a key part of NSW’s transition away from fossil fuels, and was due to be fully operational by late this year. The state government designated the project as critical infrastructure in 2022, saying it was “the most suitable solution that could be delivered in time to ensure the security of supply to Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle” as coal generators close. (AFR)
Retailer Flow Power has unveiled plans for a 100MW/200MWh battery next to the Corowa substation in New South Wales. Flow Power says it hopes to have an environmental impact statement ready by the end of the year. (Renew Economy)
Policy
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The government is considering an extension to the $75-a-quarter power bill relief, The Age is reporting. The subsidy was due to end with the calendar year but an extension would cost the budget up to $2 billion.
Few of the worst fears have come to pass for an economy already operating near full capacity, with extraordinary mineral resources, old and new, RBA Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser told the UBS Australasia Conference. Commodity prices and financial markets have generally held up and the feared impact of global policy uncertainty on consumer and business confidence has so far failed to materialise, he said. But the economy may find itself “boxed in” by its own capacity constraints, with little scope for demand growth to rise further without adding to inflationary pressures.
Uranium was reinstated as a critical mineral in the United States, along with copper and metallurgical coal, in the final version of the 2025 US Critical Minerals List, which unlocks federal support and speeds up approvals as the Trump administration creates sovereign supply chains to bolster energy and national security.
Technology
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The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for the first time authorised carbon capture and storage (CCS) and other engineered removal methodologies for use under its CORSIA offsetting scheme, with Verra and Gold Standard also receiving full approval for the next trading period. (Carbon Pulse)
Climate
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It’s “very awkward” as COP31 rivals Australia and Türkiye share a prominent pavilion outside the main negotiating arena at the COP30 climate talks in Brazil, the ABC reported, with the stoush over who runs the next 12 months of work still unresolved. “It won't be lost therefore on attendees to this COP that that is still an outstanding task for this COP, and they will be really calling on Australia and Türkiye to, frankly, get it together and sort this out so that we can have a smooth transition from the current Brazilian presidency to the presidency of COP31,” ACF delegate Gavan McFadzean said.
Pacific leaders are taking a 100% renewable energy plan to COP30 in Belém. Fiji, Nauru, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu have all pledged to achieve 100% by 2030. Tonga and the Solomon Islands have set a target of 70% by 2030 and fully renewable generation by 2050. But all are somewhat short of those goals, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) estimates the Pacific’s small island states spend more than US$1 billion annually on fossil fuels. (RNZ)
Natalie Unterstell, founder of climate think tank Talanoa, knows there are plenty of forces trying to slow the transition to zero emissions — populists, protectionists, fossil-fuel lobbies — but one of the biggest threats isn’t political, but physical. Adaptation can no longer be viewed as something to do after the transition, she writes. (Time)
People
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the appointment of former Premier of South Australia Jay Weatherall as Australia’s next High Commissioner to the UK.
Former radio host Mark Parton has taken on leadership of the fractious ACT Liberals.
Formerly the Guardian political editor, and then Albo's media minder, Katharine Murphy has joined the office of Tim Ayres, NSW senator and the federal minister for science, industry and innovation.
Research
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Current hydrogen supply from projects announced to date is insufficient to meet projected global demand by mid-century, according to European researchers. They say that by 2043, the world will be producing 110 million tonnes of low-carbon hydrogen a year, compared with demand of up to six times that. Their global analysis identifies steel-making, ammonia and biofuel production as the most promising hydrogen applications from a climate-benefit perspective, while road transport, power generation and domestic heating reduce carbon emissions the least. (Nature Energy)
Random
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Marinus Link, a mega-project to connect the mainland with Tasmania's hydropower and wind, spruiked video imagery to win hearts and minds.