Catch up
Capital
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In the US Senate, Republicans are preparing to have the final say and curb last week’s House rollback of IRA tax credits. (Politico)
 Projects
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Low-carbon energy consultancy Xodus has been allocated land in the WA Mid-West region for the development of a commercial-scale green hydrogen and ammonia development. Located in the Oakajee Strategic Industrial Area, the allocation paves the way for Xodus and its partners to progress the Warradarge Energy project, formerly known as Project MercurHy.
“Scalable, high-quality renewable energy projects like ours are needed to bridge the gap between today’s demonstration sized facilities and the gigawatt-scale hydrogen developments of the future. This project is about accelerating the supply chain, minimising technology risks, and driving down costs. — Warradarge Energy CEO Stephen Archer
The initial phase is well advanced, with over 16,000 hectares of land secured at Warradarge, power supply agreements with an existing wind farm under negotiation and offtake partners onboard, Xodus said.
NSW is now the national test case for whether large-scale energy transition can be delivered with sustained community backing. (The Australian)
Policy
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The Illawarra Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) Roundtable mapped out what can be delivered by 2030. The NSW region already hosts major energy, port and transport infrastructure, has a skilled workforce and strong demand for future renewable energy projects, but needs transmission. Future offshore wind would also need access to transmission built for the REZ.
“The Illawarra has the potential to be NSW’s first urban renewable energy zone. This is a chance to leverage the community’s enthusiasm for solar, batteries and EVs to benefit the entire region, as well as pursue longer-term opportunities to support green manufacturing. — NSW Climate Change and Energy Minister Penny Sharpe
US President Trump signed an executive order to speed up regulatory approvals of nuclear reactors for "economic and national security" reasons. The new rules would require the regulator to decide on nuclear reactor licenses within 18 months.
Regulation
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Victoria's default electricity offer will rise an average of $20 (1%) for consumers and $90 (3%) for small businesses under the Essential Services Commission's final decision. In its calculation the ESC lowered the retail operating margin and changed the data used to calculate wholesale electricity costs.
Energy companies re-using plan names will now be required to add additional information to bills after an AER decision. The rule comes after consumer group CHOICE filed a complaint to the ACCC over cheaper offers being marketed with the same name as existing products.
New Zealand will regulate “orange hydrogen”. The "orange" tag is linked to the colour of the oxidised iron in the geochemical reactions. The process combines hydrogen production with carbon sequestration, making it a potential low-carbon energy source.
“Natural and orange hydrogen could be game-changers for New Zealand’s energy sector, particularly for our hard-to-electrify industries and in reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels.
The development of this resource has largely been overlooked due to misconceptions that accumulations are rare. Recent discoveries, including one of the world’s few documented hydrogen seeps in Fiordland, tell us more about how it forms in different geologies.” — NZ Resources Minister Shane Jones
Technology
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Former senior US energy official Joe Romm pushed back against the “drumbeat” pinning Spain’s recent blackout on renewables, after an FT story revealed large power plants - gas, nuclear and/or hydro - may have fallen short in controlling the voltage of the electricity system.
“In the end, if there is an official explanation, it will probably cast a wide net of blame. The lesson, I expect, is NOT that you can't incorporate high levels of renewables into the grid, but that you need a modernised grid to do so optimally and safely - which means spending money that individual companies may not have an incentive to do, but that national and region as a whole must require and support. — Penn Centre Senior Research Fellow Joe Romm
Climate
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A land of drought and flooding rains - in pictures. (ABC)
People
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The Opposition frontbench is still pending, as talks continue between the Liberals and Nationals weeks after the federal election they lost.
Fortescue’s Energy CEO Mark Hutchinson will retire but remain in touch as a senior advisor for the next year. Latin America head Agustin (Gus) Pichot will take on the newly created role of CEO Growth and Energy, effective July 1, but Metals CEO Dino Otranto gains operational responsibility for global electrification, decarbonisation and hydrogen.
John Connor announced he would leave the Carbon Market Institute CEO role for a new job that’s yet to be revealed.
Industry body Energy Networks Australia appointed ex-AEMC policy wonk Russell Pendlebury as General Manager Economic Regulation.
Research
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A $400 billion a year export opportunity is at risk without government intervention to promote a green iron industry for the Pilbara, Geraldton, Kwinana, Eyre Peninsula and Gladstone, according to new research released by The Superpower Institute. (The Energy)
Random
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Universities face getting stuck with thousands of obsolete robots. (The Conversation)
