Catch up
Capital
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Tasmania's big energy user Liberty Bell Bay, owned by Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance, has paused production at the smelter. "It's one of the state's largest natural gas consumers, meaning the future cost of transporting gas from Victoria to Tasmania could also be impacted,” Goanna Energy’s Marc White said. (ABC)
"I have reached out directly to Tim Ayres, the Federal Minister for Industry and Innovation, to make him aware of the situation as we believe that production out of Liberty Bell Bay is of national strategic importance.” — Minister for Business, Industry and Resources Eric Abetz
CS Energy delayed the return of one of the units in its troubled Callide C coal fired power station by three days, after it found some cracking in the critical high pressure steam piping which delivers steam to the turbine. The unit has been offline since April 4 due to what has been described as an "explosion".
“Following expert engineering advice and playing it safe reflects the cultural change the new Board and management is fostering at CS Energy to ensure we once again are recognised as a safe, reliable provider of electricity to Queenslanders,” acting chair of CS Energy Jeff Seeney said in a statement. Callide C was recently brought out of administration by family office Sev.en Global Investments, owned by Czech energy tycoon Pavel TykaÄ, with 7GI taking over 50% of the state-owned asset.
Global investment firm Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) launched a renewable energy infrastructure platform that will include projects carved out and acquired from Amp Energy in Australia and the UK. Revera Energy will focus on battery storage, renewable power and green hydrogen.
Australian renewable energy developer Energy Estate said it had acquired the California-based San Luis Industrial Complex for an undisclosed sum, as part of a plan to expand its clean industrial hub strategy to North America. Energy Estate said the Complex was slated to receive significant funding support through the US$12.6 billion Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES), a public-private partnership between the State of California and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Blackstone Infrastructure said it would acquire New-Mexico based utility TXNM Energy in a US$11.5 billion deal. (Reuters)
 Projects
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Fortescue (ASX:FMG) lodged plans with the state regulator for a 2.1GW wind farm and co-located battery energy storage system to provide green power for operations in the Pilbara, Western Australia. The proposed East Pilbara Generation Hub is 90km east of Fortescue’s Iron Bridge Project in the Shire of East Pilbara and Nyamal Native Title determination area. The development envelope extends across the Eginbah, Panorama, and Corunna Downs pastoral leases.
Meanwhile WA Premier Roger Cook, as the minister responsible for the Gorgon and Wheatstone agreements, has written to Chevron to remind them of local content provisions as it reportedly pushes contractors to send engineering work overseas. (Boiling Cold)
Policy
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New Zealand’s Finance Minister Nicola Willis is preparing to deliver Budget 2025 - the Growth Budget - on Thursday. Signalling tax changes for foreign investors, Willis said she wanted new rules for capital-intensive infrastructure projects that are typically funded by large amounts of debt.
Everything you need to know about Australia’s $2.3 billion home battery subsidy. (The Guardian)
“First and foremost, it will reduce household power bills, not just for the person installing the battery but other consumers. In the longer term it’s also reducing the revenue that a coal or gas generator is able to capture over a full 24-hour period. That will bring forward the date at which they are likely to close.” — Green Energy Markets’ Tristan Edis
Technology
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Hazer Group (ASX: HZR) announced the extension of its research collaboration with the University of Sydney via the Australian Research Council Industry Fellowship scheme. Some $1.15 million in funding will be used to advance the commercialisation of high-purity graphite.
“Our technology integrates seamlessly with the steel industry’s net-zero transition and with Mitsui and KBR as partners, we’re poised to deliver low-cost, low-emission hydrogen and graphite at scale – key enablers for a cleaner future.” — Hazer CEO Glenn Corrie
Climate
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Opposition Leader Sussan Ley's choice: an electable climate policy or sticking with the Nationals. Peter Dutton's nuclear energy wheeze seemed a clever way of keeping the Coalition together while having a policy that at least had the words "net zero by 2050" in it, and Ley might think she can do that again. (ABC)
People
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Community independent Nicolette Boele edged ahead in the north shore Sydney seat of Bradfield at the end of counting, provisionally winning, but it will go to an automatic recount because of the tight margin. (ABC)
Smart Energy Council’s Chief Advocacy Officer Wayne Smith announced his departure after 13 years of policy wins for the sector.
“Wayne has been a constant thorn in the side of recalcitrant policy makers, and promoting business led decarbonisation of Australia’s energy and transport sectors, to great effect.” — Smart Energy Council CEO John Grimes
Research
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A team at the University of Surrey said they had come up with a "promising way forward" in the development of a lithium battery that could absorb carbon emissions. (The Conversation)