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Hey Reader, in today's edition:
- Fixing VPP blockers
- Ian Learmonth on transition challenges and opportunities
- COPitulation leaves scope for policywonks
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VPP roadblocks explained
A bigger uptake of Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) would mean less investment in large‑scale infrastructure, fewer network constraints and more resilience across the grid. In an ideal world, VPPs would lower the cost of the energy transition for all Australians. And yet they remain a niche offering.
In The Energy’s latest explainer, Plico’s chief technology office George Martin spells out what’s standing in the way of greater uptake, and what’s required to get more people on board.
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Where Australia can lead on energy tech
Australia should be leading the way on climate tech in the resources sector, according to Clean Energy Finance Corporation boss Ian Learmonth.
In a wide-ranging interview on The Energy Connection podcast, Learmonth discusses the challenges with the current cost environment, what the NEM Review might mean for the green bank and what the electricity system might look like in five years time.
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Expert view
“There's certainly a number of technologies where Australia is more of a fast follower than a leader. But having said that, there's this incredible world-leading market of distributed energy resource in this country, so I think for technology around distributed energy, Australia is really world class.
And I'd like to think down the track, in the mining sector as well, there could be decarbonisation technologies. We see some of them, and we have made a couple of investments in that sector. There's no reason why we shouldn't be a world leader in clean tech in the resources space. We've done something like 40 early-stage investments in cleantech and I'm always very impressed and excited about the calibre of people who come through the CEFC looking for early-stage capital.”
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Ian Learmonth
CEO, Clean Energy Finance Corporation
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COPitulation leaves scope for policywonks
It’s all guts no glory for next year’s climate talks with Australia to be “COP President for Negotiations” and Türkiye set to host the COP31 event in Antalya.
Australia's motivation in bidding was to elevate the voices of the Pacific, support and protect multilateralism as a middle power, and to act in the nation’s best interests as a fossil fuel-rich economy and emerging green energy superpower.
“A model in which pre-COP is hosted in the Pacific, in a Pacific island, and it's a pledging event for the Pacific Resilience Fund, which is so important to us. Where the COP is held in Türkiye, but Australia, myself, is appointed COP President for Negotiations, for the purposes of negotiations, is an outcome which achieves those objectives. Obviously, it would be great if Australia could have it all. But we can't have it all. This process works on consensus."
Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen told a COP30 press conference
As designated President of Negotiations, Bowen — and an army of Australian officials — would handle the year of negotiations, engage civil society and other stakeholders, appoint co-facilitators, and prepare the draft text.
The formal leadership position in COP31 negotiations also provides a platform to influence the “Action Agenda” and be more ambitious than Türkiye was expected to be on energy goals such as the fossil fuel phaseout.
Australia and the Pacific’s carriage of the pre-COP program can also keep momentum in climate adaptation, particularly the Pacific Resilience Fund, the Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) said.
"COP31 is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Australia to hold the pen on negotiations shaping global climate action while driving sustainable economic growth. Australia must seize every possible opportunity to push for global climate ambition that translates into real economic opportunity and resilience for our communities."
Rebecca Mikula-Wright, CEO of the IGCC
“If Australia is serious about having a key role in the 2026 climate conference, they need to stop holding up progress on adaptation finance in the final days of COP30.”
Catherine Abreu, Director, International Climate Politics Hub
"We are disappointed Prime Minister Albanese did not pull out all stops and come to Brazil to demonstrate the government’s commitment to secure COP for Australia and the Pacific in Adelaide. While the Pacific is positioned to have a pre-COP role in the lead up to COP31, it would have been much greater if the event was hosted in Adelaide. This is a blow to our Pacific neighbours, who have contributed the least to the climate crisis, but who are among the worst affected."
ACF’s climate and energy program manager Gavan McFadzean
“This is a compromise, for sure, but it is a compromise that enables Australia and the Pacific to take a leadership role in maintaining global momentum. In these negotiations Australia didn’t get everything it wanted, but it got the most important thing; as President for Negotiations we will have a platform to rally the world around efforts to maintain a safe climate.”
Luke Menzel, CEO of the Energy Efficiency Council
Solar Citizens CEO Heidi Lee Douglas said the diplomatic achievement also allowed Australia to demonstrate climate solutions such as rooftop solar and storage that were already working.
“This is Australia’s chance to put rooftop solar at the heart of next year’s COP agenda, with a push from the Global Solar Council for pledges for 300 million solar rooftops by 2030,” she said.
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Capital
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The Australian Renewable Industry Alliance called on the federal and NSW governments to deliver a long-term energy supply package, not a short-term bailout, to secure the future of Rio Tinto’s (ASX: RIO) Tomago aluminium smelter in the Hunter region. Potential market interventions include using Commonwealth-owned Snowy Hydro to sign long-term supply contracts with renewable energy developers to bankroll more projects and provide the refinery with cheaper electricity.
 Projects
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Big battery units have arrived on site at Quorn Park in western NSW in what is expected to be the first true solar-battery hybrid project in the NEM, signalling another major step in the energy transition. Unlike solar and battery installations with separate connections, operating profiles and various off-takers, the solar-battery hybrid will share the same connection point and position itself to dodge negative prices and network curtailment. (Renew Economy)
Policy
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Proposed environment protection laws do not require the development of a First Nations engagement standard, Environmental Defenders Office Managing Lawyer Revel Pointon warned a parliamentary inquiry. There are “hooks” for its development but no compulsion and no timeframe, so it could be kicked down the road for who knows how long, she said. There were a plethora of changes needed to properly implement Australia’s endorsement of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), she added.
Industry and business groups testifying at the Senate inquiry into long-delayed reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act reiterated their support for a quicker yes on projects and rejection of emissions disclosures as part of a project assessment process. But they want some “common sense changes”, including a clear definition of “unacceptable” development.
“I think it would be good if the major governing parties were able to get to an outcome here,” Treasurer Jim Chalmers said on EPBC reforms earlier this week, calling on the Coalition to support the package of seven bills in the Senate so they can quickly become law. Similar to the business lobby, Opposition environment spokeswoman Angie Bell has called for greater clarity on powers allowing the minister to reject projects with “unacceptable impacts”.
Regulation
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Victoria issued draft renewable energy zone orders for five onshore zones — the Western, Central Highlands, Gippsland, North West and South West zones — and a draft order for the Gippsland Shoreline Renewable Energy Zone for coordinating the private underground cables that connect offshore wind generation to the shared network. VicGrid CEO Alistair Parker said coordinating development in the zones would minimise impacts and reduce costs. “Renewable energy zones will play a key role in helping us coordinate the energy transition and ensure that local communities see real benefits and are treated with respect,” he said. Consultation will run until February 22, 2026.
Technology
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US universities are turning solar furniture into campus infrastructure as renewable distributed energy resources (DERs) become a key part of campus decarbonisation and resilience strategies. For students, they’re also becoming laptop charging hubs, lunch tables and study spots. (PV Magazine)
Climate
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A group of organisations handed a letter to the COP30 China Delegation and Vice Minister Li Gao at the WWF Pavilion, asking China to recognise the relevance of critical energy transition minerals to just transition pathways, including supporting inclusion of a reference to minerals in the Just Transition Working Programme (JTWP) outcome. Putting energy transition minerals in COP outcomes for the first time has faced fierce resistance from China, which pushed for deleting the transition minerals reference from the final text.
People
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Former AGL executive Hamish McKenzie joined the Grattan Institute as Deputy Director of the Climate Change and Energy Program.
Research
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Fixing the overshoot on 1.5 degrees of global warming requires net-negative emissions targets and reframing “net-zero” as a transitional stage towards net-negative emissions rather than an endpoint, and policy instruments to do it, according to a paper just released by climate researchers Oliver Geden and Andy Reisinger at German think tank SWP.
Random
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New Zealand could become the next dumping ground for high-emission vehicles after the government relaxed the Clean Car Standard. “These changes mean Kiwis can still upgrade to cleaner, more fuel-efficient cars, while giving us the space to make sure the Standard is actually workable and delivers a long-term, sustainable path to lower emissions that fits New Zealand’s needs,” Transport Minister Chris Bishop said.
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What's On
November 25
The NEM Review and Firming up the Transition
NEM Review Chair Tim Nelson, CEFC CEO Ian Learmonth, Transgrid CFO Nadine Lennie, and AEMO Executive GM Violette Mouchaileh will speak at this CEDA event in Sydney.
November 26
National Press Club
Deputy Opposition Leader and former energy spokesman Ted O’Brien will address the National Press Club at this event in Canberra.
November 26
Efficient Electric Homes: Market Acceleration Summit
Architect Adrian Joyce, Secretary General of EuroACE - Energy Efficient Buildings, and the Director of the Renovate Europe Campaign, Clare McLaughlin, Head of Division, Energy Performance, at the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Grace Tam, Head of Consumer Finance at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, and Energy Efficiency CEO Luke Menzel will speak at this Sydney event.
December 5
Keeping the lights on - syncons vs batteries
Mark Twidell, Industry Professor of Practice at the UNSW Energy Institute, and Transgrid Executive General Manager of Network Jason Krstanoski will speak at this webinar from The Energy, moderated by UNSW Energy Institute CEO Dani Alexander.
December 9, Sydney and December 11, Melbourne
Energy Tetris
The Energy’s first live event will feature Quinbrook CEO Brian Restall, Energy Security Corporation CEO Paul Peters, Southerly Ten Chief Development Officer Erin Coldham, CS Energy Head of Policy & Regulation Alison Demaria, Atmos Renewables GM of Development Allison Hawke, ASL GM System Planning & Financial Markets, Melanie Koerner, UNSW Senior Research Associate Dylan McConnell and Energy Edge MD Josh Stabler, with more speakers to be confirmed soon.
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