Catch up
Capital
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AGL Energy (ASX: AGL) acquired South Australia’s Virtual Power Plant (SAVPP) from Tesla, boosting its access to a network of residential systems. Installed in social and community housing and one of Australia’s largest VPPs, it includes about 7,000 Powerwall home batteries with more to be installed this year. Residents participating in the program will continue to receive significantly discounted energy prices. VPP leader AGL has a FY27 target of 1.6GW of decentralised assets under orchestration.
A Deloitte survey of CFOs found optimism about business prospects has taken a hit amid uncertain global conditions sparked by the US tariff war with China, and ongoing corporate challenges around strategy delivery, productivity and technology. CFOs are now less confident about their own business prospects than they were at any point last year, although lower interest rates will provide some relief in an otherwise challenging environment. But there may be some advantages for Australia.
“If the Trump administration reduces its investment in climate initiatives, Australia could emerge as an attractive destination for redirected capital.” - CFO Sentiment H1 2025
Spanish energy giant Iberdrola was reported to be the frontrunner to become the development partner on the delayed VNI West transmission line. (The Australian)
 Projects
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The federal government put an extension cord on Suncable’s Australia-Asia Power Link, with its major project status renewed, and granted the coveted status to the INPEX-led Bonaparte Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project as a “bold step forward” in Australia’s clean energy transition.
But the Environment Centre NT said the government should not help the fossil fuel industry “greenwash its dangerous gas expansion” under the guise of clean energy. “Carbon capture and storage remains an unproven technology at scale, and marketing it as 'renewable energy' is misleading and offensive to Australians who are bearing the brunt of worsening climate change,” Senior Climate Campaigner Bree Ahrens said.
The next quarter will bring the repeal of the oil and gas exploration ban in New Zealand, which Prime Minister Chris Luxon said would “unleash the energy” needed to “keep the lights on and prevent power prices from skyrocketing in the years to come”. (RNZ)
Policy
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The Crisafulli Government said an expanded Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy will see the first regional hub based in Mackay at the Resources Centre of Excellence, with Rockhampton to follow in 2026 and Townsville in 2027. The Academy currently has a network of 100 schools and directly engages with up to 6,000 students each year.
“This expansion over three years will see the program reach up to 10,000 additional students and will also transition into primary schools.” - Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates
Meanwhile high prices, or even extended high prices, during the current big chill in southern states, are not a ‘broken market’ or ‘crisis’, Alex Leemon writes. (Currently Speaking)
US President Donald Trump's megabill was passed by the House 218-214 following amendments by the Senate. The bill repeals nearly all of the tax credits enacted by the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act to support clean electricity, fuels, vehicles and manufacturing. (Politico) (New York Times) (Utility Dive)
Modelling by Princeton University found the bill would push electricity prices up and:
- Reduce cumulative capital investment in US electricity and clean fuels production by US$0.5 trillion from 2025-2035
- Reduce cumulative new solar capacity additions by ~29 gigawatts and wind capacity by ~43 gigawatts from 2025-2030, and by ~140 gigawatts (solar) and ~160 gigawatts (wind) through 2035
- Increase US greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 190 million metric tons per year in 2030 and 470 million metric tons per year in 2035.
Regulation
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Greenpeace International challenged US oil pipeline company Energy Transfer in court in the Netherlands in a landmark test case of European Union legislation designed to protect freedom of expression and stop “abusive” lawsuits. The Directive to combat Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), which were increasingly being used to silence critics and stifle public debate, was adopted in 2024. In Australia, the ACT is the only jurisdiction with anti-SLAPP laws.
The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) said vulnerable customers should find it easier to get bill relief. Under a new draft determination, energy retailers must ask consumers about their eligibility for concessions and provide information upfront when they sign up for an energy plan. But instead of rule changes for each state and territory, the key recommendation is for the federal department to go for a nationwide approach.
"An automated system would mean eligible consumers automatically receive help with their bills without having to navigate different application processes across jurisdictions … consumers face multiple barriers to accessing this help, including communication challenges, stigma, verification issues and limited time. The only way to overcome these compounding barriers is by removing the application burden from consumers entirely." - AEMC Chair Anna Collyer
Technology
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A satellite designed to detect sources of the most powerful greenhouse gas has been lost 15 months into its 5-year mission. Developed by a coalition of environmentalists, scientists and aerospace engineers, MethaneSAT aimed to pinpoint methane leaks and use Google algorithms to map oil and gas infrastructure where leaks can originate - information that many fossil fuel companies keep to themselves. (Science Insider)
Climate
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The increasing frequency of extreme weather events in Australia, combined with the growth of rooftop solar, home batteries and EV, is putting pressure on an ageing low-voltage electricity network that was not designed for dynamic, bidirectional energy flows, Yogendra Vashishtha, Head of Future Networks at EA Technology Australia warned.
Grid-edge visibility is essential for real-time decisions and allows Distributed Network Service Providers (DNSPs) to isolate faults during severe storms and manage loads safely. They must also adhere to a formal resilience framework as of 2025. “Without visibility of the network, we are at risk of more outages and longer delays in restoring power to weather-affected regions,” he said.
Nuclear power plant operators in France and Switzerland had to shut down some reactors amid Europe's scorching heatwave. (Euronews)
People
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The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) appointed Commissioner Rainer Korte as the new Chair of its Reliability Panel. Sally McMahon was appointed Acting Chair. Iberdrola Australia GM of Policy Joel Gilmore was reappointed as the discretionary member representing large renewable generators, and Mark Vincent, COO at SA Power Networks, was newly appointed to represent Distributed Network Service Providers.
Research
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Supercomputer Kestrel powered more than 425 projects across 13 funding areas to support American innovation in energy. (Clean Technica)
Random
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There is unlikely to be an immediate winner between the US and China as the world is only becoming more energy hungry. (NYT)
