SDG 13 - Climate Action

Below are all Australian news items from all ESG Snapshot issues that are relevant to SDG 13 (climate action), listed with most recent items appearing first.

Issue 120, 8 December 2025

DCCEEW has released an update on initiatives that Australia joined at COP30, which include the Industrial Deep Decarbonisation Initiative, and the Belem Health Action Plan.

DCCEEW has released a report on Impacts on birds and bats from onshore wind farms in Australia, and another on Impacts on birds from offshore wind farms in Australia. 

The Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner has released a Position Statement Public Liability Insurance for Landholders Neighbouring Energy Infrastructure.

The position statement calls for a nationally consistent framework to ensure rural landholders neighbouring large-scale renewable energy and transmission projects are not exposed to increased public liability insurance risks or costs.

Consultation opportunity - ACCUs. The federal government's Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee has released a proposed Improved Native Forest Management in Multiple-use Public Native Forests ACCU method.

For INFM projects to receive ACCUs, they must result in at least a 20% reduction in harvesting, relative to the baseline harvest level.

The method was first suggested by the NSW government. Comments are due by 30 January. 

With support from Export Finance Australia, Australian company Vulcan Energy has finalised a financing agreement for its €2.193 billion (A$3.9 billion) Phase One Lionheart Project in Germany.

The Lionheart Project will produce battery-quality lithium from geothermal brine in the Upper Rhine Valley, and will simultaneously generate renewable heat and power. 

"The project will substantially contribute to the climate goals and industrial decarbonisation efforts of both Australia and Europe," Export Finance Australia said.

The federal industry department has signed a memorandum of understanding with China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology that establishes a policy dialogue on steel decarbonisation.

The governments of Australia and New Zealand have held the third Australia-New Zealand Climate and Finance Dialogue in Auckland, attended by their respective climate ministers and treasurers.

A statement issued after the meeting lists a range of commitments, including the establishment of a government-industry working group "to help ensure insurance remains accessible".

ARENA has announced a $151 million Solar Sunshot grant for the establishment of a 500MW per year solar module manufacturing facility in NSW's Hunter Valley. 

The Hunter Valley Solar Foundry project is an initiative of the Sunman Group, which was founded by solar pioneer Dr Zhengrong Shi. 

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation - in conjunction with Five V Capital - has taken an equity stake in Agile Energy, an Australian provider of behind-the-meter solar and battery energy solutions for commercial and industrial businesses.

The investment will support Agile's next phase of growth, as it scales to deliver more than 200MW of solar and battery projects.

A Queensland parliamentary committee inquiry into the government's Energy Roadmap Bill has released its report. 

The majority report recommends that the Bill - which will axe the state's renewable energy targets - be passed. 

In a dissenting report, Labor said the energy roadmap is "deliberately vague", and will result in higher prices and greater emissions.

A NSW parliamentary committee inquiry into emissions from the fossil fuel sector has scheduled a hearing for this Friday. Those giving evidence include the Minerals Council, the NSW Minerals Council, Common Capital, and the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. 

The NSW government has released its response to a parliamentary committee inquiry into electricity outages affecting the Far West of the state in October 2024.

The government says it supports a recommendation to investigate options for establishing 'microgrids' for the towns in the Central Darling Shire and Unincorporated Area.

The Low Methane Beef project has released its first genomic Research Breeding Values (RBVs) for methane emissions in beef cattle, which will help enable methane emissions traits to be included in beef cattle breeding objectives.

The ninth post-floods buyback house auction in Lismore has resulted in the auction of 12 homes that will now be relocated. The properties sold for a total of $250,900.

Statutory development - gas pipelines. The Victorian government has introduced the National Gas (Victoria) Amendment Bill 2025, "to support the improvement and expansion of Victoria's declared gas transmission system in the interests of ongoing security and reliability," according to Climate and Energy Minister Lily D'Ambrosio.

The Bill gives the Minister the power to make orders to to make orders that require a declared transmission system service provider or prospective provider to plan.

"This power is necessary to ensure that critical pipeline infrastructure projects are built in time to maintain adequate supplies of gas to Victorian homes and industry," Energy Minister Lily D'Ambrosio told Parliament. 

"This power guards against the misalignment of interests that exist between pipeline monopolists and energy consumers as a direct result of the privatisation of Victoria’s gas transmission pipeline network."

Victoria is on track to meet its renewable energy target in 2025, but meeting future targets will be more difficult, concludes a report by the Victorian Auditor General's Office.

"In the Australian Energy Market Operator's 'committed and anticipated developments' reliability assessment, Victoria has enough energy supply to meet its needs out to 2030," the report notes.

"But this depends on key projects being completed on time," it says. 

"While new projects will increase energy generation and storage capacity, many projects face delays. This also does not allow for demand that is higher than forecast or incorporate other known risks," the report says. 

"This includes gas shortages, which are expected from 2026, as well as planned power plant maintenance and adverse weather conditions."

If these risks are not successfully managed, Victoria would be more likely to face electricity shortfalls after Yallourn coal-fired power station closes in mid-2028, the report says.

"To meet Victoria's future targets and make sure electricity supply meets demand, the department should develop contingency plans to address known risks," it concludes.

New Opposition leader Jess Wilson has appointed Nick McGowan as shadow environment minister, replacing Brad Rowswell. 

David Davis still holds the energy shadow portfolio, which has been renamed an energy and emissions reduction portfolio. He also retains the shadow resources portfolio.

Victorian energy retailers surrendered 6.5 million energy efficiency certificates worth more than $540 million to meet their 2024 obligations under the Victorian Energy Upgrades scheme, according to the Essential Services Commission. 

The list of organisations giving evidence to Wednesday's parliamentary committee hearing on decommissioning oil and gas infrastructure includes the Australian Energy Producers, the Centre of Decommissioning, and the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. 

"Environmental extremes create surges in capacity needs for our systems, placing pressures on all assets and our ability to manage the impacts on our community," says Melbourne Water's submission to an Essential Services Commission review of its proposed new prices.

"Our modelling shows that under extreme dry conditions, such as those seen in the Millenium Drought, water storages can drop from the high zone to the critical water use only zone in as little as three years," the submission says.

Consultation opportunity - financial contributions to grid infrastructure. The state government is consulting on a simplified payment model for major energy projects requiring a connection to Western Australia's main energy grid.

Under the proposal, generators, storage providers, and large energy users requiring a connection to the South West Interconnected System of more than 10MW will pay $100,000 per MW.

Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson says her three-day visit to South Korea this week aims to further cooperation in areas such as green iron, green ammonia utilisation, and carbon capture, utilisation and storage. 

The South West Interconnected System (SWIS) reached a record 55.78% renewable energy contribution in November, eclipsing the previous record of 49%, set in November 2024.

Issue 119, 1 December 2025

DCCEEW has released INPEX's EPBC referral for infrastructure supporting its proposed Ichthys carbon capture and storage project. 

The referral is for a proposed CO2 compression facility at INPEX's Ichthys LNG facility on Bladin Point near Darwin, and a buried onshore pipeline system that would go to a tie-in station, which would be located near Santos's Darwin LNG facility.

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has tabled in Parliament several climate-related reports:

• The latest National Greenhouse Gas inventory Quarterly Update (for June 2025).
• The fourth Annual Climate Change Statement.
• Australia's latest Emissions Projections.
• The Climate Change Authority's 2025 Annual Progress Report.

"In the last 12 months, Australia has produced over 100 terawatt-hours of renewable electricity, enough to power every household more than 1½ times," Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen told Parliament, when tabling the reports. 

"We've seen over six gigawatts of new large-scale battery capacity entering the national grid," the Minister said. "This has allowed battery discharge to increase by a massive 150 per cent, and the pipeline remains strong." 

"To date, we have competed five of the 15 expected capacity investment scheme tenders. We have over 16GW of projects under contract or in negotiations. Of these, we expect around 11GW will have reached financial close by the end of 2026."

The Clean Energy Regulator has released its latest Quarterly Carbon Market Report, for the September quarter. 

• Around 6GWh of storage capacity could be installed under the Cheaper Home Batteries program by the end of FY26, it estimates.
• A record 15.7 million Large-scale Generation Certifications were created over the quarter, led by wind generation. 
• Renewable energy capacity being added to the grid is "strong", with approved large-scale capacity likely to reach 3.8GW to 4.0GW in 2025, following a record year in 2024 of 4.3GW.  
• 5.5 million ACCUs were issued in Q3 2025, bringing the year-to-date total to 15 million. Another 7.3 million ACCUs were under application at the end of Q3 2025. Total ACCU supply for 2025 might be towards the higher end of the Regulator's forecast 19 million to 24 million range. 

The Clean Energy Regulator has released a report on Preliminary Safeguard Mechanism Insights.

The report says covered emissions were down 2.4% in FY25, compared to FY24 levels.

A meeting of state and territory Treasurers convened by federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has agreed to "heavy vehicle reforms to boost productivity and increase the uptake of electric heavy vehicles".

The meeting has also agreed to extend 'right to repair' reforms to agricultural machinery, the Treasurer said.

The Treasurer provided no details on the reforms.

Tender 8 of the Capacity Investment Scheme is now open. The latest round is expected to add 16GWh of energy storage, sufficient to power the peak load of 3.7 million homes for four hours. 

Renew Australia has presented new polling results to a Senate committee inquiry into climate and energy information integrity.

The polling of residents living in renewable energy zones, conducted in September, found a strong majority (62%) support Australia's shift to renewable energy. 

However, respondents tended to underestimate levels of support in their own communities. While 62% of REZ residents personally support the shift to renewable energy, only 37% believe the majority of residents in their community do.

The federal government has gazetted a new Reducing Methane Emissions from Landfill Gas method for earning carbon credits.

The new ACCU method specifies the methane capture baselines that projects must exceed in order to earn carbon credits. The baselines will rise by 0.5% annually. 

It replaces the 2015 landfill gas method, and the 2021 landfill gas generation method.

Queensland's Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last has describedan investment deal involving a Bowen Basin metallurgical coal mining company as "a vote of confidence in our mining industry".

Argo Energy has taken a 70% stake in Fitzroy Mining Operations and will become the controlling entity of its three coal mines. Fitzroy Mining also has another coal project in development, and has a portfolio of exploration tenements.

"Since 2000, global coal demand has nearly doubled, with Queensland's main export markets like India, China and South-East Asia accounting for half the world's usage," the Minister said. "And with more than 400 coal-fired power stations under construction around the world, there’s no sign of slowing."

Argo's directors are all former Fitzroy Australia Resources executives.

Meanwhile, RenewEconomy has reported that Whitehaven has withdrawn its EPBC referral for an extension of the Blackwater open-cut metallurgical coal mine near Emerald, in Queensland. 

A Queensland parliamentary committee inquiry into the government's energy roadmap Bill is due to report on Friday.

Transcript of the latest hearing convened by a Queensland parliamentary committee inquiry into sugarcane bioenergy is now available.

Representatives of LMS Energy, Licella Holdings, and RACQ were among those giving evidence.

The Licella representative outlined the company's work with the Isis Central Sugar Mill in the Bundaberg region on a proposed regional biorefinery, which would produce sustainable aviation fuel and other high-value biofuels. 

The RACQ representative outlined opportunities for EVs with ethanol powered range extenders, known as Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs).

The NSW government has granted environmental approval for the construction and operation of a methane-destroying pilot thermal oxidiser at the Bulli Seam Operations coal mine in the Illawarra.

It's estimated that using the oxidiser to convert emissions from methane to CO2 will reduce the mine's greenhouse gas emissions by 36,000 tonnes annually, when implemented at full scale. 

The NSW government has released its response to the first report of a parliamentary committee inquiry into the impact of renewable energy zones. 

The response sets out the government's views on the five recommendations made by the committee, which dealt with issues including cumulative impacts and ecological protection.

The NSW government has launched its $25 million Agriculture Industries Innovation and Growth Program.

The program will provide grants of up to $4 million for projects that will immediately scale-up production lines, or enable new products, or reduce emissions.

The NSW government has launched a $5 million grant program to help community energy groups to help boost local energy initiatives. Grants of up to $600,000 are available.

The state government has gazetted regulations that require new residential and commercial buildings to be all-electric.

Following public comment on the draft proposals, Housing Minister Harriet Shing has made amendments including:

• Making 1 January 2027 the start date for the requirement that all new residential and commercial buildings be all-electric. 
• Making 1 March 2027 the start date for the ban on installing or replacing reticulated gas water heaters in existing residential buildings.
• Not proceeding with the ban on installing ore replacing gas heaters in existing residential buildings.

A Victorian parliamentary committee inquiry into decommissioning offshore oil and gas has scheduled its first hearing for 10 December.

The Tasmanian government has released a Critical Minerals Prospectus.

Statutory development - intergenerational equity. The South Australian government last week expressed support for debate on an independent's climate change intergenerational equity Bill, and hasn't ruled out supporting it. 

The Climate Change and Greenhouse Emissions Reduction (Intergenerational Equity) Amendment Bill 2o25 would require the health and well‑being of children and future generations to be considered when decisions are made that are likely to contribute to climate change.

The Opposition said it did not support the Bill. However, Labor MLC Ian Hunter saidthe government would support a second reading and "will reserve our right on our support of the Bill for future stages".

"We have not had time to properly consult on the impacts of the Bill, so we are not in a position to progress it any further than the second reading stage today," Hunter said. 

The Bill, introduced a few months ago by independent MLC Tammy Franks, would require the completion of a child rights impact assessment when these decisions are made.

Statutory development - energy and mining reform. The government has rejected Legislative Council amendments made to its Statutes Amendment (Energy and Mining Reforms) Bill 2025. 

The Bill would have amended the Energy Resources Act 2000, the Hydrogen and Renewable Energy Act 2023 and, most substantially, the Mining Act 1971. 

Any reforms to these laws now won't be considered until after the forthcoming state election.

The Bill would have allowed exploration licences to be extended indefinitely, in blocks of up to five years, beyond the existing 18-year limit. They would also have increased penalties from $250,000 to $16.5 million. 

The amendments rejected by the government would have required the preparation of an agricultural impact assessment before any extension, and would have limited extensions to a specific number of two-year extensions.

The SA Association of Mining and Exploration Companies said the Liberals decision to move the amendments in the Upper House had "sabotaged" investment certainty in the state, by adding extra uncertainty.

The Western Australian government has announced recipients of "carbon for farmers" grants, under round three of the program.

Issue 118, 24 November 2025

Australia is one of 24 countries that has signed the Belem Declaration on the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels. 

The non-binding declaration notes IPCC findings that fossil fuels are the main drivers of greenhouse gas emissions, and it welcomes the International Court of Justice advisory opinion on the climate change obligations of nations.

The declaration also welcomes a conference next April in Colombia (a fossil fuel producer) that will be co-convened with the Netherlands, and which will focus on a just transition away from fossil fuels.

Other signatories to the Belém Declaration on fossil fuels are Austria, Belgium, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Fiji, Finland, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Mexico (a fossil fuel producer), Micronesia, Nepal, Netherlands, Panama, Spain, Slovenia, Vanuatu and Tuvalu.

Consultation opportunity - decommissioning offshore oil and gas and CCS projects. The federal government is seeking feedback on proposed reforms to decommissioning and financial assurance arrangements for the offshore oil and gas industry.

The changes aim to prevent companies postponing decommissioning or underestimating decommissioning costs. It also aims to require the preparation of public decommissioning plans. 

Comments are due by 13 January.

Consultation opportunity - ACCU register. The Clean Energy Regulator has released a discussion paper on proposed improvements to the ACCU projects and contracts register.

Comments are due by 19 December. 

Meanwhile, the government has gazetted the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Amendment (Identity Evidence) Rule 2025, which streamlines identification requirements for applicants who have had their identity previously verified by the Regulator. 

The Net Zero Economy Authority has gazetted a Yallourn Power Station Trigger Notice and Geographic Area Instrument. 

Trigger notice and geographic area instruments are the first steps towards the Authority deciding whether to establish an Energy Industry Jobs Plan, which is a legislative framework that ensures the owner of a closing power station gives its employees support and advice.

EnergyAustralia's Yallourn power station is due to close in mid-2028.

A coalition of unions, environment and industry groups has called on the federal and NSW governments to deliver a long-term, structural solution using renewable energy "to secure the future of Tomago Aluminium".

"It is essential that state and federal governments play a strong, proactive role in delivering cheap renewable energy to industry," the statement says. 

"Governments should use every tool at their disposal — including their balance sheet — to drive rapid investment in transmission, storage and generation," it says.

ARENA has awarded a $7.86 million grant to Li-S Energy Ltd to advance its planning for a proposed lithium-sulfur battery cell manufacturing facility. 

The proposed facility aims to produce up to 1GWh per year of battery cell capacity – 500 times the capacity of Li-S Energy's current Geelong-based facility.

Lithium-sulfur batteries have the potential to deliver up to twice the energy density of conventional lithium-ion batteries, enabling longer range and lighter weight for electric vehicles, drones, and other applications. 

The CEFC has provided $50 million in discount finance to Scape Australia, which is one of Australia's largest providers of student accommodation.

The finance will be used to accelerate electrification across its portfolio of 17,000 beds in purpose-built student accommodation across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.

Opposition leader Steven Miles has tabled in state Parliament an Australia Institute research paper that concludes Adani sold coal for $100 per tonne through a period that saw relevant coal prices reach $280 per tonne, "resulting in apparent royalty underpayments of almost $400 million".

The Australia Institute paper notes that in August 2025 the Queensland government announced an end to legal action over royalty payments by Adani's Carmichael coal mine, which had been started by the Queensland Revenue Office in April 2023. 

The QRO had alleged the mining company had not been paying sufficient royalties between July 2021 and March 2023. 

"Adani's apparent attempt to underpay royalties is in line with the company's long reputation for bad behaviour in general and financial irregularities in particular," the tabled paper says. 

The Queensland government has issued a notification that Yancoal is seeking environmental approval to extend operations at its Yarrabee coal mine. 

The project would extend the life of mining operations at the mine until 2070, resulting in the mining of an additional 74 million tonnes of coal. 

The continuation would result in an additional 289 million tonnes of greenhouse gas, including 278 million tonnes from the burning of the coal.

Statutory development - energy legislation. The NSW Parliament has passed an Energy Legislation Amendment Bill that expands eligibility for benefit‑sharing programs so that communities and landholders in local government areas and Aboriginal land council areas that are only partly within a renewable energy zone can benefit.

The Bill also streamlines the processes for approving and delivering network infrastructure projects. 

In addition, it establishes a head of power to allow NSW to derogate from the National Electricity Rules to create a framework to manage system strength in renewable energy zones. 

The Bill also ensures householders can't ever be charged for exporting electricity in the middle of the day, when solar generation is at its peak.

Statutory development - future jobs and investment. The NSW government has introduced a Future Jobs and Investment Bill, which would establish the Future Jobs and Investment Authority that would attract investment to coal regions to create new jobs, lead community engagement, and position workforce and supply chains to seize new opportunities. 

Local divisions of the Authority will be set up in the Hunter, Central West, Illawarra and the North West, and the chairs of local divisions will be appointed to the Authority's board.

NSW has 25,000 people directly employed in the coal industry, compared to 3,000 coal workers in Victoria, and 1,100 in Western Australia.

The NSW government has released a renewable fuel strategy that outlines actions to expand the state's renewable fuel industry. 

Key measures include expanding the NSW renewable fuel certificate scheme, which will currently only support green hydrogen, so that from 2028 it also supports biomethane. 

The government will also allocate up to $40 million to support the development of biomethane production facilities. It will also establish a demonstration project at a state government owned facility. 

In addition, it will expand renewable diesel trials, offering access to subsidised renewable diesel through a competitive grant process. 

Targets for 2035 in the strategy include ensuring renewable fuels contribute 2.5% to emissions reduction in NSW's hard-to-abate sectors, ensuring 15% of industrial gas use is renewable, producing 10PJ of renewable fuel, and generating $1 billion of economic investment in NSW. 

Last Thursday, the NSW government placed on exhibition the environmental impact statements for four proposed battery energy storage system projects - the 100MW/1,000MWh Griffith BESS, the 125MW/1,000MWh Stoney Creek BESS, the 100MW/400MWh Mangoplah BESS, and the 300MW/1,200MWh Willavale Park BESS.

On the same day, it also placed on exhibition the EIS for a proposed 55km pipeline connecting the Narrabri gas project to the Queensland Hunter gas pipeline.

The Net Zero Economy Authority, with non-financial support from the NSW government, has finalised a $5 million funding agreement to deliver master plans for two Hunter Valley coal mine sites - BHP's Mt Arthur site and Glencore's Macquarie Coal site.

"These master plans will pave the way for repurposing former mine sites into productive, sustainable assets, creating new opportunities for jobs, investment, and innovation across the region," the federal government said.

The work will also lead to a recommendations report to help guide future mine closures across NSW.

NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe has gazetted an amending Renewable Energy Zone (Central-West Orana) Order. 

The NSW Legislative Assembly has debated a public interest motion on net zero.

Consultation opportunity - renewable energy zones. The Victorian government is inviting comments on draft renewable energy zone orders proposed for five onshore sites - western, central highlands, Gippsland, north west, and southwest.

It has also issued a draft order for the Gippsland shoreline zone, which is where infrastructure such as underground cables will connect offshore wind farms to the transmission network. 

Each draft order includes a map of the zone, transmission projects to enable the zone, and the intended hosting capacity that the planned transmission network could accommodate. 

Comments are due by 22 February. 

In a submission to a Victorian parliamentary inquiry into offshore oil and gas decommissioning, ExxonMobil says the number of people working on its offshore oil and gas platforms in the past ranged between 300 and 500 staff.

But with its decommissioning activities "now in full swing", the number of staff has grown to more than 800, the oil and gas company says.

"In addition, 50-100 jobs are expected to be required to carry out the dismantling and recycling of the platforms at Barry Beach Marine Terminal, it says. 

The submission says ExxonMobil's aim is that more than 95% of the mostly steel material "will be able to be recycled or reused from our oil and gas structures". 

"Most recently we have awarded an execution contract to Allseas Marine Contractors, for the Pioneering Spirit heavy lift vessel (HLV) to remove the topsides and upper jacket sections of 12 platforms, commencing in 2027," it says.

Meanwhile, a submission from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis suggests that the government ensure offshore oil and gas companies are also covered by a 'trailing liabilities' Bill before Parliament.

The Bill currently only ensures coal mine owners can't escape financial liability for decommissioning and rehabilitation.

"Climate change threatens to upend traditional planning approaches," says a new report from the Victorian Ombudsman. 

"Catchments are changing, and homes built today must be designed to withstand tomorrow’s conditions," the report says. "Planning decisions should consider longer-term flood projections, where available."

"Embedding a 2100 flood planning horizon into the Victoria Planning Provisions, as is already done for coastal erosion, would assist local authorities to take necessary preventative action," it says. 

"It is also important that flood models continue to be updated as our understanding of climate change improves."

Nyrstar's Port Pirie lead smelter has delivered the first successful casting of antimony metal, which the state government describes as "a major milestone for the Port Pirie smelter and for Australia’s critical mineral supply".

The result follows the announcement earlier this year by the federal, South Australian and Tasmanian governments of a joint $135 million investment to help transform Nystar's Australian smelters so they can produce critical minerals.

Nyrstar Port Pirie is expected to ramp up production and export of antimony to 2,000 tonnes annually by the end of next year. It has the potential to scale up to 5,000 tonnes by 2028, equivalent to approximately 15% of global supply and almost 100% of the US 2023 import volume.

The WA EPA has released a new referral for Northern Star Resources' Kalgoorlie regional renewable energy project.

The project would comprise a 366MW wind and solar farm, and associated battery system, which would provide more than 70% of the electricity required by Northern Star's Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mine operations.

The project is the key component of the company's efforts to reduce its operational carbon emissions by 35% by 2030.

Issue 117, 17 November 2025

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen will be in Belém this week, to lead Australia's COP30 delegation.

A Senate committee inquiry into the toxic algal bloom off the coast of South Australia has made recommendations including taking steps to ensure better monitoring and management of climate-induced, slow-onset and significant ecological events.

South Australia is currently experiencing one of the largest algal bloom events ever recorded in Australian waters.

The federal government has released a Nationally Determined Contribution Investment Blueprint, targeting global investors. 

The blueprint summarises key opportunities arising from Australia's targets, plans and policies, and provides an overview of Australia’s investment landscape and settings. 

The Climate Change Authority has announced that Kath Rowley will be its new chief executive officer.

Rowley has most recently led DCCEEW's Emissions Reduction Division, spearheading the development of the government's net zero plan and sector plans. 

The Authority extended its thanks and appreciation to Brad Archer for his achievements in the role over the past seven years. 

In a policy reversal that aligns with a recent National Party decision, the Liberal Party no longer supports net zero, and will axe the existing 43% emissions reduction for 2030.

"We remain committed to the Paris Agreement and to doing our fair share to reduce emissions in a way that protects household budgets and keeps our economy strong," a Liberal Party statement said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Liberals had "chosen to walk away from jobs for Australians and investment certainty that the business community have said is so necessary going forward". 

"They're walking away from climate action. They fundamentally are dismissive of the science of climate change," he said.

The COP30 presidency has appointed Australia and India to assist it in matters relating to technology.

Meanwhile, videos of events hosted at Australia's COP30 pavilion are available on the DCCEEW YouTube channel.

Growing government investment in energy, as well as housing projects, has injected tens of billions into Australia’s major infrastructure pipeline - reversing a two-year decline and intensifying demand for workers, Infrastructure Australia has found. 

Infrastructure Australia's 2025 Infrastructure Market Capacity Report shows the nation's five-year major public infrastructure pipeline has grown $29 billion over the past year to reach $242 billion—its highest level since the agency started tracking investment five years ago.

Utilities infrastructure investment is projected at $36 billion, up $20 billion on the previous year's outlook. The increase is predominantly explained by additional transmission line projects.

Building projects, including social housing, are expected to rise $6 billion to $77 billion. Transport projects continue to account for more than half the total pipeline at $129 billion. 

Materials cost escalations have stabilised, but more attention is needed to ensure sovereign capability in steel and increase uptake of low emissions materials, the report says.

"Domestic steel fabrication capability presents a potential sovereign supply chain risk to a key infrastructure input," it says. 

"The industry reports being under severe pressure from cheaper imports (offered at up to 50% cheaper than what local producers can viably offer) and with import volumes growing by 50%."

Consultation opportunity - estimating emissions in primary industries. DCCEEW has released draft voluntary emissions estimation and reporting guidelines for agriculture, fisheries, and forestry.

The guidelines aim to improve greenhouse gas accounting for these industries to support mitigation action and market access, reduce their reporting burden, and ensure they have access to trusted tools to understand their emissions.

Comments are due by 19 December. 

Consultation opportunity - using climate scenarios. DCCEEW has released draft guidance on using climate scenarios that describe possible future climates. Comments are due by 19 December. 

ARENA has awarded a grant of $45 million to Fortescue to support the deployment of its Solar Innovation Hub in Western Australia's Pilbara region.

The hub aims to identify and overcome key barriers to cost-effective solar deployment through targeted trials of solar innovations that have the potential to reduce costs and fast-track scalable solutions, ARENA said.

Meanwhile, ARENA has also awarded a $25.3 million grant to SunDrive, to help it scale and commercialise its copper metallisation solar cell technology.

SunDrive’s copper-based process replaces silver in solar cells, aiming to cut costs and improve efficiency. 

Transcript is now available from last Wednesday's Senate committee hearing on information integrity in climate and energy, and transcript from last Thursday's hearing will be available shortly. 

The Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Unconventional Gas and Large Coal Mines has started work on its eighth Explanatory Note, which will focus on incorporating climate change into environmental assessments.

Work on the note is revealed in the committee's annual review of activities for FY25.

Organisations including Jet Zero, Licella Holdings, and Queensland Treasury will give evidence at a 19 November hearing of a parliamentary committee inquiry into sugarcane bioenergy opportunities.

Rail freight company Aurizon has signed a new agreement with CleanCo that will result in 25% of its electricity coming from renewable sources. 

The state government said the agreement strengthens Queensland's coal export supply chain.

Grant opportunity - electricity metering. The NSW government is offering grants totalling $4.5 million to help medium-to-large organisations to invest in electricity metering and monitoring solutions that better track their energy usage.

The state government has released Victoria's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report 2023, which it says shows the Victorian economy grew by more than 57% between 2005 and 2023, while emissions dropped more than 31%.

"The report showed Victorians emitted less greenhouse emissions per person than the national average," Climate Change Minister Lily D'Ambrosio said.

Emissions from the electricity sector have dropped by 39% since 2005, the report shows.

Since last year, the state government has unlocked more than $7.8 billion of investment across 22 renewable energy projects approved through its streamlined renewable energy approvals process, the Minister said.

Victoria's 2023-24 Water Accounts show that rainfall ranged from the lowest on record in the state's south-west to above average in parts of the northern country, central Victoria and around Sale.

Water storage levels fell during the year to 82%, down from 92%. Total water use was roughly 15% higher than the previous year. Of the water used:

• 57% supported irrigation. 
• 22% delivered environmental benefits to rivers and wetlands. 
• 17% supplied towns and cities. 
• 3% was used for rural domestic and stock use. 
• 2% was used for power generation.

The SA Labor government has sided with the Liberals to vote down a Billintroduced by Greens MLC Robert Simms that would have made it illegal to require a land owner to have or use a fossil gas connection.

A version of the Bill was first introduced by a former Greens MLC in 2018. 

"It is my recollection that the then Labor opposition supported the bill and indicated that it was something they were very interested in moving on, were they to return to government," Simms told the Upper House.

"Well, here we are, in the dying days of this term and no action has been taken, so I have no choice but to bring the bill to a vote, and I suspect it will die tonight," Simms said.

As predicted by Simms, the Bill was defeated, by 17 votes to two.

The WA EPA has released the EIS for Alinta Energy's proposed 550MW Marri wind farm.

The wind farm's capacity equates to approximently 10% of the current demand for electricity through the Southwest Interconnected System. 

Issue 116, 10 November 2025

A Senate committee inquiry into information integrity on climate change and energy has scheduled three hearings for this week.

CSIRO has released the Australian Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Roadmap, which details the potential for a CDR industry "that could help the nation, and the rest of the world, reach net zero".

The roadmap estimates the capacity and cost of a selection of novel CDR technologies, including direct air capture and storage, biomass carbon removal and storage, ocean alkalinity enhancement, and enhanced rock weathering.

"In Australia, it is projected that between 133–200 megatonnes of CO₂ per year of CDR will be needed by 2050, depending on how dramatically emissions are reduced," the report says. 

"These projections will not be achieved through a single approach or technology. Both existing conventional and novel CDR approaches will be needed." 

Approximately 60% of renewable energy capacity since 2017 has been contracted with or supported by a Corporate Power Purchase Agreement, says the latest annual State of the Corporate PPA Market report, released by the Business Renewables Centre of Australia.

In what it terms is "a historic move for Australia's carbon market", Accounting for Nature has issued the world's first Nxt.Nature CarbonPlus Units under a pilot program, with the units linked to Australian Carbon Credit Units.

The move marks the first time that independently certified environmental accounting data has been digitally linked to ACCUs, AfN said.

"The inaugural Nxt.Nature CarbonPlus issuance of 41,332 labelled units, spanning three ACCU vintages (2023/24, 2024/25, and 2025/26), was made to Austin Downs Station, a 167,570-hectare pastoral property in WA," AFN said. 

"Austin Downs is undertaking long-term landscape regeneration, which includes a Human-Induced Regeneration of a Permanent Even-Aged Native Forest project that has been issued ACCUs by the Clean Energy Regulator," it said.

"While many ACCU projects claim additional environmental benefits, no mechanism has previously existed in Australia to evidence these non-carbon nature-related outcomes at the unit level," it said. 

"Nxt.Nature CarbonPlus changes that by providing market-recognised proof that any co-benefit claims associated with carbon abatement are underpinned by quantified, third-party independent, assured nature measurement disclosures on the state of the linked environmental asset, in this instance, native vegetation."

Statutory development - separation of the AER. Parliament has passed a Bill that separates the Australian Energy Regulator from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, making it a separate entity. 

DCCEEW is consulting on the design of its proposed Solar Sharer Offer. Comments are due by 21 November. 

The government has formally confirmed that the Guarantee of Origin (GO) scheme will formally launch on 3 November. 

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation will provide a discount loan of up to $40 million to green finance company Brighte that is expected to support the roll out of up to $150 million of consumer energy resources across Australia. 

The finance will enable Brighte to offer discounted green loans to eligible Australian households for a wide range of energy upgrades - including solar and battery systems, energy-efficient heating and cooling, insulation, and EV chargers. 

Brighte's new discounted green loan product will offer an introductory promotional rate of 6.99%, with terms ranging from 2 to 10 years. Loans will be available for amounts between $2,000 and $55,000.

The Australian Energy Market Commission has released a draft determination that would establish Australia's first national framework for customers who want to stop gas supply to their property, including associated costs.  

AEMC Chair, Anna Collyer, noted that more customers are choosing to go all-electric.

"Yet we currently have no clear national rules on customers' options when they want to stop using gas and what costs they should pay if they decide to remove their connection," she said.  

The Clean Energy Regulator has released its FY25 annual report.

The University of Adelaide's Professor Yao Zheng has received the 2025 Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year, as part of the Prime Minister's 2025 Prizes for Science awards.

Professor Zheng received the prize for his work to produce clean hydrogen directly from seawater, instead of purified water.

DCCEEW has released a referral for Grupo Cobra's proposed 370MW Strontian solar farm in NSW, which would be integrated with a 335 MW/670MWh battery system.

The Greens have introduced the Higher Education Support Amendment (End Dirty Uni Partnerships) Bill 2025. 

The Bill would require universities to disclose and divest from any partnerships with fossil fuel companies, as well as weapons manufacturers, gambling, and tobacco companies.

More submissions are now available to a parliament committee inquiry into the Queensland government's energy roadmap legislation.

The Queensland Conservation Council said most submissions flagged "major concerns" with the legislation.

"Nexa Advisory argues keeping Queenslanders reliant on unreliable coal will increase wholesale electricity costs by 21% - or $115.7 billion - compared to a planned, orderly transition," the QCC noted. 

"Meanwhile the Electrical Trades Union highlights that it will likely cost $3.3 billion to refurbish state-owned coal power stations to keep them running – much more than the Crisafulli Government has allocated so far."

The NSW government has slashed the FY27 Peak Demand Reduction Certificate Scheme target for peak demand reduction from 7.5% to 0.5%. 

Without the target adjustment, around 80 million additional certificates would need to have been created and surrendered by March 2028, "risking a shortage of certificates and penalties for scheme participants", the state government said. 

Significant growth in existing and new activities will still be required to meet the FY26 and revised FY27 target," the state government said. 

"We estimate 22 million additional certificates will be needed by March 2028, with at least 13.5 million by March 2027." 

Certificates are earned through activities that reduce peak demand, such installing energy efficient appliances.

State significant wind and solar energy projects can take up to 12 months on average to prepare and lodge a scoping report with the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI)[3] to commence the formal assessment process., according to a new Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer survey.

Industry says total costs to secure planning approvals are higher for most clean energy projects in NSW compared to other States and Territories.

Two thirds (67%) said assessment was a greater source of delay compared to referral and approval under the federal EPBC Act.

Transcript is now available from the most recent hearing of a NSW parliamentary committee inquiry into the impact of renewable energy zones.

The hearing featured representatives of Endeavour Energy, Responsible Future, Good for the Gong, Hi Neighbour and Rewiring Australia.

EnergyCo has published the first Quarterly Monitoring Report under the Social Impact Management (SIM) Plan for the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) transmission project.  

The report covers the period June to September 2025  

The NSW government has placed on exhibition a proposal for Metlan Energy & Metals' 90MW Upper Hunter South solar farm, and integrated 30MW/60MWh battery system.

As part of new, soon-to-be-introduced local sourcing requirements for steel for major government projects, the government will take an "if not, why not" approach to procurement that will explicitly preference WA-made green steel.

To support this, the government will also publish a Western Australian Industry Participation Strategy (WAIPS) Addendum for steel, which will introduce stronger expectations for local sourcing, recognise the role of recycled and low-emissions steel, and insist on value-for-money assessments. It will also:

• Increase the supply of local steel to government projects.
• Release an open-market Expression of Interest for a green-steel product
  to supply those projects and programs. 
• Issue directions to Western Power, Synergy, and Horizon Power that will drive local content procurement.

Horizon Power is inviting proposals to supply power to the Pilbara from 2030.

The EOI invites proposals from a broad range of industry participants, including those with innovative renewable energy solutions and partnerships with Traditional Owner groups.

The EOI builds on the work already being undertaken as part of the Pilbara Energy Transition Plan, which will see the private sector develop common user transmission infrastructure to deliver renewable energy to heavy industry across the Pilbara. 

The EOI closes at the end of February.

The NT government has provided a not-to-deal commitment to Vopak and the Land Development Corporation, giving the company certainty to accelerate development of a CO2 import terminal at Middle Arm.

The commitment is a government pledge giving Vopak exclusive rights to take the project forward. 

The terminal will manage the import, storage and distribution of liquid CO2, "underpinning major offshore carbon capture and storage developments across Australia and the Asia Pacific region", the Territory government said.

The move follows the signing of an MoU between the former NT government and Vopak in July last year, to develop a common-user infrastructure including a CO2 import terminal in the Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct.

Issue 115, 3 November 2025

The Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia has instigated a new inquiry into preparing for emerging industries across northern Australia.

Terms of reference include:

• The global transition to net zero and furthering renewable energy decarbonisation and carbon abatement.
• Developing the critical minerals industry. 
• Supporting the development of export industries. 
• Supporting the decommissioning industry. 
• Training, attracting and retaining a skilled workforce.
• Empowering and upskilling local First Nations people.

Statutory development - climate change duty of care. A Bill introduced by Senator David Pocock, which would have inserted a duty of care to consider the impacts of emissions on the health and wellbeing of current and future Australian children, has been defeated in the Senate.

The Bill would also have prevented the making of decisions involving the exploration or extraction of fossil fuels where they would pose a material risk of harm to Australian children.

Labor senators opposed the Bill, as did nearly all Coalition senators. However, one SA Liberal Senator, Andrew McLachlan, spoke in favour of the Bill and voted for it.

The Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner has released a position statement on the treatment of renewable energy assets at end-of-life.

Statutory development - Australian Energy Regulator Bill. The Opposition has signalled it will support a government Bill to separate the Australian Energy Regulator and the ACCC.

Australia has launched its official COP30 website.

Higher renewable energy output and less market volatility contributed to a fall in wholesale electricity prices across all National Electricity Market regions during the September 2025 quarter, despite growing demand.

The Australian Energy Market Operator's Quarterly Energy Dynamics report showswholesale electricity prices for the NEM averaged $87 per MWh in the September quarter, a fall of 27% year-on-year and 38% since Q2 2025.

The federal industry department has released a guide to cross-border electricity trading, which aligns with the electricity trading framework signed by the Singaporean and Australian governments.

The federal government has gazetted the Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin) Methodology Determination 2025, which provides that the electrolysis production pathway is a production pathway for hydrogen. 

Meanwhile, the government has also gazetted the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Measurement) Amendment (2025 Update No. 2) Determination 2025. 

The determination amends the voluntary market-based method for determining scope 2 emissions to include Renewable Electricity Guarantee of Origin (REGO) certificates as eligible Renewable Energy Certificates under the NGER scheme.

ARENA has awarded a $4.96 million grant to Nextracker to deploy its proprietary solar construction and integrated tracker technologies across multiple solar farms.

The company will deploy its Nextracker's NX Earth Truss foundation solution, which replaces traditional piling methods that require a multi-step installation process, with foundations that are installed in a single pass. 

Research released by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation shows the Reef is now valued at $95 billion, and contributes more than $9 billion each year to the national economy.

The report, prepared by Deloitte Access Economics, also found that the World Heritage-listed Reef now supports 77,000 full-time equivalent jobs. 

If it was a business, it would be Australia's fifth largest employer, it says.

Climate action and investment in reef resilience "creates a $124 billion economic opportunity over the next 50 years", the report concludes.

"Climate action is critical to the long-term growth of the industries and jobs that rely on the Reef," it says.

"The Reef is not beyond saving," the report says. "But the window for decisive action is now if we are to safeguard the Reef’s economic, social and cultural value for future generations."

The federal government has approved a new battery energy storage system (BESS) located near Chinchilla, in the electorate of Nationals' leader David Littleproud, in just 19 days "thanks to considered site selection", Environment Minister Murray Watt has announced.

"The 400MW storage project will power up to 101,500 households for 4 hours at peak demand," the Minister said. 

One Nation Senator Sean Bell has formally notified the Senate that he will move for a Senate committee inquiry into Venn Energy's Lambruk solar project near Loomberah, in NSW.

Climate Change Authority Chair Matt Kean has delivered a major speech on grid decarbonisation, which discusses the role of network operators (presentation slides here).

Kean has also delivered a speech to a climate resilience emergency forum convened by independent MP Zali Steggall.

Transcript is now available from a 27 October public briefing convened by a Queensland parliamentary committee inquiry into the government's energy roadmap Bill.

PV Industries has opened a new solar panel recycling facility in Bankstown, with the help of a $3.3 million NSW EPA grant.

The new facility is expected to process up to 6,000 tonnes of solar panels per year, divert approximately 200,000 panels annually from landfill.

Another solar panel recycling facility has been commissioned in Parkes by Australia's largest e-waste processing business, Sircel Ltd, and has started ramping up processing. The facility aims to process 160,000 solar panels or 3,500 tonnes per year. 

The Western Renewables Link project, delivered by AusNet, has committed $55 million to deliver benefits to regional communities along the proposed project route, according to materials submitted as part of the opening of the Environment Effects Statement (EES) panel hearing process.

Of this, $15 million has already been made available during the development phase, in response to community feedback calling for earlier benefits. The remaining $40 million will be delivered if the 190-kilometre transmission line is approved and proceeds to construction.

This commitment make the project's Benefit Sharing Program one of the largest established by an Australian transmission infrastructure project, according to AusNet. 

Of the $55 million commitment, $30 million will fund community partnerships and investments in projects such as renewable energy upgrades, improved mobile phone connectivity and new community infrastructure. 

The Victorian government has approved two more renewable energy projects after assessing them through its fast-track Development Facilitation Program (DFP).

The two projects are the 332MW Meadow Creek solar farm near Wangaratta, and Eku Energy's battery energy storage system in Hazelwood.

Meadow Creek has sufficient capacity to power about 140,000 homes, and the BESS will have the capacity to meet peak evening demand for about 85,000 homes.

"Since the DFP was expanded to include renewable energy projects last year, the Labor Government has unlocked more than $7.8 billion worth of investment across 22 projects that will create more than 3,000 new jobs in construction and operations," the state government said.

Statutory development - VicGrid. The state government has gazetted new VicGrid Regulations to make modifications to the National Electricity Rules, and to confer on AEMO a function of providing services and other support to VicGrid.

Landholders who host transmission infrastructure required for Project Marinus will receive $200,000 per kilometre, under a new Tasmanian Government announcing a Strategic Benefit Payment Scheme.

"This is about supporting our farmers, respecting our regions, and helping power Tasmania’s clean energy future," Premier Jeremy Rockliff said.

Grant opportunity - fossil gas. The South Australian government is offering SA Gas Initiative offers grant funding of up to $2.5 million per eligible project for gas projects that help the state meet its mid-to-long-term energy needs.

The Initiative will allocate funding from a newly established Gas Security Infrastructure Fund to stimulate investment in a range of projects that increase gas supply, increase gas capacity, or both. These could include projects that:

• Enhance geological knowledge of areas of potential gas supplies close to existing infrastructure.
• Drive the adoption of new technologies to lift productivity and improve the efficiency of gas production.
• Identify gas storage solutions.
• Support infrastructure to unlock new gas supply or improve deliverability.

The NT EPA has invited comment on a referral for SunCable's Muckaty solar precinct.

Renewable energy generated by the project will supply industrial customers in Darwin, and Singapore.

"SunCable is seeking environmental approval over multiple potential solar generation sites on Muckaty that can be developed in stages over an extended period as customer offtake agreements are secured," the referral says. 

"Initial assessments indicate that the Preliminary Disturbance Footprint can accommodate enough solar fields for approximately 20GW of peak electrical output."

"More recently, SunCable has also identified data centres as a highly prospective market and is exploring the potential for data centre customers to locate near a large-scale renewable energy supply," the referral says.

Issue 114, 27 October 2025

Statutory architecture for Australia's Guarantee of Origin scheme is now in place.

The federal government has set 3 November as the commencement date for legislation governing the scheme.

The associated Measurement Standard has been gazetted, so have regulations on fees, as well as amending regulations on auditing, and an auditing determination.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Donald Trump have signed an agreement on critical minerals and rare earths, which aims to accelerate priority projects and bolster the US/Australia supply chain.

The US and Australia have also agreed to each provide at least US$1 billion in investments towards an USD$8.5 billion pipeline of priority critical minerals projects in the two countries over the next six months.

ARENA has awarded a $25 million grant to Melbourne-based company Relectrify to fast-track the roll-out of its world-first, AC1 battery energy storage system.

Unlike conventional batteries, the AC1 can generate grid-ready AC power directly from battery cells, without the need for an inverter, cutting costs, and reducing battery degradation. 

Australia's Youth Advisory Council on International Climate Change is hosting its first Youth Climate workshop webinar on Monday 3 November.

The webinar is open to everyone aged 18 to 30 with an interest in climate change.

The federal government has approved Tilt Renewables' 108MW Waddi wind farmproposed for a site near Dandaragan in Western Australia's Wheatbelt.

The ACCC has approved an electricity buying group led by the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy (SACOME).

Previous, similar approvals granted to SACOME by the ACCC resulted in the organisation signing an eight-year supply contract with renewable energy retailer ZEN Energy.

The federal government has appointed Alison Rowe to its Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee.

Rowe is the global chief executive officer of Edge Impact. 

She is also the former managing director of the Nature Conservancy, and a former chair of the Infrastructure Sustainability Council. 

Submissions are now available on the statutory review of the Energy Industry Jobs Plan process administered by the Net Zero Economy Authority. 

Geoscience Australia has released the latest edition of Australia's Energy Commodity Resources (AECR).

ACER provides resource estimates of the nation's non-renewable energy commodity resources, and an overview of projects and policy developments related to clean energy technologies.  

"It's not an exaggeration to state that this nation stands as a beacon of promise in a sea of uncertainty," Climate Change Authority Chair Matt Kean has said in a speechin Sydney.

"But goals, of course, don’t kick themselves," he said. "We are going to need supportive and enduring policy, and private capital – lots of it."

"To achieve the transition off fossil fuels, we will need a tripling of utility-scale solar energy and a four-fold increase in wind energy capacity by 2035, the Authority’s targets advice to the government showed," he said.

"Large-scale storage will need to expand six-fold, and rooftop and other distributed solar capacity will have to double to 48GW."

Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE) has announced the appointment of Kylea Tink and Rod Henderson to its Board of Directors.

Tink is currently CEO of Foodbank Australia, and is a former MP. Henderson was formerly CEO of Ampcontrol Australia, and serves on the board of the Committee for the Hunter.

Carbon project developer AgriProve has recently registered 30 new ACCU soil carbon projects, and revoked seven existing projects, the latest Clean Energy Regulator update shows.

The Queensland government has released a new toolkit for councils on building and maintaining social licence for renewable energy projects. 

The toolkits being developed in conjunction with the Local Government Association of Queensland.

A NSW parliamentary committee inquiry into the impact of renewable energy zones has scheduled a hearing in Wollongong for Wednesday.

Those giving evidence include chief executives of Endeavour Energy and Rewiring Australia. 

A NSW parliamentary committee inquiry into emissions from the fossil fuel sector has scheduled a hearing for 12 December. 

The Australian Industry Greenhouse Network has released a submission on the NSW EPA's proposed licensee requirements for large emitters, as has the Australian Conservation Foundation.

The NSW government has announced grants for 29 exploration projects totalling almost $2.5 million, delivered through its Critical Minerals and High Tech Metals Exploration Program. 

A total of 21 of the projects are focused on copper exploration.

The NSW government has approved APA Group to convert its Moomba to Sydney ethane pipeline to deliver up to 25 terajoules of fossil gas to Sydney each day. The 1,200km high-pressure pipeline hasn't been used since 2023. 

The additional gas is equal to the annual gas use of about 1,300 NSW homes.

EPA Victoria has released draft guidance on minimising pollution and waste risks in a changing climate.

A webinar is scheduled for 6 November, and comments are due by 3 December. 

Organisations that have made submissions to a Victorian parliamentary inquiry into decommissioning oil and gas infrastructure include the Academy of Science and Technological Sciences and Engineering, and the Centre of Decommissioning Australia (CODA).

CODA says infrastructure offshore from Victoria includes 255 oil and gas wells, 22 fixed platforms, and 1,437 kilometres of pipelines.

Esso has so far plugged and abandoned more than 200 of these wells, and this work will continue through to 2027.

Decommissioning of all infrastructure will be completed by the early 2040s, CODA says.

CODA says the federal government is working on a financial assurance methodology to apply to decommissioning, and urges Victoria and other states to work together on an approach to financial assurances. 

The Academy says Victoria should mandate that operators of offshore oil and gas infrastructure regularly disclose facility conditions, environmental risks, and any leakage. 

The Victorian government has announced a $75 million investment in five specialist venture capital funds, including Virescent Ventures Fund II, which it describes as Australia's largest and most active dedicated climate technology investor.

The state-owned SEC has opened a new community hub in the Latrobe Valley town of Morwell.

The hub features interactive displays that show how renewable energy is generated and stored through wind, solar and batteries. Visitors can also explore model electric appliances.

The hub also celebrates the SEC's history in the Latrobe Valley.

The Board of Tasmania's EPA has approved a proposal by Boyer Paper Mill Limited for coal processing at its Boyer pulp and paper mill.

The proposal involves screening and crushing 90,000 tonnes of coal annually, supplied from interstate by Yancoal.

The screening and crushing is required because the local Tasmanian company that has until now supplied Boyer with coal for its boiler can no longer supply the mill.

The mill is conducting feasibility studies on switching away from coal.

A  call for tenders is now underway inviting bids to provide 700MW of long duration dispatchable capacity, under South Australia's Firm Energy Reliability Mechanism (The FERM).

South Australia generates 75% of its electricity from renewables and is on track to hit 100% net renewables by 2027.

"This achievement has only been possible because of the capacity of gas to firm the grid," the state government said.

FERM will establish contracts with eligible existing and new long-duration firm capacity power generators, effectively underwriting a portion of their revenues. 

"We anticipate a range of new long-duration storage technologies will participate, in addition to gas turbines," the state government said.

The climate change impacts of Woodside's Scarborough LNG project can be quantified, according to a new article in NPJ Climate Action.

Statutory development - electricity market. The NT Legislative Assembly has passed bills that overhaul the operation of the electricity market. 

Minister for Mining and Energy, and Minister for Renewables Gerard Maley said the legislation would establish new market and governance arrangement for the procuring of electricity assets and energy contracting.

Issue 113, 20 October 2025

Consultation opportunity - green aluminium. The federal government is inviting feedback on the design of a $2 billion Green Aluminium Production Credit scheme that would support aluminium smelters to decarbonise.

The proposal would entitle smelters to negotiate an emissions-linked credit contract, if they greatly reduce their carbon emissions before 2036. 

The credit would be payable per tonne of green aluminium produced for up to 10 years, or up until 2044, whichever is sooner.

Green aluminium is a priority sector under the Future Made in Australia National Interest Framework, which guides how the government identifies priority industries, and how public investment is provided.

Australia is the largest exporter of alumina and the sixth largest exporter of aluminium. Combined with bauxite, the sector contributed $17 billion to the economy in export value in FY24.

The federal government has released a roadmap for expanding the Commercial Building Disclosure (CBD) program. 

Currently, the roadmap requires companies that own large commercial office buildings to obtain an energy efficiency rating and to disclose it when selling, leasing or subleasing the building, or space within it.

The expansion would include extending the scheme to other types of entities that own office buildings, such as trusts, commercial strata, and government entities.

Large tenants of office buildings will also be required to periodically obtain energy ratings for their tenanted space. 

The scheme will also over time extend to large hotels, and buildings that only partially consist of office space. 

The roadmap also describes further expansions of the scheme, once the initial phase of expansions is completed. 

"In Australia, non-residential buildings contribute around 10% of total emissions in the economy, most of this outside the office sub-sector, representing significant opportunities to decarbonise," according to DCCEEW.

DCCEEW has scheduled a webinar on Australia's net zero plan for 23 October. Register here. 

DCCEEW has launched a new First Nations Climate Action webpage. It is also inviting expressions of interest from First Nations People to join the Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Water Interests.

the Net Zero Economy Authority has also applied to the Fair Work Commission for a community of interest determination to support workers at the closing Torrens Island B Power Station.  

This would formally establish an Energy Industry Jobs Plan (EIJP) for Torrens, allowing its workers to access additional supports from AGL, and potentially providing grants to local businesses.  

The Investor Group on Climate Change has released two new reports - one on building board capability for the climate transition, and the other on what investors expect from companies on physical climate risk.

The Monash Sustainable Development Institute has released guidance for the healthcare sector on reducing carbon emissions, and lowering costs. 

The report draws on insights from 135 healthcare professionals across 54 organisations.

Statutory development - energy. Energy Minister David Janetzki has introduced an Energy Roadmap Amendment Bill that will repeal the state's renewable energy targets. 

"Planning and investment in Queensland’s energy system will no longer be driven by targets that narrowly focus on renewable energy production in Queensland," the Bill says.

The Bill also replaces terminology regarding "renewable energy zones" with "regional energy hubs".

A new report from Beyond Zero Emissions says Gladstone can lead Australia's clean industrial future, but risks falling behind unless renewables, transmission and infrastructure are delivered on time.

"Despite a strong pipeline of projects and bold industry ambition, just 12% of the renewable energy capacity needed is currently operational or under construction," the BZE report concludes.

Climate Change Minister Penny Sharpe has released the final report of the independent Transmission Planning Review, which examined transmission planning arrangements in NSW and made recommendations for reform.

The report says the process for authorising Renewable Energy Zone network infrastructure projects should be simplified and accelerated as soon as possible.

It also recommends that EnergyCo be made the exclusive transmission infrastructure planner in the state, and calls for better engagement and transparency. 

The government has also released its response to the recommendations.

Statutory development - energy. Climate Change Minister Penny Sharpe has introduced an Energy Legislation Amendment Bill, which amends six pieces of legislation.

The omnibus Bill will streamline the authorisation process for renewable energy zone network infrastructure projects, in line with recommendations of the Transmission Planning Review (above).

It also expands the eligibility for benefit sharing programs. 

In addition, the bill creates a head of power to allow NSW to derogate from the National Electricity Rules "to create a clear framework to manage system strength in renewable energy zones", the Minister said. 

Meanwhile, the bill also slashes the targets for the amount of green hydrogen that must be subsidised through NSW's Renewable Fuel Certificate scheme. 

The scheme - which is currently due to start next year - will require fossil gas retailers and large gas users to purchase and surrender green hydrogen certificates, which are created by green hydrogen producers. 

In its current form, the RFC scheme requires that liable entities purchase certificates representing a total of 1,780,000 gigajoules in 2027, and to pay a penalty fee if they fail to do so. 

But the Bill slashes this to only 180,000GJ. The Bill also makes 2027 the first year of operation for the scheme. 

"These changes ensure costs are not passed on to gas consumers until there is hydrogen available in the market," the Minister said.

The NSW government has granted approval for Ark Energy's $1.2 billion, 435MW Richmond Valley solar farm near Rappville in the Northern Rivers.

The project will also support the community with a proposed $11 million Voluntary Planning Agreement with Richmond Valley Council.

Listed on the federal National Priority List, the Richmond Valley Solar and battery system project is Ark Energy's second project in NSW to receive planning approval, following approval last year of Stage 1 of the Bowmans Creek wind farm.

The Richmond Valley solar farm is the 14th approved by the government.

VicGrid has announced three consortia will be invited to submit tenders for the delivery of transmission infrastructure to support the development of an offshore wind industry. 

The three consortia are Gippsland Coast Connect (which includes Iberdrola and John Holland), Genesis Partnerships (AusNet and UGL), and Acciona (in conjunction with Genus Infrastructure).

With federal funding, the Tasmanian government will conduct a feasibility study for a Common User Processing Facility (CUPF) for critical minerals.

The study, to be finalised next year, will focus on tin and tungsten in the state's north west.

Issue 112, 13 October 2025

The Office of the Chief Economist has released its latest Resources and Energy Quarterly, which forecasts that a rapid decline in oil prices will lead to weaker LNG prices, prompting a decline in export earnings from $108 billion in FY25 to $81 billion in FY27.

Other highlights include:

• A continued easing of alumina earnings in FY26 as the price surge of 2024 continues to unwind. From over $12 billion in FY25, earnings are forecast to fall to $9 billion by FY27.
• A pick up in lithium earnings, as prices recover from recent substantial falls. Earnings are forecast to rise from $4.8 billion in FY25 to $6.1 billion in FY27.
• Growth in export earnings from other critical minerals from $2 billion in FY25 to $5 billion by FY27. This will be driven by the resumption of manganese production at GEMCO, and an expansion of other rare earth projects, including the Lynas Kalgoorlie processing facility.

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has announced the results of Tender 4 under the Capacity Investment Scheme, with the 20 projects that made successful bids expected to deliver a total of 6.6GW of new capacity.

Twelve of the 20 projects are hybrid projects that include a battery component.

Meanwhile, the Minister will this week be in China and India for portfolio meetings. 

In Beijing, Bowen will meet with his counterpart Minister Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment, for the 9th Australia-China Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Change.

In New Delhi, he will have a range of meetings with Indian and Australian representatives, including with Minister Pralhad Joshi, Minister of New and Renewable Energy and Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, to convene the first Renewable Energy Partnership Ministers Meeting. 

Resources Minister Madeleine King has given a speech in Perth to the Australia-Japan Cooperation Committee, focusing on critical minerals, CCS, and Australia's gas exports.

Grant opportunity - hydrogen. ARENA has opened the second round of its Hydrogen Headstart Program, with up to $2 billion in funding available. 

ARENA is inviting expressions of interest from projects that

• demonstrate innovative plant construction and design to reduce capital costs. 
• improve the efficiency of electrolysers.
• demonstrate flexible operations and other methods to reduce the cost of renewable electricity. 
• enhance end-use infrastructure for priority sectors, including hydrogen for green ammonia, iron and steel, alumina, aviation and shipping.

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation's latest annual report says that in FY25 CEFC investments totalling a record $4.7 billion led to a $25.7 billion uplift in new investment toward net zero.

CEFC investment capital was increased by $2.65 billion in FY25, and it now has access to more than $33 billion in capital to catalyse the flow of capital into the clean energy transition.

Manufacturing Australia, which has members including BlueScope and Cement Australia, has launched a "fair gas prices" campaign and website. 

The group is seeking a national gas reservation scheme, and faster approvals for new gas projects. 

BlueScope CEO Mark Vassella launched the campaign in a speech to the National Press Club. 

DCCEEW has released a CSRIO report on the impact of climate change on three Ramsar wetlands - Riverland, Barmah Forest, and Macquarie Marshes.

All three wetlands are expected to undergo significant ecological shifts, affecting hydrology, biodiversity, and ecological character, the report says.

DCCEEW has released a CSIRO report on Australian and global Synthetic Greenhouse Gas emissions.

The report says total Australian HFC, PFC and sulfur hexafluoride emissions based on CSIRO data have grown from 1,459 tonnes in 2005 to 3,320 tonnes in 2023, which corresponds to an increase from 4.0 million tonnes of CO2e, to 8.1 million tonnes. 

Export Finance Australia has delivered its first major transaction in India, providing a guarantee of US$171 million to support Power Finance Corporation in the financing of green infrastructure.

A new project initiated by Climateworks, in collaboration with the Mission Possible Partnership, will focus on accelerating a transformation to clean industry in Southeast Asia.

"State-owned coal assets will continue operating for as long as needed in
Queensland's electricity system," says Queensland's Energy Minister David Janetzki in an introduction to the state government's new energy roadmap.

"Delivering on this commitment, the Roadmap resets indicative operating timeframes for state-owned coal assets at least to technical lives, with options to further extend into the future where needed," Janetzki says. 

"Going forward, decisions will be evaluated on system need, asset integrity and economic viability — a clear and credible decision matrix for the market," he says. 

The roadmap does not mention climate change, although it does include a couple of references to net zero by 2050.

Responding to the roadmap, the Clean Energy Council said: "While the Government has made a decision to pivot from the state's Renewable Energy Targets, renewable energy will continue to play a role in Queensland's future energy mix with an additional 6.8GW of wind and solar and 3.8GW of storage by 2030". 

"The cost-saving benefits of rooftop solar have also been extended to more Queenslanders through the Supercharged Solar for Renters Program, which is welcomed."

The Smart Energy Council said the roadmap would "increase Queensland consumers' energy bills, and will damage the national capacity to respond to climate change for decades to come".

The Clean Energy Investor Group said that elements of the roadmap "risk damaging investor confidence at a critical time".

The Australian Energy Producers, which represents upstream fossil gas businesses, welcomed the five-year roadmap.

A Queensland parliamentary inquiry into sugarcane bioenergy opportunities has scheduled public briefings for 19 November.

The NSW Independent Planning Commission has approved the proposed 500MW Tallawang solar farm proposed for a site near Gulgong, within the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone.

The proponent has undertaken to provide the Mid-Western Regional Council with $425,000 annually for 35 years.

The ACCC has authorised 1Circle Pty Ltd, and associated renewable energy buying groups that will comprise Victorian local councils, and potentially Victorian businesses, as well as service provider organisations such as hospitals and schools.

The Essential Services Commission is consulting on guidance and administrative requirements for the new Victorian Energy Upgrades scheme activity that subsidises commercial and industrial solar PV installations. 

Comments are due by 16 October. 

The Victorian government-owned SEC is teaming up with Bunnings to host a series of "Why Electrify" weekends across selected stores.

The Tasmanian government has released a discussion paper on a proposed new agriculture strategy, which covers issues including natural capital, climate change, and the circular economy. 

Comments are due by 14 November.

The first tender under South Australia's new Firm Energy Reliability Mechanism (FERM) will open later this month.

The tender will target 700 MW of capacity across three timeframes. Market briefing materials ahead of the tender opening later this month.

In line with the advice of WA's Appeals Convenor, Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn has rejected appeals against works approval granted to Woodside for a second Pluto LNG train on the Burrup Peninsula.

The appellants argued that the works approval conditions did not adequately protect Murujuga rock art, and did not sufficiently prevent human health impacts linked to greenhouse gas emissions.

The Appeals Convenor recommended that the appeals be dismissed. However, the Convenor's report also noted that one appellant had pointed out that there are examples overseas of LNG liquefaction trains that are designed to be electric motor driven (e-drive) rather than powered by gas turbines. 

The transition of LNG facilities to e-drive would accelerate greenhouse gas emission reductions and provide opportunities for industry diversification, the report points out.

The appeal was launched in 2021.

The WA government has appointed Churchill Capital Consulting (trading as SIA) to develop an Advanced Biofuels Strategy for the state.

"WA is well placed to fuel this emerging industry, with ready supplies of oat, wheat and barley stubble, as well as canola and woody biomass from mallees and blue gums," said Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis.

SIA will be assisted by GHD, which will prepare an economic analysis of WA's biomass feedstocks, supply chains and technology pathways.

The WA EPA has received a referral from Synergy for a proposed 100MW wind farm near Augusta, in WA's south-west.

Issue 111, 6 October 2025

Consultation opportunity - bioenergy feedstock strategy. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry has released a discussion paper on a national bioenergy feedstock strategy. 

The paper says much of Australia's potential feedstock - such as canola, cottonseed, tallow, sugar and sorghum - is currently exported in high volumes. 

"The establishment of domestic processing would open up new market opportunities for these feedstocks, providing an opportunity to add value on-shore," it says.

"Bioenergy – including renewable or low carbon liquid fuels (LCLF), low carbon gases and solid biofuels – will be a critical factor in Australia's net zero transition," the paper says. 

"Expanding the use of these fossil fuel alternatives will enable the decarbonisation of aviation, heavy freight, maritime, mining and some industrial processes," it says. 

Comments are due by 7 November. 

Transcript is now available of two hearings conducted by a Senate committee inquiry into information integrity on climate and energy. 

The Productivity Commission has released 152 submissions made in response to its net zero interim report:

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has gazetted a revised funding strategy for ARENA for the next two financial years. It specifies that ARENA's strategic priorities for this period are to:

• Unlock ultra low-cost solar. 
• Optimise the transition to renewable electricity.
• Commercialise renewable hydrogen. 
• Support the transition to low emissions metals. 
• Decarbonise transport.

ARENA has awarded grants totalling more than $12 million to three manufacturers to demonstrate low emission technologies for process heat, that reduce the reliance on fossil gas.

McCain Foods will use its $7.38 million funding under ARENA's Industrial Transformation Stream (ITS) to implement two interconnected heat recovery systems at its Ballarat potato processing site.

The first system will recover high-temperature heat from condensate to decrease boiler demand, and the second will capture lower temperature fryer exhaust heat and use it to produce hot water, which will then be upgraded to steam using an electrically driven mechanical vapour recompression (MVR) system. 

The proposed systems are expected to lower the site's fossil gas boiler load by 22%.

Sugar Australia will use its $4.1 million National Industrial Transformation (NIT) grant for a project at its Yarraville sugar refinery that will replace traditional fossil gas evaporators with an electrically driven MVR system. 

Blackmores will receive $723,900 through the NIT scheme to replace a boiler at its Braeside manufacturing facility with a high-efficiency heat pump and a hot water buffer tank. 

The project is expected to cut the Braeside facility's fossil gas consumption by about 25%. 

The CEFC has invested $7 million in a Series B capital raise by SwarmFarm Robotics, to accelerate the rollout of lightweight, self-driving 'SwarmBots' - precision robots that reduce herbicide use by up to 95% and cut fuel-related emissions by 35%.

The autonomous robot technology enables precision weed control spraying and supports “no till” agriculture - which preserve soil structure and moisture.

The Australian Energy Market Operator has published an update to the 2025 Electricity Statement of Opportunities (ESOO), which provides a 10-year reliability outlook for the National Electricity Market.

The update takes into account the delayed retirement of three units (600MW) at the Torrens Island B Power Station in South Australia from 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2028, and the earlier potential closure of the 1,1680MW Gladstone power station in Queensland, from 2035 to 31 March 2029.

Ahead of a Board meeting tomorrow, the Australian Accounting Standards Board has released an information paper on climate-related information disclosures and proposed amendments to IFRS S2/AASB S2.

Meanwhile, the Monash Business School and Purpose Bureau have released a new report on Understanding the Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards Reporting Universe. 

Consultation opportunity - E3 coverage of heat pump hot water heaters. DCCEEW has issued a Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (CRIS) on the merits of regulating heat pump hot water heater under the E3 energy rating and labelling scheme. 

Comments are due by 31 October.

The state government has announced new board appointments to CleanCo a new Chair, Susan Rix), CS Energy, Energy Queensland, Powerlink, the Port of Townsville (six appointments), North Queensland Bulk Ports (four new appointments), and SunWater. 

NSW's latest electricity infrastructure tender is seeking to secure about 500MW of additional firming and/or demand response capacity from projects that can support reliability in the Sydney-Newcastle-Wollongong region.

Projects must be able to achieve commercial operations before November 2027, with batteries, gas generation, demand response, and aggregated portfolios of smaller batteries eligible to participate.

By the end of the year, another 42 Northern Rivers flood-affected properties will be offered for auction under NSW's $880 million Resilient Homes Program, for relocation by the new owners to flood-free land.

The state government has so far auctioned 83 properties under the scheme.

Commercial and industrial businesses that install rooftop solar systems of between 30 and 200 kilowatts will now be eligible for discounts worth up to $34,300 through the Victorian Energy Upgrade scheme. 

The state government has released a new report on Victoria's water resources under a changing climate. 

"Victoria's warming and drying climate has resulted in less water in rivers, streams, dams, and groundwater, as well as a greater risk of droughts, floods, fires and heatwaves," the report says. 

"As the climate changes, increasing water demand and decreasing supply in Victoria’s variable hydroclimate is challenging for water managers."

The report concludes: 

• mean annual runoff and water resources averaged across Victoria will likely decrease by about 25% by 2060, relative to 1976–2005.
• cool season rainfall in the state has continued to decline, while severe rain events throughout the year have become more frequent.
• droughts in Victoria are likely to become longer, more frequent and more intense.

The state government has started releasing more precise flood maps that provides risk ratings ranging from 'low' to 'very high'.

The state government will also introduce new planning and building controls that distinguish between very high-risk areas where development must be avoided, high-risk areas where development warrants careful assessment, moderate-risk areas where projects will need to include the right safeguards, and low-risk areas.

The changes will enable catchment management authorities to lead flood modelling and community engagement, which will reduce costs for local councils, the state government says.

The NT government has agreed to underwrite $75 million of a $180 million loan to Tamboran Resources and its partner to develop their Beetaloo Basin pilot gas project. 

The Territory government will also purchase the first supplies from Beetaloo, securing up to 40TJ/day from Tamboran, and up to 25TJ/day from Beetaloo Energy Australia.

Issue 110, 29 September 2025

"This is the decisive decade for acting on the environmental challenge of climate change – and seizing the economic opportunities of clean energy," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has told the UN General Assembly.

"Just as our traditional resources have helped power the extraordinary economic transformation of our region, our renewables can underpin new prosperity for the growing economies of the Indo-Pacific," the Prime Minister said.

"Our Pacific family is partnering with us in our bid to host COP 31," Albanese said. "We want to bring the world with us on climate change."

"Not by asking any nation to forego the jobs or security its people deserve. But by working with every nation to seize and share those opportunities."

"Australia has huge potential for CCS," Resources Minister Madeleine King has said in a speech delivered in Japan.

"We have the right geological formations, the right infrastructure, and the right skills to be at the forefront of CCS and to help our regional partners in their own decarbonisation journeys," the Minister said.

"Crucially, Japanese and Australian firms are also collaborating and sharing knowledge to create real value chains," she said.

"INPEX and Chubu Electric Power are jointly studying a Nagoya to Australia CCS value chain that would capture CO₂ around the Port of Nagoya and ship it to the Bonaparte Basin."

"Woodside Energy has signed an MOU with Sumitomo Corporation, Toho Gas and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha assessing a similar Japan-Australia CCS corridor for the Chūbu region."

"And one of those 10 storage assessment permits I granted last year went to J POWER, which is working with Australian companies deepC Store and Azuli International to progress floating storage and injection concepts that could aggregate CO₂ volumes from Japan."

"That is bilateral cooperation in action," the Minister said.

A Senate committee inquiry into climate and energy information integrity will hold public hearings today and tomorrow.

Those appearing before the hearing include representatives of InfluenceMap, Climate Action Against Disinformation, and the Climate and Development Lab. The Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner will also give evidence. 

A Senate committee inquiry into climate risk assessment has released the transcript of a recent hearing. 

The federal government has awarded climate-smart agriculture grants totalling $16 million for 10 projects.

Grants include $2.9 million to Sheep Producers Australia, $1.8 million to Ricegrowers Ltd, and $2.7 million to Soils for Life.

Grant opportunity - industrial decarbonisation. ARENA has invited expressions of interest from regional industrial facilities for funding under through the third round of its Industrial Transformation Stream, with a total of $180 million on offer.

The funding round has two streams - one focused on innovative technologies that have not been tried before and could deliver major impact, and the other on accelerating existing technologies.

The funding round can support projects ranging from feasibility studies and front-end engineering and design (FEED), to trials, demonstrations and deployment. 

Meanwhile, ARENA is also inviting expressions of interest for grants under its Advancing Renewables Program for community electrification demonstration projects.

Consultation opportunity - Net Zero Fund. The federal government is consulting on the proposed design of its new $5 billion Net Zero Fund. Comments are due by 15 October. 

Consultation opportunity - offshore decommissioning. The federal government is consulting on progress by the Offshore Decommissioning Directorate in implementing Australia's offshore resources decommissioning roadmap.

Comments are due by 24 October. 

Public submissions are now available to the federal government's gas market review consultation.

The government's 2035 target range has implications for the average annual decline rate under the Safeguard Mechanism, which currently stands at 4.9% annually, says the Investor Group on Climate Change.

"Due to the target range, baseline reductions from 2030 onwards will be harder for industry to forecast until the Safeguard review is complete," the IGCC says. 

A 62% NDC is an indicative 4.82% decline rate, a 65% NDC is an indicative 5.5% decline rate and a 70% NDC is an indicative 6.85% decline rate," the IGCC says.  

Coexistence Queensland has released a report on 'Leveraging the lessons from the development of the Queensland onshore gas industry'. 

The report, prepared by the University of Queensland Gas and Energy Transition Research Centre, examines gas industry efforts to ensure successful coexistence in regional areas, and discusses the applicability of these efforts to new energy and resource projects.

A parliamentary inquiry into the impact of renewable energy zones on regional communities conducted a public hearing last Friday in Singleton.

Those giving evidence included representatives of local councils, Ausgrid, Transgrid, and the Hunter Jobs Alliance.

The NSW government has tabled in Parliament a report by the NSW DCCEEW on creating employment and supporting industry renewable energy in NSW. 

The NSW government has awarded a $2 million grant to Solidcast, to boost production of low-carbon concrete panels for use in housing and other projects.

The NSW government has announced five successful recipients of grants under the first round of the First Nations Fund, which ensures renewable energy projects connecting to the Central West-Orana REZ provide meaningful opportunities for Aboriginal people and communities. 

Grant applications are now being accepted under the second round, with $4 million available.

The state government has released a new Water Security Plan that examines options to cater for future water demand across Melbourne, Geelong and connected regions.

Over the past 27 years, inflows into Melbourne’s major water storages have declined by 17%, and the new plan involves investigations to look at ways to boost available water supply, and help make the state less dependent on rainfall. 

The plan notes that the existing Victorian Desalination Plant can be expanded from its current capacity of 150 GL to produce a further 50 GL of water a year.

Statutory development - VEU scheme. The state government has gazetted the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Amendment (Commercial and Industrial Solar, High Efficiency Motors and Other Matters) Regulations 2025.

Grant opportunity - climate change. Grants of between $25,000 and $100,000 are on offer to small- and medium-sized businesses under the state government's Climate Change Business Innovation grants program. Applications close on 17 November.

The ACCC has proposed granting authorisation for the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy Inc (SACOME) and its participating members to form a joint electricity buying group. 

Initial participants include Adchem, Orora, Woodland, IGA, and Nippy's. The membership will expand, but SACOME has undertaken that the group will not exceed 5% of the total annual electricity supply in South Australia's NEM, 1% of the total supply in the NEM, and 1% of the total supply in the WA or NT markets.

Horizon Power has successfully completed a 12-month trial testing technology to facilitate two-way charging of electric vehicles.

The NT EPA has decided to amend and renew the environmental licence for Santos's Darwin LNG facility, located at Wickham Point.

New conditions include a requirement to prevent and manage fugitive methane emissions to a level that is as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) and acceptable to the NT EPA.

Issue 109, 22 September 2025

The federal government has accepted the Climate Change Authority's recommended 2035 target range - a 62% to 70% reduction below 2005 levels.

"Our advice recognises geopolitical uncertainties, implementation barriers and the potential for technological advances," says the Authority's advice. "That's why we recommend a target range."

"It involves cutting Australia’s emissions by roughly half from the current level, requiring emissions to decline by around 19 to 24 million tonnes CO2-e per year on average from 2024 through to 2035," it says.

"This compares with the average reduction of 9 million tonnes CO2-e per year achieved from 2005–2024, and the 16 million tonnes CO2-e per year required to reach the national 2030 target."

"Technologies now exist to meet an economy-wide 62%–70% 2035 goal," it says. "However, meeting even the lower end of the target range won't be easy."

"While some analysis suggests it would be technically possible for Australia to achieve even more, our analysis finds that doing so would involve higher delivery risks and may require policies with considerably higher near-term social, environmental or economic impacts," it says.

"The next breakthrough in international climate policy will likely not come from another universal agreement," the Authority says. "In this era of realignment for a net zero transition – marked by rerouting of trade flows and shifting relationships in a complex, multipolar world – it will be much more likely to come from new forms of international cooperation and partnerships that drive trade and investment in low-emissions products.

The Authority's advice takes into account modelling by the CSIRO, to evaluate the economic, technological and emissions implications.

The federal government has released its Net Zero Plan and six supporting sector plans on - electricity and energy, the built environment, agriculture and the land sector, industry, resources, and transport.

It has also released Treasury modelling examining the impact of the net zero transformation.

The federal government has released Australia's first National Climate Risk Assessment and National Adaptation Plan.

The federal government has committed $1.1 billion over 10 years to a Cleaner Fuels Program that will support the production of low carbon liquid fuels (LCLF) in Australia.

LCLF - such as renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel and e-fuels - can help reduce emissions in hard-to-abate industries, such as aviation, heavy freight, and mining.

The government plans to finalise details of the scheme in mid-2026, ahead of opening applications in 2026-27.

The government will instruct the Australian Energy Market Operator to prepare a Statement of Demand Opportunities, that will focus on energy efficiency measures, Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has announced.

AEMO already produces a regular Energy Statement of Opportunities, and a Gas Statement of Opportunities. 

The Minister said the government would also expand the NatHERS and NABERS schemes.

The federal government will allocate $5 billion to a new Net Zero Fund to support heavy industry to decarbonise and scale-up of low emissions technologies.

The funding will be delivered by the National Reconstruction Fund (NRF), drawing on its existing $15 billion fund.

Other funding announcements include:

• $40 million to support kerbside charging.
• $50 million to support sporting clubs to switch to clean energy and undertake adaptation measures.

The federal government has released the results of CIS Tender Round 3, with 16 battery energy storage projects making successful bids.

The successful projects will deliver 4.13 GW (about 15.37 GWh) of capacity, which is enough battery storage to power over 3.5 million homes for four hours during peak demand.

The federal government will for two years reduce fees associated with various types of offshore wind licences.

• Annual levies applied to feasibility and research and demonstration licences will be waived, and annual levies applied to transmission and infrastructure licences will be halved.
• Fees for research and demonstration licences will be cut from $300,000 to $20,000.
• Application fees for transmission and infrastructure licences will be halved from $300,000 to $150,000.

Regulations to give effect to the fee reductions will be in place by the end of the year.

Initial submissions to a Senate committee inquiry into information integrity on climate change and energy are now available.

Consultation opportunity - production tax incentive. The federal government has released draft regulations that clarify aspects of the Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive, which aims to support downstream refining and processing of Australia's critical minerals.

The draft regulations focus on graphite, high purity alumina, and precursor cathode-active material. Comments are due by 10 October.

DCCEEW has released a recording of a webinar given by former Chief Scientist Dr Cathy Foley about the work of the expert panel investigating fugitive methane emissions.

Dr Foley is the chair of the expert panel.

Treasurer and Energy Minister David Janetzki has told state Parliament that the state government's imminent "energy roadmap" will be "realistic, achievable and responsible", with no "under-budgeted pipe-dreams".

The road map will be released on 10 October and will set aside the former government's "ideological bias", with a focus on economics and engineering, he said.

"It will include coal generation for longer, more gas and support for low-cost energy production in wind and solar with more dispatchable supply for firming and storage including gas turbines, pumped hydro and batteries," he said.

Transcript is now available from two recent hearings of a Queensland parliamentary committee inquiry into sugarcane bioenergy opportunities. 

The NSW Independent Planning Commission has refused a development application to restart the Redbank Power Station using biomass instead of coal tailings as fuel.

Verdant Earth Technologies Ltd proposed to use up to 700,000 dry tonnes per year of biomass as fuel, with a gradual shift from "invasive native species" and other waste fuels towards purpose-grown plantation crops.

The Commission found that the project will establish a new commercial incentive to increase land clearing, and this would have flow-on environmental impacts.

Energy and Environment Minister Penny Sharpe has issued a Priority Network Infrastructure Project Direction, which requires Transgrid to complete a system strength project involving the commissioning of synchronous condensers by September 2028.

Forestry Tasmania has registered an ACCU project that will generate carbon credits by converting a short conversion plantation to long conversion.

The state government has released a three-stage plan to upgrade the state's main power grid, the South West Interconnected System (SWIS).

Phase one upgrades will benefit the Western Trade Coast heavy industrial zone, the Kwinana Strategic Industrial Area (SIA), the Coolangatta Industrial Estate, and the Kemerton SIA.

Phase two projects will benefit Chittering, Moora, Collie, and parts of metropolitan Perth. Phase three will expand Western Power's network to support the development of new green industries.

Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson will also issue Directions to Western Power, Synergy, and Horizon Power under the Government Trading Enterprises Act 2023 to drive local content procurement.

In a related move, the state government has launched a request for information (RFI) process to identify existing transmission manufacturing capability in the state.

Greenpeace and the WA Conservation Council have made a third-party referral to the WA EPA over Woodside's proposed Browse CCS project.

The project would annually inject between up to four million tonnes of CO2, at an offshore sire about 425km north of Broome. 

The CO₂ would originate from the proposed Browse to North West Shelf Project which proposes to generate about 80 million tonnes of reservoir CO₂ over its operating life.

The two environment groups say the project, which is undergoing EPBC Act assessment, hasn't been referred to the WA EPA by Woodside.

They say the project would have a significant effect on the WA environment, including an unacceptable impact on Scott Reef. 

Submissions on the third-party referral are due by 24 October.

Issue 108, 15 September 2025

Environment Minister Murray Watt has given final approval for Woodside's North West Shelf Project Extension, following the announcement of his proposed approval in May.

Minister Watt said he had imposed 48 conditions "that will avoid and mitigate significant impacts to the Murujuga rock art", and which are additional to conditions already imposed by the Western Australian government.

Minister Watt has also gazetted a declaration under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act for part of Murujuga, on the basis that it is under threat of injury or desecration from development. 

The declaration will prohibit any person from moving, damaging, defacing, or otherwise disturbing any Aboriginal site or Aboriginal object (including rock art) in the declared area.

The CEFC and global investment group La Caisse have launched a $250 million diversified agricultural platform to generate ACCUs, with Rio Tinto as a foundation offtaker of the ACCUs.

La Caisse has invested $200 million alongside a $50 million commitment from the CEFC to create the Meldora platform, which will be managed by Australian agriculture and natural capital asset manager, Gunn Agri Partners. 

Meldora's first asset is a broadacre and irrigation farm of more than 15,000 hectares in Central Queensland.

Meldora will combine agricultural production with large-scale environmental plantings under the ACCU scheme, underpinned by a long term offtake from Rio Tinto for some of the ACCUs.

The federal government has approved 99 renewable energy projects since Labor won office May 2022, according to Environment Minister Murray Watt.

In his speech to the Smart Energy Council, the Minister also confirmed that EPBC Act reforms would allow for the greater use of regional planning, "in partnership with states and territories".

"We know that the current regional planning framework does not give us the tools we need to deliver proper regulatory regional plans," Watt said.

"That does not provide the certainty community and industry has been crying out for over the past 15 years," he said.

"The Australian Government has been trialling regional planning through pilot programs in partnership with the Queensland, South Australian, NSW and Victorian governments," he said.

"Now is the time to take this to the next level, to not only provide certainty for communities and industry, but to also better protect the environment and ensure we reach our renewable energy targets."

The Resources Ministers Roundtable, comprising federal Resources Minister Madeleine King and her state and territory counterparts, met in Brisbane last week.

Issues discussed include a critical minerals strategic reserve, and the creation of secure supply chains.

The Pilbara accounts for about 40% of WA's emissions, and a coordinated approach to electrification could save more than $30 billion over the next 25 years, according to a new report commissioned by the CEFC.

The report by Marsden Jacob Associates, says common user transmission infrastructure says the Pilbara energy system is at an inflection point. 

"Electrification and decarbonisation provide the opportunity for wholesale system change, as it does across Australia and the world," the report says. 

"The construction of more than 2,000 kilometres of new and upgraded transmission by 2031/2032, together with substantial quantities of solar and wind generation prior to 2030, means that developers and investors need confidence in the regulatory framework under which those assets will operate," it says.

Environment Minister Murray Watt has varied EPBC conditions for Talison Lithium's Greenbushes lithium mine in response to a non-compliance with conditions of the approval. 

The non-compliance related to undertaking clearing without a qualified fauna spotter present, failing to submit an additional offset proposal and failure to report incidents to the department within specified timeframes. 

"The varied conditions alter the date required for submission of an additional offset proposal and increase enforceability," according to DCCEEW.

The Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce has supported a Productivity Commission interim recommendation that the federal government introduce a new emissions-reduction incentive to cover heavy vehicles, "given the significant contribution to overall emissions that flows from the transport sector".

"Existing policy settings could be amended to incentivise greater uptake of low and zero emissions heavy vehicles," says the VACC submission on the Commission's interim report. 

"Given that the average age of the heavy vehicle fleet is around 14 years, and the substantial costs associated with new heavy vehicle purchases, there are likely to be significant, immediate benefits from introducing tax or financial incentives for heavy vehicle owners to switch to new low or zero-emissions options," it adds. 

ARENA will provide a $12.3 million grant to Mondo Power to develop, construct and operate an electric truck charging hub in Melbourne's west, to demonstrate the technical and commercial feasibility for fleets to electrify their operations.

Located in Laverton North, the hub will consist of 14 dual plug electric vehicle chargers and will be purpose built for heavy battery electric vehicle trucks.

Meanwhile, ARENA has also awarded a $3.96 million grant to Lab 360 Solar, a UNSW start-up, to develop and trial drone-based inspection technology for large solar farms.

he Queensland Investment Corporation has provided a $10 million loan to Vecco Group, for its Townsville facility that will process vanadium sourced from Vecco's Julia Creek mine into vanadium electrolyte.

The Townsville facility, which is currently operating at demonstration scale, aims to annually produce up to 600MWh of electrolyte at full scale.

The loan is being provided through the Queensland government's $150 million Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund. Vecco Group is majority-owned by Idemitsu.

The Queensland government has released a baseline study that examines the social and economic impacts of proposed mining developments in the Julia Creek/Richmond critical minerals zone. 

Up to nine vanadium projects are proposed in the zone, which already has two existing mineral mines.

The study, which was prepared by Critical Minerals Queensland in partnership with the Office of the Coordinator-General, also examines the ramifications of establishing common user processing infrastructure in the zone.

It forms part of a broader package of baseline studies being prepared with other key state government agencies as part of the Resources Cabinet Committee’s work to streamline environmental approvals.  

These further studies will provide data on water availability and key environmental considerations that can be used by all proponents in the Critical Mineral Zone.

The state government says the studies could accelerate project assessments by as much as two years.

PepsiCo has signed a new agreement with CleanCo to continue to power its Brisbane manufacturing site with 100% renewable electricity.

Submissions to an inquiry into the fossil fuel sector by Parliament's joint standing committee on a net zero future are now available.

Statutory development - grid infrastructure. The VicGrid Stage 2 Bill has now passed Parliament, after the Legislative Assembly agreed to Legislative Council amendments.

Coalition speakers in the Assembly described the Bill as "an absolute abomination" that is "taking away the property rights of Victorians". 

Statutory development - Coordinator General. Premier Roger Cook has introduced a State Development Bill, describing it as "a pivotal next step that will empower a more strategic, coordinated and efficient approach to planning, assessment and approvals for projects and precincts".

"The Bill seeks to address the challenges that arise from the complexity, scale and urgency of emerging and strategic industries and developments," Cook said. 

"These include critical mineral processing facilities, naval shipbuilding, large-scale renewable energy projects, net zero industry hubs for green metals, manufacturing and multi-user infrastructure projects."

The Bill establishes the office of Coordinator General to facilitate assessments and approvals for designated priority projects. 

It also empowers the Planning Minister, with the approval of the Premier, to issue modification orders.

Modification orders can be used to exempt a priority project from specific provisions of designated legislation, although they can't exempt them from a "key regulatory authorisation".

The Bill also provides for the declaration of State Development Areas (SDAs) and for the preparation of SDA plans.

Grant opportunity - clean energy. The WA government is launching a second round of the New Energies Industries Funding Stream, with grants of up to $15 million on offer. 

In the 2024 first funding ground, a total of $60 million was allocated to five projects. The second round will focus on critical minerals, green iron and steel, renewable hydrogen, and carbon capture, utilisation and storage.

Applications must be lodged by 4 November. 

Acting on the advice of the WA Appeals Convenor, Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn has tightened PFAS conditions applying to Chevron's Wheatstone LNG operations.

The WA Conservation Council had appealed against a licence amendment granted to Chevron in February that allowed its Wheatstone waste management facility to accept PFAS-contaminated wastes. 

The Appeals Convenor concluded that the amended licence conditions could be improved, and the Minister has made the recommended changes.

Issue 107, 8 September 2025

LNP Senator Matt Canavan has introduced a Repeal Net Zero Bill into the Senate.

"The purpose of the Bill is to return our nation and our economy to a sensible and fiscally responsible footing, omitting the fanciful position that Australia can by domestic policy change the weather, reduce cyclones, cool the planet, reduce droughts, reduce floods, change the temperature of the sea, reduce the risk of animals going into extinction, prevent disease and so many other fantastical assertions that are generally made as part of the Net Zero promise," the explanatory memorandum says.

Meanwhile, in debate in the House of Representatives on Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce's version of the Bill, Nationals MP Michael McCormack said "the greatest moral challenge for humankind is not the weather, which we cannot change, but the ability to grow food to help feed a hungry world". 

"I note the number of capital city based politicians demanding action on behalf of their virtue-signalling, weather hand-wringers and rent-seeking corporations," McCormack said. 

"Never has the city-country divide, sadly, been greater. It's all well and good to cover our farmland, our beautiful farmland, with battery energy storage systems, solar factories and wind turbines. How about we put offshore wind turbines at North Head or on the Yarra River or turn those sails on the iconic Sydney Opera House into solar panels?"

A new report from the Business Council of Australia examines the investment and policies required to achieve three different emissions reduction targets by 2035.

The report, titled Australia 2035 - maximising Australia's potential, considers a 50% reduction target, a 60% reduction, and a '70% plus' target.

"Achieving Australia’s 2035 potential will require between $210 billion and $530 billion of new capital investment across the economy by 2035, depending on the level of ambition," the report concludes.

The CEFC has committed $3.8 billion to support delivery of stage 1 of Marinus Link, which will establish a new 750MW interconnector between Tasmania and Victoria.

The commitment constitutes the largest investment ever made by the CEFC.

Grant opportunity - solar supply chain. ARENA has launched the second funding round of the $1 billion Solar Sunshot program, which aims to support the establishment of a resilient solar PV) manufacturing sector in Australia.

A total of $150 million is available to support to critical segments of the solar PV supply chain, including framing, solar glass, junction boxes and deployment technologies. 

Consultation opportunity - hydrogen joint tender. Consultation has started on the Australia-Germany H2Global Joint Tender, which is designed to provide supply and demand support to the international renewable hydrogen industry. 

The €400 million joint tender will support Australian hydrogen producers to sell their product to European buyers at the highest possible price.

Comments are due by 30 September. 

The Australian Accounting Standards Board has published a new guide on greenhouse gas emissions disclosures under AASB Standard on Climate-related Disclosures.

Meanwhile, DCCEEW has released revised Australian National Greenhouse Factors, for use by organisations that are estimating their emissions.

The Queensland government has announced it will repeal the Forest Wind Farm Development Act 2020, citing "wide-spread concerns" from the local community.

The Act would have facilitated the establishment of the 1200MW Forest wind farm in a large state-owned pine plantation located between Gympie and Maryborough.

"Forest Wind is actively assessing risk-mitigation strategies and intends to reapply under a similar state process in due course," the company said in a statement in which it argued that the project aligns to Queensland policies. 

"The team remains dedicated to working collaboratively with government, Traditional Owners and the community to secure the project's future," it said.

The NSW EPA has raised doubts about the adequacy of the greenhouse gas strategy for a two-part expansion of the Glencore/Yancoal open cut coal mining operations in the Hunter Valley.

The HVO South continuation project is on exhibition until 25 September. The project would continue the life of Glencore's HVO South operation from the current approved mining completion date of 2030 to the end of 2045.

A separate application for the continuation of HVO North, would extend its approved mining date from 2025 to the end of 20250.

In its advice to the NSW Department of Planning on the two continuation projects, the EPA notes that the continuation project "is the largest coal mining proposal ever put forward in NSW". 

"In its current form, the modelling indicates this proposal is likely to make up approximately 14% of future new coal production in NSW between 2024 and 2050 and has significant unabated greenhouse gas emissions."

The EPA notes that the proponents haven't specified whether the offsets it will use will come from elsewhere in Australia (in which case they won't count as offsets in the NSW emissions inventory), or from NSW (in which case they will count).

"If approved, in its current form, modelling indicates the project will generate a significant amount of GHG emissions, accounting for 35% of all NSW coal sector GHG emissions in the absence of any onsite abatement or offsetting within NSW in 2045," the EPA says. 

"This represents over 3.5% of NSW total emissions in 2045," it points out. 

"However, if the offsets are obtained from within NSW, modelling indicates
the project would account for approximately 5.2% of all NSW coal sector GHG emissions and 0.5% of NSW total emissions in 2045."

"The EPA requests that carbon offsets from NSW-based offset projects (i.e. NSW-sourced ACCUs or SMCs where the proponent is entitled to use them) be used where practicable," the EPA says. 

"This enables direct emission reductions and co-benefits to accrue in NSW."

The EPA also calls for consideration of strategies such as pre-drainage of methane and a more rapid diesel fleet replacement.

Mining beyond 2040 should be restricted due to the significant fugitive emissions that will be generated from the deep coal reserves, the EPA says. 

"If mining is to be permitted beyond 2040 and before any of the deeper coal reserves are mined, the EPA recommends that the consent be conditioned to require the proponent to demonstrate that there is a mitigation measures available at the time, that can be implemented to abate the fugitive emissions from the deep coal reserves."

The NSW government has appointed Nick Rowley as the new Chair of the Net Zero Commission.

Rowley was an advisor to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair during the 2005 G8 Presidency, helping to elevate climate change as a global priority, and helping to initiate the seminal Stern review into the economics of climate change. 

Rowley currently holds positions as Honorary Associate Professor at the ANU's Crawford School of Public Policy, and he is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Technology Sydney's Institute for Sustainable Futures. 

The NSW government has released a rezoning proposal to revitalise 200 hectares of land at BlueScope's Port Kembla site.

The rezoning of land on the southern edge of the Port Kembla Steelworks aims to attract new industries across advanced manufacturing, clean and renewable energy, education, and data and logistics.

The state government has amended the Victorian Planning Provisions to incorporate the Victorian Transmission Plan.

Statutory development - energy efficiency. Energy and Resources Minister Lily D'Ambrosio has gazetted the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target (Project-Based Activities) Amendment Regulations 2025.

An explanatory statement is available here. 

Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio has officially opened Tilt Renewables' 100MW Latrobe Valley Battery Energy Storage System, located beside the existing Morwell terminal station. 

The Essential Services Commission has punished two businesses it alleges claimed certificates under the Victorian Energy Upgrades scheme for work that didn't take place.

The Commission alleges contractors working for (Zerowatt) and (LEDSaves) falsely claimed to have completed weather sealing and low-flow shower rose installations.

Phenix Pty Ltd (LEDSaves) has had a six-month restriction placed on its accreditation, after it self-reported misrepresentations by some of its contractors. 

The commission has ordered it to surrender 4,552 certificates worth more than $400,000, and has ordered an independent audit of its quality assurance processes.

A.K. Alvi Enterprises Ptd Ltd (Zerowatt) has been suspended from the VEU program for three months, and the Commission has refused registration of 200 certificates, valued at $19,200.

Greens MLC Tammy Franks has introduced a Climate Change and Greenhouse Emissions Reduction (Intergenerational Equity) Amendment Bill to the Upper House. 

The Bill would promote intergenerational equity by requiring the health and well-being of children and future generations to be considered by persons making administrative decisions that are likely to contribute to climate change.

The WA EPA has released Fortescue's proposed Environmental Review Documentfor an expansion of its Iron Bridge magnetite project.

The project was approved in 2015, and the amendment would extend the mining disturbance footprint by 17%, and extend a waste rock dump. 

The documentation says Fortescue has committed to achieving carbon neutrality for its iron ore operations (total Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions) by 2030.

Scope 1 emissions from electricity generation are not incorporated into greenhouse gas emissions calculations for the amended proposal, because electricity will be purchased from Fortescue's 'Pilbara Energy Connect' network of renewables and gas turbines.

However, scope 1 and scope 2 emissions from the amended project will still total about 3.4 million over the life of the mine. 

"Carbon offsets are likely to be surrendered under the Safeguard Mechanism for more than 30% of the Revised Proposal expected baseline scope 1 emissions until FY 2030," text in the documentation says.

Statutory development - electricity market. The NT government has introduced a Bill is to amend the Electricity Reform Act 2000 to establish new electricity market and governance arrangements for the Territory's major electricity systems. 

The objects of the Electricity Legislation Amendment (Market Reform) Bill are to authorise central planning and procurement, with detailed requirements to be set out in subordinate instruments.

Subordinate instruments will include the Territory Electricity Market (TEM) Rules, which will incorporate in a single set of rules the existing instruments that govern the electricity system and market operations. 

A separate Electricity System and Market Operator Bill will establish a new Northern Territory Electricity System and Market Operator (NTESMO) as a statutory corporation, separating these functions from the Power and Water Corporation. 

NTESMO will have control over power systems and the wholesale electricity market, and will have planning and procurement functions, under the Regulated Electricity System and Investment Plan (RESIP) processes. 

The NT EPA has issued a statement on methane leaks from the Santos Darwin LNG tank in Darwin Harbour.

"The NT EPA is aware of fugitive methane leaks from the Santos LNG tank," the statement says. "Fugitive emissions occur at all LNG facilities however, the cause of the emissions from the DLNG tank is unique to this facility."

"The estimated emissions from the LNG tank leak are approximately equivalent to 1% of Santos's facility's total annual greenhouse gas emissions and approximately 0.1% of the NT's emissions," it says.

"The NT EPA did not report the leak to the public because at these levels they do not pose any risk of explosion and negligible risk to human health or the environment," the statement says.

"According to Santos, the leak at the DLNG tank originated during its initial commissioning in 2006 due to a design fault," it says. "This was reported to the NT EPA and NT WorkSafe at the time, and an independent investigation subsequently cleared the tank for continued use." 

Issue 106, 1 September 2025

Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia has launched a new inquiry into the expansion and development of airports and seaports in Northern Australia.

Terms of reference include the transition to net zero and furthering renewable energy, decarbonisation and carbon abatement, the development of the critical minerals industry, and supporting the decommissioning industry. 

Infrastructure Australia has issued a new Delivering Net Zero Infrastructure: Workforce Report, which identifies workforce requirements for net zero infrastructure projects. 

"With only half of the current infrastructure workforce contributing to net zero outcomes, there is significant opportunity to extend awareness and responsibility of decarbonisation efforts across the rest of the workforce," the report says.

The report also recommends the development of a carbon management fundamentals program for infrastructure professionals and leaders.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced an additional $1 billion in funding for the Regional Investment Corporation.

The government will also expand the RIC's loan scope to include assistance for improving climate resilience, boosting sector productivity, and supporting agriculture to be part of Australia’s net zero transition, the PM said.

"This will ensure the RIC can continue to support farm businesses in hardship, including those managing through and recovering from current drought conditions," he said.

"We're told we're an anxious generation, but we live with the ever-present threat of climate change," Australia's youngest-ever Senator has told Parliament in her first speech. 

"It's clear to almost all young Australians that you've got to be working hard on closing your eyes to convince yourself that climate change isn't a threat, yet some still do," Labor Senator Charlotte Walker said. 

"I can't imagine how they look at the catastrophic weather events, the fires and floods we're experiencing, and say to themselves, 'Nothing to see here.'," Senator Walker said.

"I can't imagine them standing on the street in Lismore, with boarded-up houses from flood damage, and telling those residents, 'Nothing to see here.' I challenge them to visit the World Heritage Ningaloo Reef, which has just had its first-ever widespread bleaching event from a hot ocean, and say, 'Nothing to see here; no need to reduce emissions'."

"In 2050 I won't be in my late 90s, like some who want to abandon net zero; my friends and I will be in our 40s, and we demand an inhabitable planet," the Senator said.

"Last year, Australia accounted for a fifth of global LNG trade," Resources Minister Madeleine King has told a meeting with the Australian Industry Group.

"So, it is of vital importance that more people understand that Australian LNG is critical to our regional trading partners’ decarbonisation," the Minister said. "This is why the Future Gas Strategy affirmed Australia's commitment to remaining a reliable trading partner for energy, including LNG."

The federal government has opened two new Capacity Investment Scheme tendersfor Western Australia.

CIS Tender 5 aims to deliver 1,600MW of renewable generation, and CIS Tender 6 aims to deliver 2,400MWh of dispatchable capacity.

Bidding closes on 7 November. 

Meanwhile, the federal government has also offered another two preliminary feasibility licences for Western Australia's Bunbury offshore wind zone, after proponents Westward Wind and Bunbury Offshore Wind resolved an overlap issue.

These are in addition to a previous offer of a preliminary feasibility licence to Bunbury Offshore Wind for a separate project in the same zone. 

The three proposed wind projects off the coast of Bunbury could generate a total of 4GW, enough to power around 2.7 million homes, Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen said.

The Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand says every opportunity to prevent nutrients from entering South Australia's marine environment should be investigated, in its submission to a Senate SA algal bloom inquiry.

The EIANZ submission says programs to expand the re-use of treated wastewater, instead of discharging it to marine waters, should be investigated.

It also urges the adoption of integrated aquaculture at Port Lincoln, "as tuna farms contribute by far the greatest load of nutrients to Spencer Gulf". 

Under an integrated aquaculture approach, filter-feeding oysters and mussels would be cultivated near the tuna farms, to reduce particulate organic nutrients in marine waters. 

In addition, there might be opportunities to remove dissolved nutrients from seawater at Port Lincoln by culturing the red macroalgae Asparagopsis near the tuna farms, it says. 

"There is an expanding market for Asparagopsis as a dietary supplement for cattle feed to reduce the production of methane, which is one of the most potent greenhouse gases." 

In a response to the Productivity Commission's interim net zero report, the Australian Institute of Petroleum has urged the introduction of a low carbon fuel standard targeting emissions-intensity, to provide a demand-side stimulus for renewable liquid fuels.

It notes that similar standards operate in many overseas jurisdictions, including California (2011), British Columbia (2008), Oregon (2009), Washington State (2021) and New Mexico (legislated in 2024 with introduction scheduled for 2026).

An alliance of businesses has released an open letter urging Australia to adopt a 2035 target of a 75% emissions reduction.

Signatories include Fortescue, Unilever, Canva, Atlassian, Future Super, Lendlease, ZEN Energy, GreenCollar, Ironbark Sustainability, and Corporate Carbon.

An associated modelling report by Deloitte Access Economics concludes that, compared to Australia’s current trajectory, achieving a 75% target could unlock $370 billion in GDP over the next decade and support 70,000 new jobs over the same timeframe.

More than 50 organisations have signed an open letter to Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen urging the establishment of a network of 50 regional energy hubs to provide information and support to local communities that are "navigating renewable energy, from the small stuff to the big stuff".

Signatories include the Clean Energy Investor Group, the Australian Conservation Foundation, and Re-Alliance.

Statutory development - CCS and bore water wells. The Queensland government has introduced a Bill which would allow greenhouse gas wells associated with a proposed CCS project that never eventuated to be converted to water bores.

Glencore-owned Carbon Transport and Storage Corporation (CTSCo) had proposed a major CCS project in Queensland, but it was blocked by a 2024 legislative ban on CCS projects in the Great Artesian Basin that was introduced by the former state government. 

CTSCo must decommission and rehabilitate the wells within two years, and the Bill provides an alternative decommissioning pathway to plugging them. 

The Bill has been referred to Parliament's Primary Industries and Resources Committee. 

The Queensland government has released a new Queensland-India Trade and Investment Strategy.

India is Queensland's largest coal export market, and the strategy says one of Queensland's opportunities is supporting India's continued need for traditional energy, as well as partnering with it on "commercially viable renewables".

Government initiatives will include "maintaining Queensland's position as a reliable long-term energy partner and stable supplier of high-quality coal and clean energy inputs".

The NSW government has announced $2.9 million in new funding for training and jobs initiatives in the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone.

The Renewable Energy Skills Legacy Program will have four elements:

• An Industry School Partnerships program that will provideschool-based collaborations, careers learning and trade readiness courses.
• A Local Skills Coordinators program that will connect training providers, employers and jobseekers to employment opportunities.
• A Supporting Apprenticeships and Traineeships program that will increase the uptake of apprenticeships and traineeships with local employers.
• A Women in Renewables program.

The Central-West Orana REZ is expected to create around 5,000 construction jobs at its peak, and will provide ongoing employment for decades. 

The NSW government has purchased an additional 151 electric buses, with total purchases now standing at 921 since the March 2023 election.

The NSW government is offering resilience funding to homeowners in the Central West who were affected by the 2022 floods.

Residents who experienced any level of damage in the 2022 floods can apply for funding through the $40 million Resilient Homes Program, to protect their homes from future extreme weather. 

Funding can be used for actions including raising power points and appliances like outdoor air conditioning units and hot water systems, and installing water-resilient materials.

More than 240 applications have been received so far, and 180 home assessments have been.completed.

The Resilient Homes Program is jointly funded by the federal and state governments. The NSW Reconstruction Authority is also hosting a resilient homes expo in September. 

To support homeowners and industry partners navigate the grants process and learn about resilient building measures, the Reconstruction Authority is hosting a Resilient Homes Expo on Wednesday 3 September 2025.

Statutory development - VicGrid. The Victorian government's VicGrid Stage 2 Bill has passed the Legislative Council, after amendments proposed by crossbenchers were supported by the government.

The Bill shifts responsibility for transmission network planning from the Australian Energy Market Operator to VicGrid, and gives VicGrid additional planning and access powers.

It also introduces a new framework for paying benefits to landholders, local communities, and Traditional Owners. 

The amendments made in the Legislative Council tighten arrangements for accessing land without consent, and expand the REZ community energy fund so that it can support biodiversity research.

They also explicitly prevent funds from the REZ community energy fund being paid into the government's Consolidated Fund.

The Bill, which was opposed by the Coalition, will now return to the Legislative Assembly for its consideration of the amendments.

Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny has announced the approval of Woolnorth's 400MW Mt Fyans wind farm near Mortlake in western Victoria.

The wind farm is the third largest to be approved in Victoria over the last decade.

Woolnorth Renewables also owns three onshore wind farms in Tasmania, which generate around 10% of the state's electricity.

Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt has granted EPBC approval to ACEN Australia's $3 billion, 900MW Robbins Island wind farm in northwest Tasmania.

Approval conditions include provisions relating to protection of the Orange-bellied Parrot, Tasmanian Devil, Tasmanian Wedge-tailed Eagle and migratory shorebirds.

The transmission line to connect the project to the grid is still undergoing assessment, with an approvals decision in 2026.

Welcoming the decision, ACEN said the Robbins Island wind project is "an exceptional resource generating 30% more power than the average Australian wind project of comparable size". 

The Bob Brown Foundation criticised the approval decision, warning that the project site is at the end of the East Asian Australian flyway.

Alison Reeve, the Grattan Institute's energy and climate change program director, has delivered the Luxton Memorial Lecture at the University of Adelaide, with the theme of net zero - from ambition to action.

Issue 105, 25 August 2025

The federal government has appointed Will Nankervis as Australia's new Ambassador for Climate Change.

Nankervis is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and is also First Assistant Secretary, Climate Diplomacy and Development Finance Division.

He has previously served overseas as Australia's Ambassador to ASEAN, and had earlier postings to the UN, and to Australia's High Commission in Colombo.

New emissions data shows Australia's emissions fell by 1.4% in the year to March 2025.

The data shows Australia is tracking well to meet its 2030 climate pollution target, driven largely by federal policies, Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen said. 

"Across Australia’s two main grids, renewable energy has now reached over 40% of all energy produced in the last financial year, with solar and wind capacity up 45% since we came to government – more new capacity than four Snowy Hydro schemes," the Minister said.

The National Environmental Law Association and the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand are jointly hosting a 29 August webinar on the implications for Australia of the International Court of Justice advisory opinion and the Australian Pabai case.

Round 17 funding for new Cooperative Research Centre project (CRC-P) grants has largely gone to projects with clean economy goals. Grant winners include:

• From panels to products: Aluminium-silicon alloys from PV waste ($3 million).
• Liquid hydrogen-powered aircraft for regional and remote Australia ($3 million).
• Developing a scalable green plasma-based perchlorate manufacturing process ($2.8 million).
• Regenerable carbon for eliminating forever chemicals in Water ($3 million).
• An integrated platform for removing forever chemicals from water and solids ($2 million).
• Methanol fuel production from biogas ($1.4 million).
• Transforming nickel ore processing with low-cost, low-emission molten sulphur ($3 million).
• Building a scalable Indigenous-led biomaterials supply chain ($556,314).

DCCEEW has released an updated Commercial Building Baseline Study, which describes outcomes in the commercial building sector, including its energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, if AEMO's Step Change scenario comes to fruition.

Total emissions would fall rapidly to relatively low levels by the mid-to-late 2030s under Step Change assumptions, the study says.

"Under Step Change assumptions, the greenhouse gas emissions associated with commercial building use would fall by almost 97% from FY2024 by FY2050," the study concludes.

APRA's latest corporate plan, says it will release the results of its Climate Vulnerability Assessment for the general insurance sector before the end of next June. 

"This assessment has involved Australia's five largest general insurers and has included detailed analysis of granular, modelled premium data," the plan says.

Consultation opportunity - offshore electricity infrastructure. DCCEEW has released a draft research and demonstration licence guideline for offshore renewable energy technologies.

Comments are due by 3 October.

Grant opportunity - Battery Breakthrough Initiative. ARENA is inviting applicationsfor grants under the $500 million Battery Breakthrough Initiative, which will fund projects that enhance Australia's battery manufacturing capability, or commercialise battery manufacturing processes and technologies.

The Australian Energy Market Operator has released its 2025 Electricity Statement of Opportunities report, which assesses the investments needed to maintain reliability in the National Electricity Market over the next decade.

"The report shows improved reliability outlooks, reliant on all expected investments being delivered on time and in full," AEMO says.

AEMO's report forecasts a 28% increase in grid electricity consumption, from 178TWh in 2024-25 to about 229TWh by 2034-35. The forecast growth is driven by factors including the rapid expansion of data centres and accelerating business electrification.

"Last financial year saw a record 4.4GW of new generation and storage commissioned," AEMO says. "Over the next five years, additional investment of between 5.2GW to 10.1GW is expected to come online annually, often supported by government schemes."

This new capacity will help offset the notified retirement of 11GW of predominantly coal power stations over the next 10 years, AEMO says.

Meanwhile, AEMO has also released an engagement survey for its 2026 Integrated System Plan. Responses are due by 7 September. 

Applications are now being accepted for the Australia Pacific Youth Climate Dialogue, which will be hosted by UNICEF and partner organisations in Canberra.

The Dialogue will run from 27 to 29 October.

The Queensland government has gazetted several regulations on energy and resources.

The Mineral Resources Regulation 2025 is part of the legislative framework governing the exploration and production of minerals and coal. The new
regulation sets out the requirements for work programs and development plans,
plugging and abandoning CSG wells, reporting, notices, conditions for resource
authorities, royalties and prescribed rents and fees.

The government says the new regulation is "in substantially similar form" to the 2013 version of the regulation, except that royalty provisions have been put into a new Mineral Resources (Royalty) Regulation.

The state government has also gazetted the Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) (Transmission Ring-fencing Rule) Amendment Regulation 2025. 

The final annual report of Queensland's Department of Energy and Climate - before its break-up when the LNP took office - has been tabled in the state parliament.

The curtailed annual report covers the period from 1 July 2024 to 1 November 2024. 

Achievements over the period, included implementing the Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Act, and preparing Renewable Energy Zone Readiness Assessments.

The former department's energy, hydrogen and climate divisions are now part of Queensland Treasury.

A NSW parliamentary committee inquiry into the impact of renewable energy zones on regional communities has issued its first report.

The committee concludes that a significant proportion of the Central-West Orana community believe the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone has negatively impacted the region. 

It also concludes that there has been inadequate consultation between the NSW government, renewable energy developers and the Central-West Orana community. 

It recommends that the NSW government urgently conduct an independent cumulative impact study on the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone.  

It also recommends that the NSW government investigate options to ensure payments for land acquisition are not taxed. 

And it recommends that the NSW government identify ecological protection and restoration priorities for each Renewable Energy Zone and encourage developers to contribute to nature positive environmental regional outcomes.

In dissenting comments, a Nationals MP on the committee said there should be an "urgent moratorium" on projects in the Central-West Orana REZ until the cumulative impact study is completed.

The NSW government is due to respond by November 21.

The Victorian government has gazetted a change to the Victorian Planning Provisions that ensures large batteries will only be exempt from the requirement to obtain a planning permit if they are no larger than 5MW.

Batteries that exceed 5MW will now require planning permission. 

The amendment is expected to lead to a small increase in planning permit applications, the state government says.

Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny will establish an expert inquiry to advise on the environmental effects of Westwind's proposed Warracknabeal Energy Park project. 

The proposed project comprises a 1.6GW wind farm and associated battery energy storage.

If the project gains all required approvals, construction is anticipated to begin in 2027. Westward says more than $2,000 per turbine would be invested into the community annually, if the project proceeds.

The Victorian government has approved Elgin Energy's 85MW solar farm and battery energy storage system in Bairnsdale. The project was assessed through the fast-track Development Facilitation Program. 

Last financial year, more than 42% of Victoria's electricity was generated from renewables, the state government has announced. 

Victoria now hosts more than 90 large-scale renewable energy projects, adding  almost 7GW of renewable energy capacity to the grid.

A Victorian parliamentary inquiry into decommissioning oil and gas infrastructure is accepting submissions until 7 November.

A proposal to process iron ore into iron pellets and hot briquette iron for export has been recommended for approval by the WA EPA.

Port Hedland Iron Pty Ltd is proposing to develop a downstream iron ore processing facility in the Boodarie Strategic Industrial Area, about 10km south-west of Port Hedland.

EPA Chair Darren Walsh said the facility's use of direct-reduction iron technology will result in a significantly reduced rate of associated greenhouse gas emissions, compared to a conventional blast furnace method fuelled by coking coal.

Further emissions reductions are expected as hydrogen becomes available, Walsh said.

The project will generate a substantial number of Safeguard Mechanism Credits, because it is much less emissions intensive than other iron production facilities in Australia. 

Climate Analytics has released a briefing on 1.5°C-aligned climate targets for Western Australia.

A report by clean energy advocacy group Sustainable Energy Now on battery-backed rooftop solar optimisation, commissioned by Greens MLC Brad Pettitt, has been tabled in the WA Parliament.

"We know that we are a world leader in rooftop solar. I think more than 40% of households have rooftops solar now, but interestingly only 13% of available roof space on houses and commercial and industrial rooftops is utilised—so there is 87% we could add," Pettitt told the Legislative Council. 

"If we were to fully utilise that roof space, it would add an extraordinary 16GW of rooftop capacity and, importantly, substantially reduce a couple of key things including large-scale solar." 

"Importantly, it would also reduce transmission. This is actually really a key point. The modelling done by Sustainable Energy Now shows that 53% of the high-voltage transmission originally planned under the South West Interconnected System demand assessment would not be required. That would save the state about $14.5 billion, which is pretty extraordinary."

Issue 104, 18 August 2025

Consultation opportunity - transition planning. Treasury has released draft voluntary guidance on best practices for climate-related transition planning.

"The objective of this guidance is to support organisations to address climate risks and opportunities, and to enhance overall financial market resilience," says the consultation paper.

The guidance is informed by four principles: 

• Principle 1: Internationally aligned. "The guidance will encourage organisations to use a comprehensive and internationally aligned approach when preparing and disclosing transition plans."
• Principle 2: Supports domestic decarbonisation and adaptation. "The guidance should help organisations understand how they can leverage Australian policies, contribute to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, and strengthen Australia’s climate resilience through their transition plans."
• Principle 3: Balances ambition and flexibility. The guidance will "encourage high ambition in transition plans while still being flexible and consistent with existing and emerging practices".
• Principle 4: Climate first but not only. The guidance "recognises that organisations might be seeking to pursue other sustainability objectives, such as social and environmental objectives".

Comments are due by 24 September.

A meeting last Friday of the Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council has agreed to update the National Energy Transformation Partnerships (NETPs) that the federal government has negotiated with each state and territory.

The NETPs, which are not made public, describe how each signatory will contribute to the decarbonisation of the nation's energy system. The new versions will reflect six strategic priorities, including adaptation and resilience, according to the meeting communique.

Ministers also agreed to publish an updated implementation plan for the national consumer energy resources roadmap.

In addition, the Ministerial Council released an Update to the Trajectory for Low Energy Buildings, which is targeted at residential and commercial buildings. Ministers noted that decisions on implementation would be left to the states and territories. The original version of the Trajectory was released in 2019.

Consultation opportunity - consumer energy resources. Following the meeting of energy and climate ministers, DCCEEW has launched a consultation process on technical standards and a regulatory framework to support the uptake and use of consumer energy resources. 

A webinar will be held on 8 September, and comments are due by 14 September. 

"We need REZs to be seen as Regional Enhancement Zones - places where benefits are shared and futures are shaped together," according to an opinion piece by Australia's Energy Infrastructure Commissioner, Tony Mahar. 

The AEIC has also released its 2024 annual report, which says that it handled 155 cases in 2024 - making it the third busiest year on record.

Of the new cases received by the Commissioner, 77% were from Victoria.

This aligns with "significant growth in the renewables sector and a small number of proposals with high levels of community concern", the report says.

In terms of technologies, wind farm related complaints were the clear area of greatest concern (66% of all new cases nationally), "with half of these attributed to a specific proposal in Victoria", the report says.

Solar farms accounted for 12% of new cases, followed by transmission projects (11%).

"New cases for transmission proposals were lower, but we recognise ongoing strong opposition in certain stretches of some routes and continue to manage some long term cases and concerns," the report says.

During 2024, the Commissioner's Office formally closed 155 distinct cases, after an average of 102 days per case.

"Most cases are resolved at an initial complaint enquiry stage," the report says. "That is, by the Office providing relevant tailored information to empower direct dialogue with project proponents and/or government planning authorities."

The report notes that emerging technologies "such as augmented reality and virtual reality technologies can enhance existing methods for communicating the impacts of new large-scale infrastructure to impacted residents". 

"The AEIC is continuing to investigate the utility of these technologies to
support community engagement in Australia," it says.

Equifax Australasia Credit Ratings Pty Ltd (EACR) has been appointed to design, develop, implement and operate a new rating scheme for developers of renewable energy projects.

The federal government will deliver three new ACCU methods this year, Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen, told the Carbon Market Institute's Australasian Emissions Reduction summit last week.

"I won't pretend that carbon markets are at the forefront of the day-to-day lives of most Australians – but maintaining public confidence in these schemes is critical to genuine emissions reduction," the Minister said.

Meanwhile, Laurence Tubiana, a key architect of the 2015 Paris Agreement, and now CEO of the European Climate Foundation, told the summit that "Paris gave us a direction".

"Now we must deliver on it," Tubiana said. "I'm really hoping I will see Australia taking the lead."

Consultation opportunity - annual climate change statement. The Climate Change Authority is seeking input to its 2025 Annual Progress Report, which will be submitted to Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen.

A short issues paper invites questions on issues including the Safeguard Mechanism, and on deploying renewable energy infrastructure.

Comments are due by 1 September.

Consultation opportunity - ACCU method. DCCEEW is developing two new savanna fire ACCU methods, and has released an exposure draft version of one of them, known as the exposure draft savanna sequestration and avoidance method.

A webinar on the exposure draft is scheduled for 3 September.

It will release an exposure draft of the other method - the savanna emissions avoidance method - in October. 

For the second consecutive quarter, Australia has seen weaker investment in new renewable energy and storage projects, according to new data from the Clean Energy Council. 

Only 615MW ($520 million) of new large-scale solar and no new wind farms reached financial close in the second quarter of 2025, says the Council's latest quarterly investment report. 

This is "well short of the pace required to hit Australia’s 2030 renewable energy target, according to new data released today by the industry’s peak body", the Council says.

The report also found that Q2 2025 saw the lowest level of investment in large-scale battery storage since Q3 2023, representing 334 MW of capacity.

However, battery storage generation remains on track to meet and beat deployment levels under the Australian Energy Market Operator's Step Change scenario, with newly committed capacity exceeding 1000MWh for nine consecutive quarters.

ARENA has awarded $9 million to BluVein to trial technology that will allow heavy haulage battery electric mining vehicles to be charged while they are in motion.

In addition, ARENA has provided $14.4 million for two projects in remote First Nations communities in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

ARENA has also provided a $3.6 million grant to Horizon Power to help transition a remote First Nations community in Blackstone (Papulankutja), in Western Australia, from diesel generation to a renewables microgrid.

The Queensland government has announced eight new appointments to government-owned energy corporations - four to CleanCo and four to Stanwell.

The government has also announced Stanwell's acquisition of the Lockyer Energy Project from Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, with Stage 1 including up to 120MW of gas-fired generation and the potential for up to a further 850MW of capacity in Stage 2.

AusEnergy Services Ltd has released two publications to help investors and developers engage in long-term planning for NSW's energy transition.

The 2025 Infrastructure Investment Objectives (IIO) Report and the inaugural NSW Generation Investment Outlook (NSW GIO).

Key features of the IIO report include:

• Targeting 16GW of new generation by 2030, exceeding the 12GW minimum objective.
• Targeting 42GWh of new long-duration storage infrastructure by 2034, exceeding the 28GWh minimum objective.
• Running additional, larger tenders for long duration storage infrastructure in 2026 and 2027
• Recommencing NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap tenders for generation infrastructure in the second quarter of 2026.

The NSW GIO analyses the current project pipeline identifying a pipeline of over 50 GW of proposed generation capacity in NSW, including 12.5 GW of projects already with development approval.

However, it also concludes current project lead times won't be fast enough to meet the 16 GW ambition unless roadblocks are addressed.

The NSW government has released disaster adaptation planning guidelines to help with the development of regional Disaster Adaptation Plans.

The NSW Reconstruction Authority is obliged by law to develop the regional plans, in conjunction with councils, communities, and other government agencies.

"Since July 2019, NSW has experienced 111 declared natural disasters, with more than 20,000 homes damaged in 2022 alone," the state government said.

The state government has released the final version of the Victorian Transmission Plan.

"The plan attempts to minimise the area of Victoria required for renewable energy zones and the new transmission infrastructure needed, while also providing project developers and investors with sufficient opportunity to generate the energy we need," says Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D'Ambrosio in an introduction to the plan. 

"Without the plan, we couldn't connect new renewables to the grid, pushing up energy bills, leaving our industry, businesses and homes without secure power, and ultimately costing our economy $9.6 billion," the Minister says.

Key changes from the draft version include:

• expanding renewable energy zone footprints, which in total cover 7.9% of Victoria's land area.
• consolidating two draft zones into a single zone.
• revising cost estimates.

Vicgrid has scheduled webinars for this Wednesday, and next Monday.

The next step will be the release of draft Renewable Energy Zone Orders showing the proposed zones will be made public for at least six weeks. 

The final Renewable Energy Zone Orders will be released in late 2025.

VicGrid has also released the Victorian transmission plan final engagement report, and submissions on the draft plan. 

The feedback is based on engagement responses including 462 submissions, 65 community and industry events, and more than 100 briefings with local councils, community groups and community members. 

Projects located inside declared renewable energy zones will have the opportunity to participate in a competitive application process for allocating access to the grid.

Projects located outside of declared renewable energy zones will be subject to a Grid Impact Assessment and will need to demonstrate that their project won't result in generators within renewable energy zones being "excessively curtailed".

The report of a Victorian parliamentary committee inquiry into climate resilience has made 82 recommendations. 

They include a recommendation for a review of the Victoria Planning Provisions to examine climate resilience and adaptation issues are properly considered.

In their minority report, the Liberals and Nationals supported the majority of recommendations, but said all recommendations should be subject to a Regulatory Impact Statement, to assess costs and benefits.

They also recommended that VCAT appeals be allowed for renewable energy projects, and urged the repeal of any legislation allowing forced entry onto private land for transmission work.

In their additional comments, the Greens recommended that the Victorian Government adopts a polluter-pays approach to raise revenue for climate adaptation, including through a levy on coal-fired power stations.

The ACCC has authorised the Victorian Water Industry Association and 15 Victorian water corporations to collectively acquire and/or generate Australian Carbon Credit Units. 

The ACCUs will be used by the water corporations to achieve their net-zero obligations. The ACCC says working collectively will result in transaction cost savings and efficiency gains.

The decision will make it easier for the water utilities to establish environmental plantings and plantation forestry projects. 

The ACCC - which granted an interim authorisation in early July - has granted authorisation until 1 July 2035.

Statutory development - clean energy and minerals. The WA government has introduced the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia Amendment (Clean Energy) Bill 2025, which broadens the Institute's role.

The Bill broadens the Institute's research focus beyond critical minerals to include clean energy and emissions reduction research. 

The WA government has announced a new Science and Technology Council, headed by Chief Scientist Sharath Sriram.

Members of the Council include Professor Peta Ashworth of the Curtin Institute for Energy Transition, and Professor Owen Nevin of the WA Biodiversity Science Institute.

Issue 103, 11 August 2025

Consultation opportunity - National Electricity Market review. The Nelson review of the NEM has released its draft report.

An opinion piece by the NEM review panel is available on the Renew Economy site, and the Energy Insiders podcast has a one-hour episode featuring all panel members. Coverage, including a webinar featuring panel members, is also available on The Energy site.

Comments must be submitted by 17 September. 

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen and Special Envoy for Climate Adaptation and Resilience Kate Thwaites on Friday convened an energy and adaptation roundtable meeting, ahead of the Treasurer's upcoming economic reform summit.

"Participants discussed three connected themes relating to climate risk and adaptation," Minister Bowen said: 

• barriers and enablers to effectively manage risks associated with our changing climate.
• incentivising private investment in climate adaptation.
• boosting productivity through climate adaptation.

Court dispute - oil and gas decommissioning. The Wilderness Society has launched Federal Court proceedings against NOPSEMA, alleging it has failed to ensure Santos has financial means to decommission its Reindeer gas field off the coast of Karratha, in Western Australia.

The Wilderness Society alleges that NOPSEMA failed to require Santos to prove that it has the financial means to decommission the gas field infrastructure and remediate damage to the surrounding environment. 

A joint statement issued by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon has "recognised that climate change is the single greatest threat to the livelihoods and wellbeing of Pacific peoples". 

"Australia and New Zealand are committed to reducing climate impacts and to amplifying Pacific voices," says the statement, issued after the two leaders met in New Zealand. 

"In this context, New Zealand strongly supports Australia’s bid to host COP31 in 2026 in partnership with the Pacific. Prime Ministers noted the Pacific's leadership demonstrated through the request for the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on climate change. 

The two leaders said they "looked forward to the establishment of the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) and urged further capital pledges".

Albanese and Luxon also "acknowledged the importance of ongoing trans-Tasman collaboration to transition our economies to net zero". 

The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal and Projects JSA have issued a new report on Striking a new deal for renewables in regions, which draws on insights from regional leaders.

"A vocal minority opposing renewables development in new energy regions has captured significant media attention, suggesting a social licence is far from certain," the report says. 

"However, a series of studies in 2024 also indicate strong 70% support for renewables development within the wider local community in new energy regions," it says. 

"The reason for the energy shift is widely understood and the prospect of new jobs,
local investment and opportunities is attractive to local communities," it says.

"However, for most regional people support for renewables is qualified and there is genuine fear that this change will be imposed in ways that ignore local needs and concerns."

The report identifies three key threats to social licence:

• continuing uncertainty about what will be built and when.
• insufficient attention to local opportunities and risks associated with renewables development. 
• limited local agency to shape renewables development.

The National Reconstruction Fund has announced a $50 million equity investment in Liontown Resources, anchoring a $286 million capital raise, to support the ramp-up and underground transition of the Kathleen Valley Lithium Operation. 

Global lithium consumption has tripled since 2016 due to the growth of the EV market, and around 87% of the world's lithium is used for production of EV batteries.

The 2024 Great Barrier Reef mass coral bleaching event was the fifth mass coral bleaching event on the Reef since 2016, says the latest annual summary of coral reef condition from the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

The 2024 event had the largest spatial footprint ever recorded on the Reef, with high to extreme bleaching prevalence observed across all three regions of the Reef.  

ARENA has awarded a $34.5 million grant to support Tindo to scale up the domestic production of solar PV. Tindo is Australia's only manufacturer of solar panels.

The company will use the funds to upgrade its South Australian facility from an annual capacity of 20MW, to 180MW. 

ARENA has also awarded a further $11 million to Solquartz, Energus and Stellar for feasibility studies related to the production of polysilicon, ingots and wafers, which are critical components in solar panel manufacturing.

The grants have been awarded under the $1 billion Solar Sunshot Program, which aims to support innovative solar PV manufacturing.

DCCEEW is inviting Expressions of Interest to help design and deliver two components of the First Nations Clean Energy Program - one that will fund pilot projects and another that will develop a clean energy toolkit.

A statutory review of the Energy Industry Jobs Plan (EIJP) is now under way.

The review is being led by Emeritus Professor Roy Green AM, supported by the Net Zero Economy Authority. 

The EIJP was established by Part 5 of the Net Zero Economy Authority Act 2024 (the Act) to support employees impacted by the closure of coal-fired and gas-fired power stations to prepare for, and transition to, new employment opportunities. 

Climateworks has released a Guide to credibility for corporate climate transition plans.

The guide says credible transition plans need to be:

• feasible, and sufficiently ambitious to achieve emissions reductions in line with the Paris Agreement.
• internally consistent, and integrated into the company’s broader strategy.
• comprehensive, well-maintained and verifiable. 

The Smart Energy Council has appointed Nigel Morris to the role of Chief Strategy Officer.

Nigel is a co-host of 'Just Another Solar Podcast', and is head of sales marketing at CATCH Power.

"If we have a look at the last greenfield coal mines in Queensland - Pembroke's Olive Downs - it took 12 years from start to finish," Queensland Resources Minister Dale Last has told an Estimates hearing. 

"I am not satisfied with that timeframe. That is too long. Time is money. One of the primary roles of our Resources Cabinet Committee is to look at how we can streamline that approval process. How do we work with our mining companies, our resource companies, to make that a little bit easier?"

"For coal, since becoming Minister I have approved one new mining lease
application and 11 mining lease renewals," Last said. 

"There have also been delegated approvals by departmental officers of coal resource authorities, including 16 mineral development licence renewals, one new exploration permit and 82 renewals of exploration permits," he said. 

"There are currently 49 coal-mining lease applications being prepared by the department for my consideration in the near future.

"Gas is a good news story in Queensland," the Minister added.

"We have plentiful reserves in that space, and we are working very cooperatively and collaboratively with all of our gas resource companies to bring those online."

Statutory development - grid infrastructure. With the support of the Coalition, the NSW Labor government has steered an urgent Bill through state Parliament to facilitate priority network infrastructure projects. 

The Electricity Infrastructure Investment Amendment (Priority Network Projects) Bill 2025 amends the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020, (EII Act), which coordinates and encourages investment in new electricity generation, storage and network infrastructure. 

The EII Act establishes a ministerial directions power, which enables the Minister to fast-track the delivery of Priority Transmission Infrastructure Projects (PTIPs) and renewable energy zone infrastructure, by issuing directions setting out what network operators need to do and by when. 

The Bill that was passed last week amends the EII Act to expand the type of grid infrastructure projects that can be classified as priority projects, to include - for example - synchronous condensers and distribution network infrastructure.

To reflect the broader range of projects that can potentially be prioritised, they will now be known as Priority Network Infrastructure Projects (PNIPs).

The Bill also broadens the ministerial directions framework, giving the Minister greater powers and more flexibility to respond to emerging reliability and system security issues.

A key driver for the new Bill is the looming closure of Origin Energy's Eraring coal-fired power station, which is currently forecast to occur in FY28.

The first Minister-directed priority project was the Waratah Super Battery, which recently came partially online, and will be in full operation by the end of the year. 

The NSW Bill passed after less than two hours debate in the Legislative Assembly, and less than three hours debate in the Legislative Council.

A new Victorian Freight Plan says Victoria is seeking to become the first Australian state to be a sub-national endorser of the global memorandum of understanding for decarbonising freight transport.

The plan also says Ports Victoria will be a partner in the Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC) initiative, which is operating under the umbrella of the Singapore-Australia Green Economy Agreement.

The South Australian government has welcomed the first retail sales of beef from feedlot cattle fed a seaweed-based supplement that reduces methane emissions.

The Asparagopsis supplement was developed by CH4 Global, which grows the seaweed in tanks on the Eyre Peninsula.

The Queensland government has announced eight new appointments to government-owned energy corporations - four to CleanCo and four to Stanwell.

The government has also announced Stanwell's acquisition of the Lockyer Energy Project from Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, with Stage 1 including up to 120MW of gas-fired generation and the potential for up to a further 850MW of capacity in Stage 2.

AusEnergy Services Ltd has released two publications to help investors and developers engage in long-term planning for NSW's energy transition.

The 2025 Infrastructure Investment Objectives (IIO) Report and the inaugural NSW Generation Investment Outlook (NSW GIO).

Key features of the IIO report include:

• Targeting 16GW of new generation by 2030, exceeding the 12GW minimum objective.
• Targeting 42GWh of new long-duration storage infrastructure by 2034, exceeding the 28GWh minimum objective.
• Running additional, larger tenders for long duration storage infrastructure in 2026 and 2027
• Recommencing NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap tenders for generation infrastructure in the second quarter of 2026.

The NSW GIO analyses the current project pipeline identifying a pipeline of over 50 GW of proposed generation capacity in NSW, including 12.5 GW of projects already with development approval.

However, it also concludes current project lead times won't be fast enough to meet the 16 GW ambition unless roadblocks are addressed.

The NSW government has released disaster adaptation planning guidelines to help with the development of regional Disaster Adaptation Plans.

The NSW Reconstruction Authority is obliged by law to develop the regional plans, in conjunction with councils, communities, and other government agencies.

"Since July 2019, NSW has experienced 111 declared natural disasters, with more than 20,000 homes damaged in 2022 alone," the state government said.

The state government has released the final version of the Victorian Transmission Plan.

"The plan attempts to minimise the area of Victoria required for renewable energy zones and the new transmission infrastructure needed, while also providing project developers and investors with sufficient opportunity to generate the energy we need," says Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D'Ambrosio in an introduction to the plan. 

"Without the plan, we couldn't connect new renewables to the grid, pushing up energy bills, leaving our industry, businesses and homes without secure power, and ultimately costing our economy $9.6 billion," the Minister says.

Key changes from the draft version include:

• expanding renewable energy zone footprints, which in total cover 7.9% of Victoria's land area.
• consolidating two draft zones into a single zone.
• revising cost estimates.

Vicgrid has scheduled webinars for this Wednesday, and next Monday.

The next step will be the release of draft Renewable Energy Zone Orders showing the proposed zones will be made public for at least six weeks. 

The final Renewable Energy Zone Orders will be released in late 2025.

VicGrid has also released the Victorian transmission plan final engagement report, and submissions on the draft plan. 

The feedback is based on engagement responses including 462 submissions, 65 community and industry events, and more than 100 briefings with local councils, community groups and community members. 

Projects located inside declared renewable energy zones will have the opportunity to participate in a competitive application process for allocating access to the grid.

Projects located outside of declared renewable energy zones will be subject to a Grid Impact Assessment and will need to demonstrate that their project won't result in generators within renewable energy zones being "excessively curtailed".

The report of a Victorian parliamentary committee inquiry into climate resilience has made 82 recommendations. 

They include a recommendation for a review of the Victoria Planning Provisions to examine climate resilience and adaptation issues are properly considered.

In their minority report, the Liberals and Nationals supported the majority of recommendations, but said all recommendations should be subject to a Regulatory Impact Statement, to assess costs and benefits.

They also recommended that VCAT appeals be allowed for renewable energy projects, and urged the repeal of any legislation allowing forced entry onto private land for transmission work.

In their additional comments, the Greens recommended that the Victorian Government adopts a polluter-pays approach to raise revenue for climate adaptation, including through a levy on coal-fired power stations.

The ACCC has authorised the Victorian Water Industry Association and 15 Victorian water corporations to collectively acquire and/or generate Australian Carbon Credit Units. 

The ACCUs will be used by the water corporations to achieve their net-zero obligations. The ACCC says working collectively will result in transaction cost savings and efficiency gains.

The decision will make it easier for the water utilities to establish environmental plantings and plantation forestry projects. 

The ACCC - which granted an interim authorisation in early July - has granted authorisation until 1 July 2035.

Statutory development - clean energy and minerals. The WA government has introduced the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia Amendment (Clean Energy) Bill 2025, which broadens the Institute's role.

The Bill broadens the Institute's research focus beyond critical minerals to include clean energy and emissions reduction research. 

The WA government has announced a new Science and Technology Council, headed by Chief Scientist Sharath Sriram.

Members of the Council include Professor Peta Ashworth of the Curtin Institute for Energy Transition, and Professor Owen Nevin of the WA Biodiversity Science Institute.

Issue 102, 4 August 2025

The Productivity Commission has released the interim report of its inquiry into clean energy and the net zero transformation.

Draft recommendations include lowering the threshold for participation in the Safeguard Mechanism, and introducing a new housing resilience rating system. (See link below to podcast chat with Commissioner Barry Sterland).

Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson has secured a new Senate committee inquiryinto climate change and energy misinformation and disinformation. 

The Select Committee on Information Integrity on Climate Change and Energy is due to report by 4 February next year.

Terms of reference include the prevalence of, motivations behind and impacts of misinformation and disinformation related to climate change and energy, the origins, growth and prevalence of 'astroturfing' and its impact on public policy and debate, and the role of social media.

The Net Zero Economy Authority has published submissions received in response to a consultation on whether it should declare the need for an Energy Industry Jobs Plan (EIJP) for Origin Energy's Eraring power station.

A union submission calls for an EIJP, saying Origin's support measures are inadequate. Origin says in its submission that an EIJP is not appropriate.

National Party MP Barnaby Joyce has introduced a private member's Bill to repeal the net-zero target. 

The Bill was seconded by fellow Nationals MP Colin Boyce, who criticised a range of climate policies.

Meanwhile, Senator Matt Canavan unsuccessfully sought to initiate a Senate committee inquiry into the health and future of the metals manufacturing industry in Australia. 

The inquiry would have had terms of reference including the cost to the industry of meeting climate targets. 

Similarly, One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson unsuccessfully sought Senate agreement that, as a matter of urgency, the government should scrap its net-zero emissions target.

"This was all set up under [the UN's] Agenda 21," Senator Hanson said. "It started with Maurice Strong in the 1970s. It's basically about Agenda 21 controlling the plebs."

National Party MP Barnaby Joyce has introduced a private member's Bill to repeal the net-zero target. 

The Bill was seconded by fellow Nationals MP Colin Boyce, who criticised a range of climate policies.

Meanwhile, Senator Matt Canavan unsuccessfully sought to initiate a Senate committee inquiry into the health and future of the metals manufacturing industry in Australia. 

The inquiry would have had terms of reference including the cost to the industry of meeting climate targets. 

Similarly, One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson unsuccessfully sought Senate agreement that, as a matter of urgency, the government should scrap its net-zero emissions target.

"This was all set up under [the UN's] Agenda 21," Senator Hanson said. "It started with Maurice Strong in the 1970s. It's basically about Agenda 21 controlling the plebs."

Speaking in response to Senator Hanson, Australia's youngest ever Senator, Labor Senator Charlotte Walker, said: "Well, all I can say is: are you kidding?".

"Net zero means waking up to a reality that Senator Hanson has not been able to grasp," Senator Walker said.

The Marinus Link Stage 1 interconnector between Tasmania and Victoria has reached Final Investment Decision (FID), following agreement between the federal, Victorian and Tasmanian governments.

"This project is a cornerstone of the Albanese Government's commitment to reducing emissions and creating jobs in regional communities, with its 750MWt capacity roughly equal to the power supply for 750,000 Australian homes," Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen said.

Stage 1 construction is expected to start in 2026, and is slated for completion in 2030. FID-related documents are available here.

Environment group Climate Integrity has made a complaint to the ACCC about a NSW Mining advertisement that says "coal is needed for energy security" and NSW coal is "high quality". 

"Our coal is needed for many years to come, while the world develops other energy sources," the advertisement says. 

Climate Integrity alleges the advertisement could breach the Australian Consumer Law. 

CSIRO has reaffirmed that renewables remain the lowest-cost form of new build electricity generation, and small modular reactors are the most costly, in its latest GenCost report, prepared in conjunction with AEMO.

The Australian Energy Market Operator has published a 2025 Inputs, Assumptions and Scenarios Report (IASR) that will help guide the development of its next Integrated System Plan.

The new IASR shows that the most ambitious scenario in AEMO's 2024 Integrated System Plan, the "green exports" scenario, will be rebadged for the 2026 ISP as the "accelerated transition" scenario.

The rebadging is unsurprising given that the "accelerated transition" scenario includes a dramatically lower estimate of electricity consumption linked to hydrogen production for green commodities and exports than was assumed in the 2024 "green exports" scenario. (See a summary of the differences here).

AEMO has also published its latest Electricity Network Options Report, and a Gas Infrastructure Options Report. 

For the first time, the Electricity Network Options Report includes distribution network considerations. The gas options report for the first time includes detailed information consistent with AEMO's Gas Statement of Opportunities analysis.

AEMO is hosting a webinar on the three reports on 12 August. A range of associated technical reports commissioned by AEMO are available here.

A CEFC investment update for FY25 says the CEFC committed a record $4.7 billion in that financial year, including a record $3.5 billion to renewable energy projects and grid infrastructure.

This was more than twice the amount committed in the previous financial year, it says.

The CEFC committed $2.8 billion through the Rewiring The Nation Fund across three transactions, including $2.075 billion for HumeLink and the NSW component of VNI-West, and $750 million for the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone.

Natural capital transactions included a $300 million co-finance program with NAB to reduce interest rates for manufacturing, transport and farm-related clean energy projects, and up to $200 million with Rabobank to reduce costs for farmers undertaking ACCU environmental planting projects.

Since its inception, the CEFC has made lifetime commitments of $18.3 billion and has helped drive commitments totalling $85.3 billion to clean energy projects, the update says.

The ACCC's latest Electricity inquiry report says participating in a virtual power plant may deliver additional benefits for households that have a solar and battery system. 

Resources Minister Madeleine King has launched a report on carbon capture and storage, prepared by Low Emissions Technology Australia (LETA).

"As this report makes clear, CCS can play a critical role in decarbonising hard-to-abate industries across Australia like steel, cement and chemical production," King said.

"CCS will also play a role in reducing the emission intensity of gas at the point source of production," she said. 

"It is fashionable in some circles to denigrate existing CCS projects," the Minister said. "But to do this without observing what has been achieved is to write off how CCUS can contribute to decarbonisation, and to ignore the warning of the International Energy Agency that reaching net zero will be virtually impossible without CCUS."

The report, produced by EY Parthenon, examines three potential scenarios for the deployment of CCS on Australia's east coast, with the most ambitious described as the "sequestration nation" scenario.

The report concludes that under this scenario a fully networked CCS industry along the east coast could enable the capture of up to 50 million tonnes of CO2 annually, and generate up to around $66 billion in economic activity. 

Under the scenario, Queensland's existing ban on CCS would be lifted, allowing storage in the Surat Basin from 2035.

"A serious ramp up of demand for CCS from 2034 to 2037 occurs as all east coast
Safeguard Mechanism facilities begin utilising CCS," the report says. "The east coast imports 20% of Korea, Japan and Singapore's exported carbon and the east coast’s share of hydrogen jumps to 40%." 

"Direct air capture becomes more economically viable, sequestering carbon from 2037," it says.

Meanwhile, Minister King also noted that the Resourcing Australia's Prosperity program is aiming to finalise a national CO2 storage resource atlas by 2028.

The EPAs of NSW, Victoria and South Australia have issued Guiding principles for alignment with the NGER Scheme and the Safeguard Mechanism.

"To help meet their more ambitious targets and to better inform their planning assessment processes, some states and territories have implemented (or are implementing) approaches that are requiring businesses to do more than just comply with the Safeguard Mechanism," the guiding principles state. 

"However, states and territories are being careful not to duplicate or conflict reporting requirements with Safeguard and the NGER scheme, where possible."

The Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO expect to make long-range forecasts of ocean temperatures available on the BOM website from later this year.

Consultation - EPA licence provisions on greenhouse gas emissions. The NSW EPA has released draft Climate Change Licensee Requirements and Mitigation Requirements, designed to ensure licensees reduce their carbon emissions.

The proposed measures will be phased in across industry sectors, applying only to Safeguard facilities and coal mines in the first year, with remaining facilities brought under the regime a year later. 

The measures will eventually apply to about 200 (or 10%) of the EPA's licensees that each annually emit 25,000 tonnes or more of Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. 

Although these facilities make up only a small portion of the EPA's licensees, they emit around 50% of all NSW emissions.

The initial requirements focus on reporting emissions, and preparing public mitigation and adaptation plans. Eventually, greenhouse gas emission limits will be inserted in licences.

"The Safeguard Mechanism alone will not be enough to help NSW meet its emission reduction targets," the draft licensee requirements guide says. 

"Our approach supports the NSW government’s legislated targets for emissions reductions, which are more ambitious than the Australian government’s targets and build upon the work required under Safeguard."

Comments are due by 7 October. 

To help meet the proposed requirements, eligible licensees will be able to access grants from the state's High Emitting Industries Fund.

Meanwhile, the EPA has also released a draft sector-specific greenhouse gas mitigation guide for NSW coal mines, which describes climate actions for the coal industry, targeting methane.

The guide says the EPA plans to require underground mines to have ventilation air methane (VAM) destruction systems in place by 2030, subject to an EPA VAM technology safety review to be conducted in 2028.

In addition, the EPA has also released a CSIRO report on improving the measurement of fugitive methane emissions.

A webinar on the draft documents will be held on 20 August.

NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe has announced a tender for firming projects with an indicative target of 500MW of capacity.

"This is crucial to ensure NSW residents and businesses have reliable power when they need it most, especially during high-demand periods like heatwaves or cold snaps," the Minister said.

The tender will be open to battery projects, gas projects and virtual power plants.

The NSW government has placed on exhibition Transgrid's EIS for the Victoria to NSW Interconnector West (VNI West). 

The Independent Planning Commission has approved the proposed 1,300MW Potting wind farm, which will be located in the South West renewable energy zone, about 60 kilometres south of Hay.

The wind farm, and associated 500MW/2,000MWh battery system, is being developed by a joint venture between AGL and Someva Renewables.

Statutory development - VicGrid Bill. The Legislative Assembly has passed the VicGrid Stage 2 Bill, and it has now gone to the Legislative Council.

The Opposition described the legislation as an "outrageous attack on Victorians – on Victorian farmers, on regional communities and on the property rights of landowners in this state".

"This Bill will allow forcible entry onto your land," said Liberal MP James Newbury, who described the Bill's community benefit provisions as "one big lie".

Labor MP Nina Taylor noted that there is already a provision for enabling access to land by transmission companies under section 93 of the Electricity Industry Act. 

"These provisions are common across large infrastructure projects such as transport," Taylor said. 

"However, under the existing regime the only legal option to enforce land access is for a transmission network provider to seek an injunction from the Supreme Court to enforce the right to access land under section 93 of the EIA, which is expensive, time consuming and not fit for purpose." 

Grant opportunity - trees on farms. The state government is inviting applications for grants to support farm forestry and environmental plantings projects.

Grant opportunity - carbon farming. The WA government is accepting applications under round 3 of the Carbon for Farmers Voucher Program.

A total of $500,000 worth of vouchers are on offer to help farmers access professional expertise to progress carbon farming initiatives. Applications close on 19 September. 

In the previous two rounds, 90 vouchers worth more than $1 million have been distributed.

The Centre of Decommissioning Australia has released a new study exploring the infrastructure, capability, and regulatory requirements needed to support offshore oil and gas decommissioning in the Northern Territory.

The study evaluates ports and surrounding industries that could facilitate the receival, dismantling, recycling, and disposal of equipment recovered from the Browse and Bonaparte basins over the next 40 years.

CODA estimated that there is a USD$40.5 billion decommissioning liability for the full removal of all equipment installed offshore of Australia, and 20% of the liability is related to assets located in the Browse and Bonaparte basins. 

Issue 101, 28 July 2025

New projects authorised by the Clean Energy Regulator to earn Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) include two Rio Tinto projects in Queensland - one soil carbon project and an environmental plantings project.

Meanwhile, Inpex has registered a reforestation and afforestation project in Western Australia.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has re-introduced her EPBC (Climate Trigger) Bill into the new Parliament.

"We're in 2025, and the climate crisis is not something off in the future - it is unfolding before our very eyes," Senator Hanson-Young said. "All you need to do is look at what's happening on the coastline and along the beaches in my home state of South Australia."

"The Greens have been calling for a climate trigger in our national laws for a long time," Hanson-Young said. 

"But, actually, we weren't the first ones to think of it. Even the Prime Minister himself, Anthony Albanese, in 2005, 20 years ago, introduced a Bill in the other place, calling for the exact same thing. Twenty years ago, the Prime Minister was ahead of the curve; 20 years later, I ask him to stop playing catch-up."

A Clean Energy Council strategy update says the organisation is "evolving its role" to help guide the energy transition.

"We need to be clear and realistic about the important role of gas in the transition," the update says. 

"As we have previously stated, gas will be required in the short and medium term and it is critical to supporting the grid as we phase out coal from the system in a controlled and deliberate way."

The Council has several new board members and is seeking a new chief executive following Kane Thornton's decision in May to step down.

The Australian Energy Market Operator has released its latest Connections Scorecard, which shows a surge in new generation and storage capacity reaching full output in the National Electricity Market.

A total of 29 projects with a total capacity of 4.4GW completed NEM connection processes in the 12 months to June.

Earlier stage developments were also strong, with 260 projects (totalling 53 GW) in the connections process as at the end of June, which is a 39% increase in capacity compared to the same time last year. 

Of this, 7 GW is already built and is commissioning to full output.

ARENA has awarded a $44.9 million grant to Calix to build a novel demonstration plant using its Zero Emissions Steel Technology (ZESTY).

Powered by renewable electricity and hydrogen, the plant will aim to produce up to 30,000 tonnes of low-carbon hydrogen direct reduced iron (HDRI) and hot briquetted iron (HBI) each year.

ZESTY is based on Calix's proprietary Flash Calciner technology. The new funding follows successful results from ARENA-backed engineering studies for the demonstration plant. 

The latest funding will also support early-stage engineering studies for a much larger commercial scale ZESTY plant.

A changing climate, which is expected to exacerbate extreme weather events, will likely continue to present challenges for the insurance industry, says a new ACCC report on the insurance industry, which is focused on cyclone insurance.

Documents also suggest some insurers are accounting for expected increases in natural hazard events in their current pricing and offerings to customers, the report says.

"Insurance affordability and availability challenges are more likely to impact households that are most at risk of extreme weather events," it says.

Consultation opportunity - offshore greenhouse gas storage. DCCEEW is seeking feedback on an exposure draft of a remake of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Resource Management and Administration) Regulations.

Proposed changes include new data management requirements and updated penalty provisions. Comments are due by 8 August.

Consultation opportunity - hydrogen. DCCEEW is seeking comments on two new regulatory guidance documents for the hydrogen industry - one on hydrogen production, and the other on hydrogen refuelling.

Comments are due by 19 August.

The EY Net Zero Centre has issued a new report on Australia's 2035 climate target.

"Committing to a national emissions reduction target of 65-75% by 2035 from 2005 levels would be responsible, and create new opportunities," the report says.

"Shifts in technology costs mean Australian governments and businesses do not need to choose between addressing climate change and managing cost-of-living
pressures," the report says. 

The Climate Council has issued a new briefing titled Stronger target, safer future: Why Australia's 2035 target matters.

The federal government has launched a new website - ev.gov.au - to provide information on to electric vehicles.

The website provides information on buying, owning, and maintaining an EV.

The Queensland government has gazetted an amending regulation associated with its recent overhaul of assessment procedures for large-scale renewable energy projects.

The Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) and Other Legislation Amendment Regulation 2025 amends the Planning Regulation to prescribe that development for which social impact assessment is required includes wind farms and solar farms with a capacity of 1MW or more. 

It also outlines that an applicant can request a departmental decision that a social impact assessment report or community benefit agreement is not required. 

In addition, it specifies that pre-existing applications that have not been decided will be taken to be not properly made and will be required to be remade after completing the community benefit system process.

Court ruling - climate change and development consent. A community environment group has had a major win in the NSW Court of Appeal in a dispute over planning consent granted to MACH Energy Australia Pty Ltd to extend the life of a coal mine.

After the NSW Independent Planning Commission approved the Mount Pleasant coal mine optimisation project, the community environment group sought a judicial review of the Commission's decision in the Land and Environment Court. 

It argued that the Commission had failed to consider mandatory considerations, including the likely impacts of the project on the local community and NSW due to climate change. 

The group went to the Court of Appeal after the Land and Environment Court dismissed its application for a judicial review of whether the mandatory considerations had been properly considered.

The Appeal judges unanimously accepted that the Commission should have considered the likely impacts of climate change on the environment in the locality, as a result of the project's emissions, and that it didn't do so. 

"There is nothing in the Commission's reasons to indicate that the Commission, having accepted that Scope 3 emissions would make up 98% of the Project’s GHG emissions and that those emissions would contribute to global climate change, went on to consider the impact of climate change on the locality (which was the required causal enquiry)," Justice Julie Ward held.

"The evidence before the Commission established that the effects of global warming on New South Wales and, in particular, in the locality during the life of the project and beyond, were such as to cause, and increase the incidence of, extreme weather events (flood, bushfire, drought, reduced run-off etc), increased temperatures (in excess of global averages) and rising sea levels which would compromise residences and business in the locality (and potentially lead to evacuation) and cause significant economic and personal harm to the population, both human and non-human, and the environment which may be irreparable," Justice Christine Adamson held. 

"The evidence indicated that there were features of the locality which made the locality particularly susceptible to the effects of global warming," Justice Adamson held. 

"The Commission’s report did not deal with any of these matters. Nor did it seek to distinguish between the effects of global warming generally and the effects of climate change in the locality of the project," the judge said.

"This omission was not only material but also highly significant having regard to the evidence before the Commission," she said.

The matter has been remitted back to the Land and Environment Court. 

If a proposed coal mine extension was required to use standard NSW greenhouse gas costings it would be found to have no net benefit, but it is using modelling that instead ascribes a major net benefit to the project, says a new analysis.

The Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility has examined the modelling of the economic cost of emissions from the proposed extension of the Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) coal mine.

Public projects must use NSW's current Treasury guidelines, introduced in 2023, which align the evaluation of emissions with the state’s legislated climate targets. 

If these guidelines were applied to the HVO project, then the cost to NSW of the project's emissions would be more than $6.3 billion, ACCR says.

But private projects don't have to use the Treasury guidelines, and the proponents of the expansion - Yancoal and Glencore - have used modelling that leads them to conclude the cost of the emissions from an extension of the project's life would be much lower - $3.7 billion.

ACCR says all large-emitting projects - public and private - should be required to use the Treasury guidelines.

The NSW Net Zero Commission has released submissions to its 2025 consultation.

The NSW Treasurer has issued a new direction on climate-related financial disclosures that applies to government departments and agencies, as well as Sydney University and UNSW. 

Grant opportunity - low carbon landscapes. Applications must be submitted by 7 August for grants of up to $1 million for landscape-scale projects that deliver carbon abatement.

EnergyCo has launched the Agrivoltaics Handbook - a guide to preserving productive agricultural practices while meeting the state's growing renewable energy needs. 

The guide was developed by Farm Renewables Consulting and Progressive Agriculture, with support from EnergyCo.

Written transcript is now available of a 17 July hearing of a NSW parliamentary inquiry into the impact of renewable energy zones on regional communities.

The South Australian government's new trade and investment strategy lists 'renewables, fuel and cleantech' and 'mining and minerals processing' as being among the state's globally competitive industry sectors. 

"Our unique combination of sun, wind and valuable minerals in the Upper Spencer Gulf and surrounds, position our state as a global green economy leader," says Premier Peter Malinauskas in an introduction to the strategy.

The WA government has announced new contracts totalling $342 million as part of what it terms "the largest investment in electricity transmission infrastructure in more than a decade".

Issue 100, 21 July 2025

The Federal Court has handed down its judgement in the case of Pabai Pabai & Paul Kabai v Commonwealth of Australia, brought by two Torres Strait Islander Traditional Owners. 

The Torres Strait Islanders unsuccessfully argued that the federal government owed a legal duty of care to protect Torres Strait Islanders and their culture from the harmful effects of climate change.

Commentary on the case includes articles here and here.

The Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI) and Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) have launched new guidance for boards on organisational transition planning.

The guidance includes sections on integrating the climate transition into core business strategy, transition planning and directors' duties, and board leadership and transition planning.

The Clean Energy Investor Group has released its latest Clean Energy Outlook, based on its annual member survey.

NSW has topped Australian states for investment potential, with Queensland slipping to second place. Onshore wind remains the top-ranked technology for investment, followed closely by batteries, then solar. 

Offshore wind has moved up the ranks from sixth to fifth place for investment potential, as government support strengthens. 

Green hydrogen, which previously captured investor interest, "has seen a significant drop in the rankings", falling to seventh place, the report says.

Transmission delays and state planning process ranked as the largest obstacles t0 clean energy investment in 2025, follow by EPBC processes.

The Productivity Commission will on August 3 release its interim report on investing in cleaner energy and net zero.

The federal government has awarded $76 million to 54 projects, under its Climate-Smart Agriculture Program.

The Australian Energy Market Operator has published its Engineering Roadmap FY2026 Priority Actions report, which outlines 29 priority actions for the year ahead to facilitate higher renewable and battery storage participation in the NEM and SWIS.

The report also outlines AEMO's progress against its FY2025 priority actions.

CSIRO has launched the National Energy Analysis Centre (NEAC) – which will combine real-world anonymised energy data from households and businesses with state-of-the-art energy system modelling. 

Jubilee Australia, in conjunction with the Australian Conservation Foundation and the Fossil Free Japan Coalition, has published a report on political and corporate interests in Japan and South Korea that are underwriting and benefiting from the expansion of Australia's gas industry. 

Ken Henry, chair of Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation, has delivered a speech at the National Press Club on how national environment laws can help restore nature and power the net zero economy.

A new Queensland law took effect last Friday that requires proponents of large-scale clean energy projects to finalise community benefit agreements before they can apply for environmental assessment. 

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie described the new law as "nation leading".

Federal politician Barnaby Joyce MP has told a NSW inquiry that "the whole intermittent power issue is a swindle".

Joyce told the inquiry into the impact of Renewable Energy Zones on regional communities that "they say renewable when we all know they end up as landfill".

"It's happening because there is a massive pecuniary benefit going to a select few," Jones said.

(Starting at 1 hour 46 minutes in this video of the hearing.)

The NSW government has awarded a total of $26.2 million to 13 projects through the commercial readiness stream of its Clean Technology Innovation grants program.

Funded projects include a a Hunter-based demonstration plant to assess the feasibility of a commercial lithium battery recycling refinery. 

Grant opportunity - heat pumps. The NSW government has launched a $1 million grants program to assist businesses to investigate the feasibility of energy-efficient heat pump technology.

The Heat Pump Feasibility Grants will provide up to $30,000 to cover 75% of project costs to support heat pump feasibility studies.

The NSW government has granted approval for a new $81.4 million bioenergy facility in Horsley Park that will produce renewable gas by anaerobically digesting up to 150,000 tonnes of organic waste a year.

The renewable gas will be used at Austral Bricks' Horsley Park brickworks, substituting for about 50% of its current fossil gas use.

Austral Bricks is partnering with renewable energy company Delorean Corporation, to construct and operate the bioenergy facility.

The NSW Net Zero Commission will on Thursday publish submissions received in response to its 2025 consultation paper.

The NSW Reconstruction Authority will next month offer more Northern Rivers flood-zone homes for auction and relocation, after a strong community response to the first two home relocation auctions.

A total of 45 flood-affected properties in the Northern Rivers have already been auctioned for relocation.

All the homes earmarked for relocation have been purchased by the Authority through the buyback stream of the $880 million Resilient Homes Program, which is jointly funded by the NSW and federal governments.

Consultation opportunity - NSW electricity and gas markets. In this year's monitoring report on the retail and gas markets in NSW, the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal will include an examination of new energy products and services, including virtual power plants and demand response programs.

IPART is required by law to report annually on how consumers are engaging with and switching in the NSW retail electricity and gas markets. 

Comments are due by 22 August.

Transcript is now available of the first two hearings of a NSW parliamentary inquiry into EV infrastructure.

The Victorian government has published six case studies on electrification for industrial heat, water heating and boilers in large businesses.

The report and supplementary report of an NT red-tape cutting committee has recommended the introduction of "a new Environmental Code of Practice and supporting processes to reduce approval timeframes for onshore gas".

The committee, made up of business representatives and established by the NT government, also recommends streamlining the Petroleum (Environment) Regulations "to remove duplication, improve clarity and enable administrative efficiencies".

The report also recommends introducing mandatory approval timeframes, and introducing mechanisms to motivate compliance with approval timeframes, such as "deemed approvals".

In addition, the report recommends "safeguarding small businesses from the impacts of significant policy changes" by making them exempt from significant changes to law, regulation or policy that would negatively impact them.

"Any exemptions would not apply to matters that are deemed necessary for health or safety of the public or a business’ employees," it says.

The NT government says the report's direction "aligns with our commitment to economic reform".

Issue 99, 14 July 2025

Constraining some sectors from using no more than 30% ACCUs to offset their liquid fuel emissions would help to develop a robust low carbon liquid fuel industry (LCLF) in Australia, according to a new report from the CEFC and Deloitte. 

The report, Refined Ambitions: Exploring Australia’s Low Carbon Liquid Fuel Potential, concludes that LCLFs are crucial to Australia’s net zero future, particularly for sectors such as aviation, mining, heavy freight, and defence, where electrification is challenging.

The 30% "hard limit" constitutes the "central scenario" proposed by the report, which concludes it would result in a "sizeable seven billion litre LCLF market by 2050, abating up to 20Mt of carbon each year".

However, to establish a world-leading LCLF industry in Australia, the report proposes an additional measure - an EU-style LCLF mandate applied to the aviation and maritime sectors.

The ReFuelEU-style mandate on two sectors, as well as ACCU constraints on other liquid fuel-using sectors constitutes the report's "accelerated scenario". 

This could result in an almost 12 billion litre LCLF market by 2050, reducing liquid fuel emissions by 35 million tonnes annually.

The federal government is inviting expressions of interest for innovative event proposals for the Australian Pavilion at COP30, in Belém.

Submissions close on Wednesday 6 August.

The two proponents of the proposed Marinus Link interconnector between Tasmania and Victoria have released an updated assessment of costs and benefits.

Marinus Link Pty Ltd (MLPL) - which is jointly owned by the federal, Victorian and Tasmanian governments - along with TasNetworks, stating that the findings "show that as the energy market continues to evolve, Project Marinus remains crucial for energy affordability, security, and decarbonisation".

Costs are now estimated at $3.89 billion for stage one of Marinus Link (up $30 million on the previous update), and at $1.14 billion for the associated North West Transmission Developments (up $200 million).

However, these increased costs are more than outweighed by the revised calculation for a range of benefits that will result from the project, the update says.

One of those benefits - not considered in previous cost benefit assessments of the two associated projects - is the emissions benefits associated with the substitution of Tasmanian hydropower for coal-fired generation. 

These emissions benefits could potentially total slightly more than $1 billion, based on a methodology developed by the Australian Energy Regulator, according to the project proponents.

DCCEEW is consulting on the merits of running Capacity Investment Scheme tenders for aggregations of small energy projects and technologies, with a discussion paper noting that energy market participants are increasingly aggregating small resources and operating them in a coordinated manner.

The CIS currently requires that generation projects have a minimum capacity of 30MW, and the paper seeks views on the potential inclusion in CIS tenders of solar and wind farms with smaller capacities, through a bundling approach.

The paper also refers to the role of industrial loads, and household virtual power plants.

Comments are due by 5 August.

The Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee is inviting comments on whether to remake four ACCU methods that have either sunsetted, or will do so shortly - land and sea transport, reforestation and afforestation, source separated organic waste, and beef cattle herd management. 

Comments are due by 4 August.

Meanwhile, ERAC is also consulting on proposed changes to the animal effluent management ACCU method.

ERAC has recommended extending the crediting period to 15 years for certain non-biomethane projects - those that combust methane using a flare, and those that use an engine to generate electricity. Comments on the proposals are due by 25 July.

DCCEEW is consulting on two aspects of consumer energy resources. The two aspects are data sharing, and redefining roles for market and power systems operations.

Submissions are due by 20 August, and the department has also scheduled webinars as part of the consultation process.

Grant opportunity - solar R&D. ARENA has launched a new $60 million funding round for R&D into ultra low-cost solar.

The funding will be spread evenly across two streams - cells and modules, and reducing the costs of balance of system deployment and maintenance.

Court case - climate change. The Federal Court will tomorrow hand down its decision in what has been termed the Australian Climate Case. 

Two Torres Strait First Nations leaders are lead plaintiffs in the class action, and are alleging that that by failing to take reasonable steps to prevent climate change
harms, the federal government is negligent and has unlawfully breached its duty of care to the Torres Strait community. 

They are also asking the Court to make an order requiring that the government reduce emissions in line with the best available science. 

The case has been developed in partnership with the Urgenda Foundation, which successfully took the Dutch government to court for not doing enough to prevent climate change. 

Australia will continue to support Southeast Asia's clean energy shift, "by bridging infrastructure gaps and building resilient supply chains", Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has told the Institute for Strategic and International Studies in Kuala Lumpur.

"That's why Australian Development Investments is mobilising private capital for the Southeast Asia Clean Energy Fund II and the KINETIK FUND for Green Infrastructure in Indonesia," the Minister said.

"And it's why our energy package with ASEAN is backing in the ASEAN Power Grid to enable cross-border power trading and enhance energy security and affordability," she said.

The federal government is providing $16.4 million to Palau for clean energy measures, under the auspices of the Australia-Pacific Partnership for Energy Transition. 

The Australian Energy Market Commission has proposed that a scheme should continue which allows large electricity users to be paid for reducing their consumption when the grid is under stress. 

The wholesale demand response mechanism (WDRM) should continue operating in the national electricity market, the draft AEMC report recommends.

Comments are due by 14 August.

The Australian Energy Market Operator has today released its 2025 Enhanced Locational Information (ELI) report, which provides regional-level data on National Electricity Market opportunities and challenges. 

"This report presents key locational data to help investors understand where their projects are most likely to succeed, and where challenges, such as network congestion, curtailment, or energy losses, may arise," AEMO says. 

"As of April 2025, there were over 20GW of committed or anticipated connection projects, and AEMO was aware of over 300 GW of future proposed projects under consideration," the report says. 

"Of these projects, 55% are grid-scale wind and solar generation and a further 41% battery or pumped hydro storage, representing a predominantly renewable future fleet."

The ACCC has issued a determination providing a five-year authorisation to the Australian Sustainable Finance Institute (ASFI) and industry participants allowing them to collaborate on sustainable finance initiatives.

Norton Rose Fulbright has released a climate change litigation update, which examines key trends and key cases.

Smart Energy Council Chair John Grimes has given an address to the National Press Club.

The Office of the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer has released a report on a draft method that takes into account climate change when making available water determinations (AWDs).

AWDs are yearly allocations of water to licensed users, specifying how much water they can take from a water source. 

The NSW government is providing a total of $2.8 million to five companies to subsidise the installation of another 549 kerbside EV chargers in 22 local government areas.

The Victorian government has issued a planning permit to Iberdrola for the $270 million 200MW/400MWh Mount Doran battery energy storage system. The project was assessed under the streamlined Development Facilitation Program.

The Essential Services Commission is seeking applications from auditors to conduct independent audits for the Victorian Energy Upgrades program.

The Commission is seeking auditors to conduct compliance and assurance audits, and audits of annual energy acquisition statements.

On Tuesday, 24 June 2025, a Victorian record was set for the highest amount of energy generated from wind, says a new update from the Net Zero Economy Authority.

A record breaking 94,586 MWh of power was generated from wind energy in Victoria, providing 60% of Victoria’s electricity demand, the NZEA says.

A new $20 million round of Powering Business grants will soon be on offer in South Australia.

Applications for grants of up to $75,000 to invest in energy efficiency equipment will open later this month for organisations with up to 199 employees.

The WA Appeals Convenor last week dismissed an appeal launched in 2020 by the WA Conservation Council.

The Conservation Council had argued that a 2019 licence granted to Chevron for the Wheatstone project had inadequate conditions, because it failed to abate greenhouse gas emissions.

In dismissing the appeal, the Appeal Convenor referred to advice from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER).

According to the Convenor, DWER advised "that it did not agree with [the] appellant's assertion that the emission of greenhouse gas from the premises constitutes 'pollution' or 'serious or material environmental harm' (as defined in the Environment Protection Act) if all that could be established is that activities from a prescribed premise have added incrementally to the cumulative global problem of greenhouse gas emissions".

Despite dismissing the Council's appeal, the Appeals Convenor acknowledged that it is uncertain whether the WA EPA's expectations on greenhouse gas emissions reductions at Wheatstone will be achieved, under current policy settings.

Existing policy settings leave the regulation of emissions from large projects in WA entirely to the federal Safeguard Mechanism.

"It is unclear whether the EPA's expectations for greenhouse gas emissions will be achieved via the Safeguard Mechanism alone," the Convenor's report acknowledges. 

"There is currently no climate change legislation in Western Australia to provide guidance on these matters," the Convenor adds. 

The Convenor points out that the Climate Change Bill 2023 would have required the preparation of an Emissions Reduction Strategy, but the Bill lapsed in 2024.

Having an Emissions Reduction Strategy would assist in assessing and regulating greenhouse gas emissions, the Convenor's report notes. 

The Minister has rejected the appeal in line with the Convenor's advice.

Issue 98, 7 July 2025

The federal government has launched a review of gas market regulations, which is examining supply, pricing, transparency, and the operation of wholesale markets.

The federal government has granted Major Project Status to the proposed Inpex-operated Bonaparte Carbon Capture and Storage project, located offshore from Darwin, stating that the project would "support emissions reductions in hard-to-abate sectors such as metal and chemical refining".

The project would be a large-scale, multi-user CCS hub, aggregating CO₂ from multiple emitters - including the INPEX-operated Ichthys LNG facility, which would be the anchor customer.

Other members of the joint venture that is developing the CCS project are Total Energies(26%) and Woodside (21%).

The project would have an annual injection capacity of more than 10 million tonnes a year - much larger than existing CCS projects.

The government has also granted Major Project Status to Diatreme's $534 million Northern Silica project, located North of Cairns, which will annually produce up to five million tonnes of silica sand, supplying materials for solar panels, silicon wafers, and high-end electronics.

Major Project Status provides companies with extra support to navigate the approvals system, with support from the Major Projects Facilitation Agency.

ARENA has awarded $432 million to Orica's Hunter Valley hydrogen project under round one of the Hydrogen Headstart program.

The project will involve construction of a hydrogen production plant with 50MW of electrolyser capacaty near Orica's Kooragang Island site. The new plant will be capable of annually producing around 4,700  tonnes of renewable hydrogen.

Meanwhile, the government has issued a consultation paper on the design of round two of the Hydrogen Headstart program. The Round 2 funding envelope is
anticipated to be up to $2 billion. Comments are due by 31 July.

The Greens have announced they will seek an urgent federal parliamentary inquiry as soon as Parliament resumes into South Australia's marine heat wave, which has triggered an algal bloom that is poisoning marine life and starving it of oxygen.

"Like many South Australians, my weekend beach walks have become exercises in counting dead fish and steering clear of the murky water," Greens Senator Hanson-Young said.

"Our beaches are now marine graveyards. Littered with dead fish, sea horses and even dolphins," Senator Hanson-Young said. 

"It is an environmental apocalypse," she said. "Climate change is here and it’s killing nature - polluting our oceans, beaches and waterways."

The Senator criticised the federal and South Australian governments for reportedly not providing additional funds to deal with the marine crisis.

ARENA has awarded robotics company Luminous a $4.9 million grant, making the business the first recipient of funding under ARENA's $100 million Solar ScaleUp Challenge.

The grant will be used by Luminous to demonstrate its LUMI robot, which is designed to streamline utility scale solar construction. 

The ACCC intends authorising a renewables bulk-buy led by 1Circle Pty Ltd that is likely to involve a range of large-energy using sites.

The latest edition of the Resources and energy quarterly, published by the Office of the Chief Economist, is now available.

Thermal coal earnings are forecast to fall by $5 billion to $27.7 billion in
FY26 due to the impact of weaker prices. Lower volumes are expected
to drive a further decline to $26.2 billion in FY27.

ERM has released a briefing paper on power market risks, which Australia's electricity markets are becoming more volatile and less liquid.

"Many large energy users have become complacent about managing their energy risks, incorrectly feeling they have no control, trusting that government will deliver a 'smooth' transition and/or unrealistically expecting their electricity retailer will absorb the electricity transition risk at current premia," it warns.

"If you’re uncontracted through to 2030 and possibly beyond, you must act now or risk a future where you will be forced to recontract for supply amid heightened uncertainty and volatility," the briefing paper says.

Climateworks has issued a new briefing paper on superannuation funds, which recommends the use of climate transition indices.

The NSW Energy Security Corporation is now fully operational, with the appointment of an independent Board chaired by Cameron O’Reilly, an expert in public policy and the Australian energy market and electricity transition. 

Other Board members are David Borger, Helen Conway, Michael Cummings, Sharon Eacott, Katerina Kimmorley and Daniel Papps.

The Corporation has $1 billion in seed funding to invest in large-scale storage and associated assets.

The NSW government has placed on exhibition the EIS for Neoen's proposed 577MW Tchelery wind farm, near Balranald.

A NSW parliamentary inquiry into electric vehicle infrastructure held two public hearings last week.

The ACCC has released a draft determination proposing to grant authorisation to VicWater and 15 Victorian water corporations for the joint acquisition and/or generation ofAustralian carbon credit units.

The ACCUs will be retired to assist the various water corporations to achieve their statutory greenhouse gas emission reduction goals of net zero by 1 July 2035, or sooner.

With the exception of Melbourne Water, the water corporations must use ACCUs from projects in Victoria, if they make use of ACCUs.

"However, for the majority of water corporations and particularly those that are smaller, VicWater has identified that allowing water corporations to collectively acquire and generate ACCUs will provide significant efficiencies that increase the speed and certainty of emissions reduction obligations being met," the ACCC says.

Joint purchasing will allow them to mitigate risks associated with individually buying or generating ACCUs, the ACCC says.

The joint arrangement is expected to result in the collective demand for less than 800,000 ACCUs over the 10 years to 2035.

In comments on the application, CORE Markets says that by pooling their procurement needs, water corporations could save between $2 to $10 per ACCU. 

"To provide an illustrative example, a credit seller might set the price at around $30/unit if an entity is acquiring 80,000 ACCUs, whereas it the price might be around $40/unit if an entity only wants to acquire 5,000 ACCUs," CORE Markets says.

"The range of sellers and brokers that would provide competitive pricing for volumes of 80,000 is much broader than those that would provide competitive pricing for volumes of 5,000 units," CORE Markets adds. 

In its comments, EcoSecurities said that 80,000 ACCUs per year is a potentially significant volume, "particularly if the participating members constrain themselves to ACCUs from environmental planting projects in Victoria". 

"There are less environmental planting projects in Victoria than other states such as NSW and WA," it says. 

"The collective volume under the proposed conduct could therefore be ‘market making’, encouraging more Victorian environmental planting, and resulting in a better geographic distribution of environmental plantings across Australia," it says.

Management and delivery of the ACCUs would be done through a Special Purpose Vehicle. Comments are due by 18 July.

The Victorian government has gazetted new minimum energy efficiency regulations for rental properties.

AusNet has placed on exhibition the environmental effects statement for the Western Renewables Link Project - a 190-kilometre transmission line that would run from Bulgana in Western Victoria to Sydenham in Melbourne's north-west. 

The project spans six local government areas - the Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, Ballarat, Hepburn, Moorabool, and Melton.

Comments are due by 2 August.

The Victorian government has gazetted a change to the state's Planning Provisionsthat allows gas extraction, storage, transmission and importation projects to be assessed and approved via the streamlined Development Facilitation Program.

"Responsibly facilitating gas projects is necessary to ensure there is sufficient gas supply to support the move to renewable electricity and maintain downward pressure on emissions," says an explanation for the change. 

"Since local gas reserves are limited, other temporary supply options are required including gas import terminals to balance supply," it says.

The Victorian government has granted a planning permit for Global Power Generation's Tarrone Battery Energy Storage System, just under nine months after it received the application for a planning permit.

The BESS was assessed via the state's streamlined Development Facilitation Program for environmental assessment.

Labor leader Dean Winter has pledged to transfer Tasmania's stake in the proposed Marinus Bass Strait interconnector to the Victorian and federal governments if Labor wins the 19 July state election.

The transfer would reduce state debt, Winter said.

The Yinjibarndi Energy Corporation - which is a partnership between Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation (YEC) and ACEN Corporation - has made an EPBC referral for the Baru-Marnda Renewable Energy project, proposed for a site near Karratha.

The project, which would connect via the North West Interconnected System (NWIS), would comprise 1,000MW of wind and 500MW of solar, with an option for energy storage. 

The EIS for the project notes that the state government estimates the Pilbara will require between 24GW and 41GW of new renewable energy by 2050.

The YEC is already developing the 15oMW Jinbi solar farm, with energy from that project 100% contracted to Rio Tinto, and says the two existing projects are just the start.

"To date, YEC has identified the potential for up to 3GW of wind, solar, and battery storage potential across Yindjibarndi ngurra," its EPBC referral says.

Premier Roger Cook is in Japan for what he terms "high-level meetings with government and industry stakeholders in support of continued collaboration on the clean energy transition".

"The role that WA's continuing LNG exports will play in Japan's energy transition will be an important discussion topic for the trip, as will opportunities for mutually beneficial co-operation across areas such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage, hydrogen, ammonia and green iron," the Premier said.

Market Forces has released a new analysis of APA Group's Beetaloo Basin gas pipeline plans.

Issue 97, 30 June 2025

Consultation opportunity - Guarantee of Origin scheme. DCCEEW has opened a new round of consultation on aspects of the Guarantee of Origin (GO) scheme, ahead of the scheme's launch later this year. 

The GO Scheme will certify low-emission products, starting with green hydrogen, and renewable electricity.

DCCEEW is seeking views on the proposed methodology determination for calculating emissions for hydrogen produced from electrolysis. It is also seeking views on cost recovery arrangements. 

Comments are due by 18 July. Consultation on the first set of GO Scheme rules was undertaken earlier this year.

Consultation opportunity - offshore carbon capture and storage. DCCEEW is consulting on three offshore CCS guidance documents:

• An offshore CCS national action list under the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981, which outlines upper limits for substances that might be present in CO₂ streams planned for sequestration at sea.
• National assessment guidelines for offshore CCS, setting out technical and procedural details for organisations intending to store CO2 offshore.
• An updated application form for a permit for offshore CCS.

Comments are due by 12 September. The documents relate to the regulation of the offshore sequestration of domestically sourced CO2. Work is ongoing on the regulation of CO2 imported for sequestration.

The Productivity Commission has released submissions received in response to its questionnaire on speeding up approvals for new energy infrastructure, reducing the cost of meeting carbon targets, and encouraging adaptation by addressing barriers to private investment.

The questions were asked as part of the Commission's inquiry into investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation.

The next phase of consultation will open after the Commission's interim report is released in July or August. 

The federal Opposition will establish a dedicated Coalition working group on ‘Energy and Emissions Reduction’ policy, as part of its policy development process, Opposition leader Sussan Ley has told the National Press Club.

The group will report directly to Ley and David Littleproud. 

It will be led by the shadow energy and emissions reduction minister Dan Tehan, and will also involve Ted O’Brien (shadow Treasurer), Susan McDonald (resources), Alex Hawke (industry), Angie Bell (environment), and shadow assistant ministers Dean Smith (foreign affairs and trade) and Andrew Willcox (manufacturing and sovereign capabilities).

Ley said that, over the course of the current parliamentary term, the Opposition will develop a plan underpinned by two goals:

• Having a stable energy grid which provides affordable and reliable power for Australian households and businesses, and
• Reducing emissions so that we are playing our part in the global effort.

"Our approach must be practical and principled as we address both these goals," Ley said.

CSIRO has partnered with the Heavy Industry Low-carbon Transition Cooperative Research Centre (HILT CRC), to launch the Green Metals Innovation Network . 

The network will bring together researchers, government agencies and industry to accelerate the development of a domestic green metals industry for Australia's iron, steel, alumina and aluminium sectors.

A new report released by the Australian Local Government Association estimates that councils are expected to spend more than $2 billion over the next five years to future-proof their communities from the changing climate.

However, these climate-resilient investments by councils are estimated to provide up to $4.7 billion in avoided costs and benefits to communities by 2030.

The Port of Hastings Corporation has submitted a referral for a "substantially modified" project to develop a facility at the Port of Hastings capable of handling imported offshore wind components.

The new referral follows the federal government's rejection of its 2023 referral on the basis that it was "clearly unacceptable". The project would involve dredging and reclamation works in Westernport Bay. 

So far, 12 offshore wind proponents have received feasibility licenses to investigate a development off the Gippsland coast.

Court case - fossil gas ads. The ACCC has launched Federal Court action against gas distributor Australian Gas Networks Ltd alleging it made false and misleading representations in its ‘Love Gas’ TV and digital advertising campaign.

The ACCC alleges Australian Gas Networks misled millions of consumers when it represented, in ads that ran during 2022 and 2023, that the gas it distributes to households on its network will be renewable within a generation.

The ACCC says Australian Gas Networks made the representations even though it knew the future of renewable gas was uncertain.

The Australian Energy Market Commission has released the latest National Electricity Market Reliability & Security Report, prepared by its Reliability Panel.

Statutory development - renewable energy project assessments. The Queensland Parliament has passed the Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, which overhauls assessment procedures for large renewable energy projects.

The Bill passed with government amendments.

The Bill requires proponents of large-scale renewables projects to finalise community benefit agreements with relevant councils before they can lodge an application for assessment - a requirement not applied to other types of major developments.

The government will not provide guidance on the contents of the community benefit agreements.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jarrod Bleijie described the legislation as "nation-leading". 

Labor unsuccessfully moved that community benefit agreements for renewable projects be submitted after lodgement and resolved during the assessment process. 

"This simple but powerful change removes a front-loaded barrier that would otherwise prevent clean energy projects from even entering the planning system," deputy leader of the Opposition, Cameron Dick, told Parliament. 

The Clean Energy Council said the new laws will add complexity and delay approvals for large-scale renewable projects, "and put much-needed investment in Queensland at risk".

Queensland's FY26 Budget allocates $180 million to a new Sovereign Industry Development Fund that will focus on the defence, biomedical, and biofuels industries. 

Twelve coastal councils will share more than $5 million for coastal hazard resilience projects under the QCoast2100 program, which is funded by the federal and state governments.

The NSW EPA has released the latest NSW State of the Environment report. The report shows that:

• Vegetation cover has declined over the past three years and the ability of remaining NSW habitats to support native plants, animals and ecosystems has dropped to 29% of their original capacity since pre-industrialisation.
• The number of threatened species listings has increased by 36 since December 2020. In 2024, more than 600 plant species and 300 animal species are at risk of extinction.
• The NSW sea level rose by 12cm between 1991 and 2021, and might rise by up to one metre by the end of the 21st century.
• Average temperatures across the state have already risen 1.4°C since 1910 and sea surface temperatures in the Sydney area have increased by about 0.14°C to 0.2°C per decade since the 1950s.

NSW emissions projections in the State of the Environment report show a strong improvement, according to the NSW government, with the report estimating the state is currently on track to reduce emissions to 46% below 2005 levels by 2030 and 62% below by 2035.

The legislated climate targets for NSW are a 50% reduction by 2030, a 70% reduction by 2035, and net zero by 2050.

Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said the government will develop a new Net Zero Plan to ensure NSW can meet the 2030 and 2035 targets, which will include a strong focus on transport and the built environment.

"The plan will take a sector-by-sector approach to decarbonisation and for the first time bring together all the relevant portfolio Ministers to provide guidance and input," the Minister said.

Sharpe tabled the government's formal response to the recommendations made by a parliamentary inquiry into the Net Zero Commission's annual report. 

The response notes that the EPA will release sector-specific guidance on emissions reduction and climate risk reduction, and will consult on its first mitigation guide, on the coal sector, in mid-2025.

The guide will set out time-bound expectations for specific mitigation actions that coal mines should implement. 

"The EPA will soon implement climate change requirements for activities that are regulated through Environment Protection Licences," the response adds. "The EPA will also begin to consider regulatory levers for broader parts of the economy." 

The response adds that the NSW government will establish a regional monitoring network for greenhouse gases, starting in the Hunter region. 

In addition, the NSW government will develop adaptation regulations, covering risk assessment, adaptation planning, and monitoring.

The government is also reviewing the Strategic Statement on Coal Exploration and Mining in NSW.

NSW's FY26 Budget commits a further $2.1 billion over four years to the Transmission Acceleration Facility, which was established to fast-track the development of five Renewable Energy Zones.

The TAF is a revolving fund that speeds up the delivery of new transmission projects by funding early work in the zones, along with funding community benefit schemes.

An independent review of transmission planning in NSW has released its interim report, which makes a range of recommendations designed to clarify and streamline transmission planning, clarify roles, and better coordinate transmission planning. 

The panel is accepting submissions on its draft report until 25 July, and will submit its final report to the government in September. 

The NSW Legislative Council has passed a motion condemning the NSW Branch of the National Party for abandoning its commitment to net zero by 2050.

The ACT government says its FY26 Budget will support the development of the next ACT Climate Change Strategy, and will invest $15 million over four years in climate and energy programs.

Funding will support 700 free in-home energy assessments through the Home Energy Efficiency Program, an expansion of the Sustainable Building Program for small businesses, and continued work under the Energy Efficiency Improvement Scheme.

The Victorian government has released a Gas Security Statement, which outlines steps it will take to avoid gas shortfalls.

By 2029, the reforms will unlock just under 12PJ of gas every year, more than the annual production of Beach Energy's Enterprise field, the state government said.

By 2035, the government expects they will unlock 44PJ annually - enough to meet 85% of Victoria’s forecast industrial demand.

Measures in the statement include:

• Requiring that when a gas hot water system reaches the end of its life, it must be replaced with an efficient electric alternative such as a heat pump (with effect from 1 March 2027).
• Requiring that all new homes and most new commercial buildings are built all-electric (with effect from 1 January, 2027). 

Meanwhile, the state government is also introducing new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for rental properties and public housing, which will apply from 1 March 2027:

• Hot water systems in rental homes must be replaced with efficient heat pumps at end-of-life, and end-of-life gas heaters must be replaced with reverse-cycle air conditioners.
• A minimum 4-star Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) rated shower head must be installed at the start of a new lease.
• A Minimum R5.0 rating ceiling insulation must be installed at the start of a new lease where there is no ceiling insulation already in place. 
• Draught sealing, including weather seals on all external doors, windows and wall vents must be installed at the start of a new lease. 
• Main living areas must have an efficient electric cooling system at the start of a new lease, supplementing existing requirements that they have heating. 

All the upgrades are eligible for discounts under the Victorian Energy Upgrades program. Exemptions also apply if installation costs are too high or if there is not enough space.

The state government is also investing $9.5 million to an Industry Diversification Program, which will support existing businesses to expand their manufacture of electric appliances and reskill their workforces.

Meanwhile, SEC Victoria has launched a new Electric Home Planner service to help householders switch their homes to electric.

The state government is also offering grants and subsidies to help go all-electric.

Grant opportunity - energy innovation. The Victorian government has announcedthat applications for grants under round three of the Energy Innovation Fund will open in September. 

The grant round will focus on the food processing and manufacturing sector.

Ausnet says it will offer neighbours of properties along the 190 kilometre route of the proposed Western Renewables Link (WRL) payments of $20,000 or $40,000 under a Near Neighbour Benefit Program targeting landholders within one kilometre of the proposed easement.

Renew Economy, which first reported the move, says the near neighbour scheme would be an Australian first.

Ausnet says the Environmental Effects Statement for the WRL will go on public exhibition from 30 June.

Consultation opportunity - Firm Energy Reliability Mechanism. The SA government has launched a stage 2 consultation on its proposed Firm Energy Reliability Mechanism (FERM). 

The Australian Energy Market Operator has released its 2025 Wholesale Electricity Market Electricity Statement of Opportunities, which provides a reliability outlook out to FY35 for the main WA grid, known as the SWIS.

Since 2023 almost 500 MW of battery storage has begun operating in the SWIS, with a further 728 MW of committed storage expected to be online in 2025-26, AEMO notes.

In the near-term, there is a pipeline of more than 1,600MW of committed and probable generation and storage projects (including the 728 MW of committed battery storage), which could be online by 2027-28. 

A further 2,300 MW of proposed capacity was submitted under the expressions of interest stage of this year’s Reserve Capacity Cycle, AEMO notes. This will need to be underpinned by the planned development of Western Power's transmission network, which is currently underway.

The NT government has abandoned the previous target of a 43% reduction in emissions by 2030, despite stating before the election that they were committed to it.

The backflip was pointed out by the NT Greens, based on comments made by NT environment Minister Josh Burgoyne in Budget Estimates.

Earlier this year, the NT government announced it was scrapping the former Labor government's target of 50% renewable energy generation by 2030.

Issue 96, 23 June 2025

The surge in extreme weather disasters around Australia reinforces the need for national leadership on adaptation to keep communities safe in a changing climate, says a new report from the Climate Change Authority.

Home safe: National leadership in adapting to a changing climate examines how climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of flooding, bushfires, extreme storms and coastal erosion. It also examines the rising costs of these events.

"There is a clear economic case for resourcing adaptation," the report says. "Every dollar governments invest in climate adaptation or disaster risk reduction is estimated to save between $2 and $11 in future recovery costs."

"To unlock these benefits the Australian government needs to increase funding for
adaptation measures and services," it says.

"Aligning the requirements of the National Construction Code with projected climate impacts could help make homes more resilient," the report adds.

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation has committed $15 million to the new Climate Tech Partners Fund I, managed by venture capital firm Climate Tech Partners. 

The CEFC investment was made alongside commitments from Australian Ethical, the Besan Family Office, and other investors. 

The Climate Tech Partners fund will focus on early-stage companies that possess commercially viable technologies that have significant potential for large-scale emissions reduction. 

The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility will invest up to $50 million to support the Butcherbird manganese project in the Pilbara.

Manganese is on Australia's Critical Minerals List, and the NAIF loan will enable Perth-based company Element 25 to increase its annual production of manganese concentrate threefold to 1.1 million tonnes.

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has announced that the government will move the Capacity Investment Scheme to a one-stage tender process, which will reduce the time taken to finalise tender outcomes to around six months, from the current nine months.

 Bowen also announced the release of guidelines for the $30 million Grid Enhancing Technologies grants program.

"We are presently connecting less than 3GW of new generation a year," Climate Change Authority chief executive Brad Archer said in his speech to Australian Energy Week.

"To stay ahead of the curve on the closure of coal-fired power stations and meet national targets, that number needs to lift to about 6.6GW a year," he said, foreshadowing recommendations in the Authority's upcoming report on 'unlocking Australia's clean energy potential'. 

"This is within reach – the Clean Energy Regulator estimates that total capacity reaching final investment decision this year could be more than 6GW, based on the successful bids under the first tender of the Capacity Investment Scheme," Archer said. 

"And the CIS tenders have been significantly oversubscribed, so there is cause for optimism." 

"That’s why our new report recommends the Australian government work with states and territories to reach a shared understanding of how much renewable capacity will be built by 2030 beyond the CIS target – for example through Renewable Energy Transformation Agreements, other state and territory commitments, and private investment."

"If required, the Government should then expand the renewable capacity target under the current CIS to close any remaining gap to achieving the 82% renewable generation target."

ARENA is providing a $19.8 million grant to support a $48.8 million Front-End Engineering Design study for the NeoSmelt project, which aims to develop an electric smelting furnace to make low-emissions iron.

Funding for NeoSmelt is being delivered through the $400 million Industrial Transformation Stream of the $1.9 billion federal Powering the Regions Fund.

NeoSmelt is a joint venture between BlueScope, BHP, Rio Tinto, Woodside Energy and Mitsui Iron Ore Development. 

NeoSmelt's proposed Kwinana facility would be Australia's largest ironmaking electric smelting furnace pilot plant. A final investment decision is expected next year, with operations at Kwinana planned to start in 2028.

Statutory development - NGER. The federal government has released a consultation outcomes paper on proposed changes to the NGER Scheme, and will issue amendments to the NGER Regulations "in coming weeks".

Some changes have already been implemented through the 2025 update to the NGER Determination.

The Australian Energy Market Commission has issued a consumer protection determination that will make changes including:

• Preventing energy retailers from increasing prices more than once a year.
• Preventing customers from being charged more than the standing offer price, if their initial lower-cost offer changes or expires.

Another draft determination would more effectively highlight for customers any better plan offers that are available to them.

The AEMC determinations follow a submission made by federal, state and territory energy ministers last August.

The 'improving consumer confidence' rule change comes into effect on 1 July next year, and the 'assisting hardship customers' rule change will start on 30 December next year.

The majority report of a parliamentary committee inquiry into a Bill that would overhaul development assessment processes for large renewables projects has recommended passage of the Bill.

In a statement of reservation in the report, Labor members of the committee said the Bill "is blind to practical implementation challenges".

"Despite LNP Premier, The Hon David Crisafulli MP directing his Planning Minister, The Hon Jarrod Bleijie MP to ensure that renewable energy projects face consistent approval processes with mining and agriculture, this Bill does the opposite", their statement says. 

"It imposes a unique, frontloaded framework onto renewable projects that requires mandatory assessments and agreements before development applications can even be lodged."

Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training, Ros Bates, and Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Dale Last, have hosted a high-level Coal Supply Chain Roundtable in Brisbane, "bringing together leaders from across the coal export network to drive practical solutions and unlock billions in stalled export capacity".

The meeting discussed issues including infrastructure and regulatory barriers.

"Unlike Labor, which was afraid to say the word 'coal' and damaged investment and trade relations with its hostility toward the sector, the Crisafulli Government is proud to support our coal industry and the regional communities that rely on its continued success," Bates said.

Minister Last said improving efficiencies in the coal supply chain was also a key priority for the Queensland government's Resources Cabinet Committee.

The administration of the GEMS energy efficiency and labelling scheme is only "partly effective", the Australian National Audit Office has concluded in a new report. 

DCCEEW has agreed to strengthen regulatory oversight of the scheme.

The NSW government says the State Budget will include $27.3 million to establish the Future Jobs and Investment Authority.

The Authority will help guide the future economic development of the state's four coal mining regions – the Hunter, Central West, Illawarra, and North West – from coal production towards other economic opportunities and employment.

The Authority's work will be backed by a Future Jobs and Investment Fund.

As part of its remit, the Future Jobs and Investment Authority will develop a framework to allow the funding to be spent on projects like infrastructure and post-mining land use planning, with this work to be done in concert with the Federal Government's Net Zero Economy Authority.

Currently, around 25,000 people are directly employed in coal mines. 

"While coal will remain an important regional employer and economic driver for decades, global demand is forecast to decrease in coming decades," the state government said. 

"Under current planning approvals, by 2040 all four of the state's coal-fired power stations, and 32 of the state’s 39 coal mines will close," it said.

NSW will have three large-scale virtual power plants operating by summer, each of which will coordinates businesses to reduce or shift their energy use for short periods when demand is high, such as during cold snaps and heatwaves. 

Enel X will operate the three VPPs, which will involve 21 major power using businesses that operate 108 sites across Greater Sydney, Central Coast, Newcastle and Illawarra. They will have a combined capacity of 95MW of demand response.

The projects are among four being underwritten by the NSW government as part of a firming tender.

The participating businesses will be compensated to adjust their energy use when the grid needs it most, which is anticipated to be no more than a few times a year. 

A NSW parliamentary committee inquiry into infrastructure needed to support electric and alternative energy source vehicles will hold its first public hearings on 30 June and 1 July.

The NSW government has placed on exhibition Hiringa/Sundown's application for approval to develop a green hydrogen and ammonia production and storage facility near Moree.

The NSW government has also placed on exhibition Ausgrid's EIS for the 200MW/400MWh Homebush Battery Energy Storage System, and BJEI Australia's application for approval to expand the Wollar BESS from 30MW/30MWh to 280MW/560MWh.

Statutory development - transmission infrastructure. Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D'Ambrosio has introduced the National Electricity (Victoria) Amendment (Stage 2 VicGrid) Bill, which transfers responsibility for transmission network planning from the Australian Energy Market Operator to VicGrid. 

"This will enable VicGrid to implement the 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan which will make sure we build the right infrastructure in the right place at the right time as we transition to cheaper renewable energy," Minister D'Ambrosio said. 

In addition, the Bill introduces new network access arrangements for VicGrid to manage access to the grid "which will improve coordination, help minimise constraints on the network and give investors more certainty", the Minister said. 

The Bill also introduces new Renewable Energy Zone Community Energy Funds, and a separate fund for Traditional Owners.

The REZ Community Energy Funds will support projects and initiatives that improve energy supply, efficiency, and affordability for host regions. The final details of the funds will be formalised through further legislation later this year.

The funds build on the additional payments for landowners that host new transmission infrastructure that were legislated last year.

"Landowners already receive full and fair compensation under the Land Acquisition and Compensation Act, with an additional $8,000 per km per year to ensure that they are financially better off," D'Ambrosio said.

SA Climate Change Minister Susan Close has told an Estimates Committee hearing that the EPA is working to develop a statutory environment protection policy for climate change.

"We have established reference groups for targeted stakeholders including for government and industry, including separate groups for high emitters, professional stakeholder bodies, and primary industry and environment NGOs," the Minister said. 

"There has been a discussion paper and supporting resource guide to inform the scope of the environment protection policy for climate change. It has been approved and is looking at exploring the policy options associated with requiring climate change mitigation plans and climate change adaptation planning."

Consultation opportunity - Firm Energy Reliability Mechanism. The SA government has launched a stage 2 consultation on its proposed Firm Energy Reliability Mechanism (FERM).

The WA government says its FY26 Budget provides at least $1.1 billion to be delivered through the 2025-26 State Budget "to secure a future that is Made in WA".

Almost half the total ($500 million) is in the form of a boost to the Strategic Industries Fund, which will double the fund's total value to $1 billion. The Fund will deliver common-user infrastructure at Strategic Industrial Areas (SIAs) throughout the state.

Other funding includes:

• $61.9 million to fully transition to manufacturing electric buses.
• $50 million  for the Local Battery Manufacturing Program, which will complement the WA Residential Battery Scheme.
• $30 million for new energies industries through the Investment Attraction Fund.
• $40 million to top up the New Industries Fund.
• $30 million to top up the Collie Industrial Transition Fund and support the town's Just Transition.
• $429,000 to plan for the $17.1 million expansion of South Metropolitan TAFE's Munster campus to include renewable industries training facilities.

A new Pilbara Ports clean fuels bunkering hub roadmap outlines a pathway to establish a clean fuel bunkering hub in the region, enabling the use of alternative marine fuels such as ammonia. 

Ammonia-fuelled vessels could start visiting the Pilbara as soon as early next year, the roadmap says. 

In FY24, Pilbara Ports facilitated over 7,700 vessel visits, primarily on the Pilbara-China iron ore route.

"A shift to low-carbon fuels could reduce shipping emissions from more than nine million tonnes of CO2 per year to under 560,000 tonnes - a 94% reduction," the state government says.

The WA government will engage in a rapid, intensive and confidential consultation exercise with industry peak bodies over the coming months, Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson has announced.

"This process will combine the latest intelligence from key economic sectors with work by the new Department of Energy and Economic Diversification to finalise plans for the next phase of energy grid infrastructure and to review the effectiveness of our energy market," the Minister said.

"The process will feed into major decisions of government to be announced this year, including the transmission investment plan for the South West Interconnected System," she said.

The NT EPA is inviting comment on the NT Department of Mining and Energy's referral for the Darwin Energy Hub, which will supply up to 210MW of solar generation and battery storage into the Darwin-Katherine electricity system.

Issue 95, 16 June 2025

The latest Quarterly carbon market report from the Clean Energy Regulator says renewable energy penetration in the National Electricity market in the first quarter of calendar year 2025 averaged 43%. 

"The penetration for the year could be as high as 46% dependent on demand and weather conditions," it says.

The Regulator had approved 1.7GW of new large-scale generation capacity to earn Large-scale Generation Certificates by 31 May. 

The report says that 2025 installed rooftop capacity is on track to fall within the Regulator's projected range of 2.9 to 3.2 GW. In addition, from 1 July 2025, the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) will expand to include small-scale battery systems under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program.

ACCU issuances in 2025 are on track to meet the projected range of 19 million to 24 million, the report adds. 

Q1 2025 has seen the most ACCUs transacted in the Australian National Registry of Emissions Units (ANREU) of any quarter to date, at 30.9 million. Safeguard and safeguard-related entities were a strong driver of this activity. 

The generic ACCU weighted-average spot price fell from around $35 at the end of 2024 to around $33 by the end of the March quarter. Prices recovered over April and May, reaching just under $36 by 23 May.

The Climate Leaders Coalition has published a new report on how AI can transform the measurement and reduction of scope 3 emissions.

Under a joint arrangement between the federal and NSW governments, NSW households and small businesses from 1 July will be offered up to $1,500 to install and connect their new battery to a Virtual Power Plant.

The NSW-administered subsidy can be accessed whether or not a home battery is purchased under the federal Cheaper Home Battery program, which will provide a discount of up to 30% on the cost of a battery.

There will be a cost to meeting carbon targets, but this will be significantly lower than the cost of inaction towards a net-zero, resilient economy, says an Investor Group on Climate Change submission on improving productivity via meeting adaptation and mitigation objectives.

The federal government has taken a preliminary decision to offer a feasibility licence to Bunbury Offshore Wind Farm Pty Ltd for a project in the northern area of the Bunbury offshore wind zone.

If progressed, the project would be more than 30 kilometres offshore and has the potential to deliver 1. GW of reliable renewable electricity.

The government has also shortlisted two projects - one from Westward Wind Pty Ltd and an additional project from Bunbury Offshore Wind Pty Ltd - for a preliminary feasibility licence in the southern area of the zone. 

The two applicants will now seek to resolve the overlap between them.

Doctors for the Environment Australia has secured a Federal Court order that enables it to challenge NOPSEMA's approval of Woodside's environment plan for its Scarborough Gas Project.

The court has made a maximum costs order, limiting to $80,000 the amount that NOPSEMA and energy company Woodside can seek in legal costs if DEA's case were unsuccessful. 

"I am satisfied that the applicant brings this proceeding in the public interest in order to have determined whether the Authority, in the exercise of public regulatory power, made a decision lawfully in accordance with the statutory requirements," Justice Shaun McElwaine held. 

"The submission of Woodside, that the applicant acts in its private interests and in order to secure some benefit for it and its members, is plainly incorrect."

A hearing is scheduled for July 14 and 15.

Tim Buckley, founder and director of Climate Energy Finance, has given a TEDx talkin Sydney on Australia's untapped economic potential in the global energy transition.

Queensland Treasurer and Energy Minister David Janetzki has ordered the state's Productivity Commission to provide advice on Queensland's energy and emissions settings.

The ministerial direction provides formal confirmation that the state government proposes to review the Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Act 2024, and the Clean Economy Jobs Act 2024, and to repeal the renewable energy targets.

The direction says the Commission must advise on:

• electricity system productivity. 
• any significant impact of current energy and emissions policy settings. 
• the role of the state government in facilitating an efficient shift of the electricity sector to support an economically sound pathway to reduce emissions. 
• any policy and regulatory barriers impeding efficient private sector investment in new electricity infrastructure. 
• potential options to address these barriers with a view towards growing our energy supply.

The Commission must submit its advice by 1 September.

Transcript is now available of two Queensland parliamentary committee hearings into legislation that will overhaul assessment procedures for renewable energy projects. 

The Queensland government has tabled in Parliament a QFleet Vehicle Emissions Reduction Strategy 2025-2030, that replaces the previous mandatory shift to EVs with a requirement to achieve a fleet-wide 10% reduction in emissions by 2030.

The NSW Minerals Council - which has members including BHP, Newmont, and various coal companies - has published an opinion piece in the Daily Telegraph, suggesting that thousands of jobs in mining and manufacturing will be lost if Australia adopts an ambitious 2035 emissions reduction target. 

The Committee for Sydney has launched a report on Sydney as a renewable energy zone. 

"Sydney could meet at least 75% of its annual energy needs through rooftop solar paired with battery storage," the report says. 

"While CBD buildings might cover only 5% of their energy needs through rooftop solar, industrial estates could produce between 500% to 1000% of their energy requirements, creating substantial excess power that could benefit nearby residential areas, including apartment buildings that currently lack access to solar."

The report makes six recommendations.

The NSW government has gazetted a Notice of Approval of the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (Amendment No. 1) Rule 2025.

A new software tool to support livestock producers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve profitability will be trialled shortly in NSW.

The state government has placed on exhibition Macquarie Group's referral for its 2.5GW Great Eastern Offshore wind farm, which would be located off the Gippsland coast. 

Solar Victoria customers that choose an Australian made hot water system will from 1 July get a larger rebate than those who purchase an overseas-made system.

Households that choose an eligible hot water system made in Australia will receive a rebate of $1,400, compared to the standard rebate of $1,000. 

The Victorian overnment has fast-tracked approvals for two more renewable energy projects – Venn Energy's 500-megawatt solar farm in Colbinabbin and a Mint Renewables' battery energy storage system in Dederang.

The projects were assessed through the Development Facilitation Program (DFP).

Issue 94, 2 June 2025

The ACCC intends following up its 2023 guide to making environmental claims, with additional guidance on making claims about carbon emissions, ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb has revealed in her BCSDA Fiona Wain Oration.

"Through our stakeholder engagement, businesses have called for further specific guidance, particularly in relation to emissions-related claims," Cass-Gottlieb said. 

"This is a complex undertaking in a rapidly evolving landscape, but in the year ahead we are looking to provide more guidance in these areas," she said.

New Environment Minister Murray Watt intends approving an extension of the operating life of Woodside's North West Shelf gas processing plant in Karratha.

"The impact of air emissions on the Murujuga rock art that forms part of the Dampier Archipelago was considered as part of the assessment process," the Minister said. 

"I have ensured that adequate protection for the rock art is central to my proposed decision."

Woodside has 10 business days to comment on the proposed conditions, and the company's comments will be taken into account before the decision is finalised.

Critics of the decision say industrial pollution has degraded the rock art "and will continue to do so until the industrial pollution levels at Murujuga are reduced to zero".

Consultation opportunity - coal plant closure. The Net Zero Economy Authority is consulting to determine if an Energy Industry Jobs Plan (EIJP) framework should be applied to businesses affected by the closure of Origin Energy's Eraring power station in NSW, which is scheduled to close in August 2027.

Following the consultation, the Authority will decide whether to apply to the Fair Work Commission for a determination to apply the EIJP to the Eraring closure. 

"This will consider which employers should be included under the framework and required to provide transition supports to their workers," the Commission says.

An EIJP supports employees impacted by the closure of coal-fired power stations as they prepare for transition to new employment.  

It places obligations on employers to provide transition support to their employees, including access to career and financial advice, training, and paid time off or flexible working arrangements to access these supports. The framework can apply to the owner or operator of a power station, as well as businesses within its supply chain that will be directly impacted by the closure.  

If an EIJP is in place, the Authority will also provide redeployment assistance, such as having on-the-ground coordinators to help link workers with new jobs. 

Eraring's closure is expected to affect about 216 workers, as well as workers from dependent businesses. 

Comments are due by 18 July. 

Meanwhile, the Net Zero Commission has also issued a statutory instrumentdefining the Eraring power station geographic area.

ARENA has announced a $4.4 million grant to South32 to study steam electrification pathways at its Worsley alumina refinery.

The alumina refining industry is Australia's largest user of industrial process heat. About 70% of the greenhouse gas emissions produced in alumina refining arises from steam production, which is currently powered by fossil fuels .

The study, funded under the $400 million Industrial Transformation Stream (ITS) program, will allow South32 to assess four investment options for partial steam electrification.

The Productivity Commission is seeking responses by 6 June to a survey on investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation.

There was a significant uptick in new  financial commitments to large-scale generation in 2024, and it was also another strong year for big batteries, says the Clean Energy Council's latest annual Clean Energy report. 

In 2024, there was a considerable increase in investment commitments to large-scale renewable energy generation, with a 500% uptick from $1.5 billion in 2023 to about $9 billion in 2024. 

That constitutes the highest single year of new financial commitments to large-scale generation since the boom of 2018 ($8.4 billion). 

"When combined with utility scale storage investment commitments, 2024 saw the largest wave of clean energy investment in Australia’s history," says an introduction by the Council's chief executive, Kane Thornton.

Meanwhile, the latest Clean Energy Council battery storage quarterly investment report says the first quarter of 2025 was the second best on record for investment in large-scale battery energy storage systems in Australia. 

Six projects worth $2.4 billion in total reached the financial commitment stage – which will deliver an extra 1.5 GW in storage capacity and 5 GWh in energy output, the report says.

Submissions are now available made to a parliamentary committee inquiry that will require large-scale wind and solar projects to have signed a binding community benefit agreement (CBA) with local councils, and to have completed a social impact assessment (SIA), before submitting their development application. 

The Clean Energy Investor Group (CEIG) notes that requiring a completed SIA and legally binding CBA before development application lodgement "introduces significant procedural and investment risk, especially without mandated timeframes or consistent local government processes".

The CEIG, the Clean Energy Council, and the Queensland Renewable Energy Council all warn that the Bill could lead to reduced private sector investment in Queensland. 

They suggest that the government make the completion of a CBA a condition of approval, instead of requiring that it be signed with relevant local governments before an application is lodged for assessment.

"This is more in-line with the resources sector approach," the QREC points out. 

In similar vein, the Queensland Conservation Council points out that "no resources project is required to sign a binding community benefit agreement with local councils before submitting an application". 

"We are concerned that this places higher requirements on renewable energy than resources [projects] in Queensland," the QCC says.

The Western Downs Regional Council also expresses concern about the timing of the CBI and SIA requirements in the Bill. 

"Requiring these instruments to be finalised prior to lodgement of a development application is, in our view, operationally flawed. Large-scale renewable projects are dynamic," it says. 

"Over the course of multi-year developments, community expectations shift, local priorities evolve, and project parameters change. Mandating early-stage agreements risks rendering these tools either inflexible or obsolete."

Gladstone Regional Council expresses a similar view, and state government agency Coexistence Queensland also makes a similar point. It notes that the goal of securing social licence before a project starts could also be achieved by making finalisation of a CBA a condition of development approval.

The Bill would also make the State assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) the assessment manager of all large-scale solar farms (which are currently assessed by councils), as well as wind farms. 

The committee inquiring into the Bill is holding two hearings this week.

The Queensland government has announced that Greenleaf Renewables' proposed $1 billion, 450MW Moonlight Range wind farm near Rockhampton will not be allowed to proceed.

The project had been approved last December by the State Assessment and Referral Agency, but Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie used rarely exercised powers to call it in for reassessment in April.

The ministerial veto cannot be appealed.

Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last has announced a review into how land is released for exploration across the resources sector. 

The "targeted three-month land release review" aims to improve the efficiency and transparency of opening areas for exploration. It will consider changes to the land release expression of interest process, the land release area selection process, and the competitive tender process. 

Last also announced the opening up of tenders for nine parcels of land for gas and petroleum exploration.

The NSW Independent Planning Commission has approved a proposed $302 million, 135MW Muswellbrook solar farm and 135/270MWh battery, to be located next to and within the site of Idemitsu's former Muswellbrook coal mine.

The solar farm is being jointly developed by OX2 (a European renewable energy company, which entered the Australian market via the purchase of ESCO) and Idemitsu.

Idemitsu has prepared a draft master plan to redevelop the coal mine site into a clean industries precinct, with the solar farm to be the first project in the precinct. 

NSW Health has launched a Net Zero Roadmap that describes how the service will reach net zero by 2050.

The NSW government has released the EIS for BESS PACIFIC's proposed 100MW/200MWh Finley battery energy storage system, to be built in the Kerrigan local government area. 

The state government has released the final version of its Handbook for the Development of Renewable Energy in Victoria, which describes expectations for the management of threatened bird and bat species.

Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny has released her assessment of the Environmental Effects Statement for Viva's proposed LNG import terminal in Corio.

The ministerial assessments finds that the potential impacts of the project can be managed.

"The project is consistent with Victoria’s broader energy and climate policy objectives and does not undermine the state's net zero emissions target for 2045," the assessment says. 

If it proceeds, the Viva Energy Terminal could annually receive up to 160PJ of LNG – approximately 88% per cent of Victoria’s 2024 gas consumption. 

Meanwhile, the Victorian government has also invited comment on draft Environmental Effects Statement scoping requirements for Vopak Victoria Energy Terminal Pty Ltd's proposal to build and operate a floating LNG import terminal in Port Phillip Bay, about 19 kilometres east of Avalon. Comments are due by 23 June.

Consultation opportunity - energy storage. The Victorian government is consulting on potential amendments to the Payment in Lieu of Rates (PILOR) regime, which was introduced for electricity generators, to clarify arrangements for energy storage systems.

The proposed changes would introduce a fee-setting methodology specific to storage systems. Comments are due by 30 June.

The Victorian SEC will power about 5% of the state's electricity market from 1 July, following the signing of contracts that will see it power schools, hospitals and other Victorian government operations with 100% renewable electricity.

Meanwhile, the SEC says it will soon open an expressions of interest process for installer and trade businesses to register with it and help Victorians switch to electric.

The move is part of the SEC's plans to develop a 'one-stop-shop' to support households in making the switch to electric for their heating, hot water and cooking.

Modelling for the state government's Gas Substitution Roadmap shows that an average Victorian household with gas and electric appliances can reduce their annual energy bill by around $1,700 by going all-electric, or more than $2,700 a year with solar.

"Labor's ban on gas in homes is wrong, and we will reverse it," shadow treasurer James Newbury has said in his Budget-in-reply speech. "We will also work with industry to turn the gas tap back on. We will kickstart a gas industry."

Issue 93, 26 May 2025

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has delivered a speech in Suva strongly focused on climate change. 

"We have listened to the Pacific's call for urgent climate action – and we are on track to deliver $3 billion in climate finance by this year," the Minister said.

"And we are backing Pacific climate solutions by investing in the Pacific Resilience Facility, a Pacific-led and Pacific-owned facility to deliver climate finance directly to communities.

"In these communities we see the injustice of the climate crisis – where those who contributed the least to the crisis, are the most vulnerable to its impacts.

"Australia is working to build resilience in these communities. And in 2023 - in a world first for a legally binding agreement – we provided legal protection for Tuvalu's sovereignty in the face of sea level rise, through the Tuvalu-Australia Falepili Union," she said.

"Pacific voices have long been – and continue to be – at the forefront of global climate advocacy. And Australia will advocate with you."

"I urge the Pacific to use its voice, its moral authority, to bridge the divides, to bring the global north and global south together and unify us in our mission to preserve our planet," the Minister said.

"Next year we hope a COP31 hosted by Australia and the Pacific helps give you that platform, and we will stand with you in demonstrating the urgency of this crisis to the world."

Resources Minister Madeleine King has signalled the establishment of a taskforce to advance the government's proposed Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve, in a speech to the AFR Mining Summit.

"I will soon establish a Taskforce made up of the private and public sectors to finalise the design of the Reserve, including on the detail around what price the government may offer, how a reserve would function and where reserves could be located," the Minister said.

"A Strategic Reserve will mean government has the power to purchase, own and sell critical minerals found here in Australia," King said. "It will allow us to deal with trade and market disruptions from a position of strength." 

"We know these minerals are subject to price manipulation and that western producers are all too often priced out of the market, or that rare earths and critical minerals are subject to arbitrary export bans or controls," the Minister said.

"These are issues that industry raised with me repeatedly during the last three years of the Albanese government," she said. 

Solar company 5B has become the first beneficiary of the ARENA-administered $1 billion Solar Sunshot program, receiving a total of $46 million to scale up production of Maverick solar panels at its Adelaide manufacturing facility.

The Maverick system is made up of prefabricated panels, which are folded like an accordion into shipping containers, "meaning they can be deployed up to 10 times faster and at significantly lower costs", according to the federal government.

The $46 million grant funding is made up of a production credit of up to $26 million based on 5B's Australian-based production for large-scale solar deployed in Australia, and a $20 million capital grant to implement technology design improvements.

The National Energy Market review panel has scheduled an online public forum for 3 June.

A new report from the Green Building Council of Australia shows that the construction and furnishing of a typical detached home results in 185 tonnes of upfront carbon emissions.

That is far larger than the operational emissions from a typical home, which sit at just 24 tonnes over 60 years, when powered by Australia’s increasingly decarbonised electricity grid. If powered entirely by solar, the operational emissions drop to close to zero.

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation said the report highlights the need to embed sustainability earlier in the building process, to deliver long-term emissions reductions and economic benefits.

“Reducing embodied carbon in new housing is one of the next frontiers for decarbonisation,” said CEFC Head of Property, Michael Di Russo.

The Productivity Commission is seeking responses by 6 June to a survey on investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation.

The ACCC has issued a draft determination proposing to authorise Energy Networks Australia, Synergy, and others to jointly procure and implement a national 'public key infrastructure' service (PKI).

Various distribution network businesses will use the same national PKI to communicate with consumer devices to remotely limit or prevent them exporting energy into the grid at times of significant excess production. 

The Australian Energy Market Commission has overhauled the technical requirements for connecting to the national electricity grid, and has proposed other changes to manage new large energy users, such as data centres and hydrogen electrolysers.

The AEMC has published its final determination on "Package 1" improvements to the National Electricity Market access standards, which focuses on making it faster and cheaper for renewable energy generators to connect to the grid. 

It is also seeking stakeholder feedback on "Package 2", which proposes new requirements for large energy users to ensure power system security.

The Carbon Market Institute has issued an analysis of a CSIRO paper on grazing impacts in Australia's rangelands, which is relevant to calculating changes in carbon stocks.

The CSIRO paper is available here. 

The Superpower Institute has issued a report on The New Energy Trade, which concludes Australia could contribute up to 9.6% of the world's emissions reductions, while generating larger revenues than those typically delivered by fossil fuel exports.

A Let Me Sum Up podcast episode on the report is available here.

Transcript of a Dubbo hearing of a parliamentary committee inquiry into the community impact of renewable energy zones is now available.

Council officials, landowners and renewable energy companies gave evidence at the hearing, with council officials generally expressing concern about inadequate planning and large consultation burdens.

"The Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone—the first in New South Wales—has been marked by an alarming lack of planning, leadership and coordination," one council official told the hearing. 

"My tenure's only been shorter than a jam roll, but I have, like these other guys,
attended an enormous amount of meetings with proponents, some good and some bad," another council delegate told the inquiry. 

Council officials said some companies had engaged well on their projects, while others were clearly only interested in getting them to a certain point and flipping them to another business.

Meanwhile, a representative from Squadron Energy told the hearing that the company had "engaged early in Dubbo". 

"We've also partnered on an accommodation solution for our workforces. We have entered into an agreement to lease 10 hectares of land from council for a workforce village.

"It's on the urban fringe. We did that to ensure full economic benefit is realised by the broader community. The REMPLAN data the council provided regarding that village and moving it into town indicates it will add $250 million worth of economic activity to the local economy each year." 

There is a "relatively high risk" of interruptions to the NSW energy market and normal system operation over the next 12 months, concludes a new report from the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer. 

"This risk is increasing over time," it says.

"Adjustments to the NEM to accommodate the ongoing transition to renewables have lacked a coherent, coordinated strategy for reform, making the NEM less reliable and unlikely to support the future energy system," it says.

"Investment in the gas supply chain is urgently needed to ensure its role as a transition fuel source," it adds.

"Increasing network complexity and delays to approval, construction and commissioning of new generation and transmission capacity are increasing the overall risk to NEM reliability and resilience," the report adds.

"Changing climatic patterns and unpredictable extreme weather events are putting further pressure on the energy systems and emergency responses," it warns.

Consultation opportunity - net zero. The NSW Net Zero Commission has issued a consultation paper on the transition to net zero, and the work of the Commission. Comments are due by 11 July.

The Office of the NSW Anti-Slavery Commissioner has released the first of three reports examining modern slavery risks in the procurement of electric
vehicles and EV charging infrastructure by NSW government agencies.

The initial report aims to provide a "baseline understanding" of relevant legislation and principles, and describes sources of information about risks in EV and charging infrastructure supply chains.

It also flags the Commissioner's power to create codes of practice, and notes that a code of practice on managing modern slavery risks in the renewables sector is being developed in conjunction with the Clean Energy Council.

A draft code will be released for public comment "in coming months", the report says.

The second report will focus on bus procurement, and the this will provide "a broader analysis of government agencies' modern slavery risk management practices in EV procurements. 

The NSW government has held a roundtable meeting with industry, community and union leaders in Wollongong to discuss plans to establish NSW's first 'urban renewable energy zone' in the Illawarra region.

The roundtable coincided with the signing of a new memorandum of understanding between EnergyCo, which leads the delivery of REZs, and local electricity distribution system operator, Endeavour Energy, to jointly develop innovative network and battery solutions within the REZ.

The EIS for Sunspot's proposed 150MW Tilibuster Stage 2 solar farm near Armidale is now open for comment, as is the EIS for Edify's 90MW Brewongle solar farm, near Bathurst.

Iberdrola's Flyers Creek wind farm has become the first project to commence commercial operations supported by a NSW Long-Term Energy Service Agreement (LTESA).

The Flyers Creek wind farm, located near Orange, has a capacity of 140MW. 

The project was awarded a generation LTESA under NSW Roadmap Tender Round 4, which was announced in June 2024.

Victoria's latest Budget allocates $10 million in the coming financial year to develop the state's offshore wind sector, and also provides funding to incorporate insulation upgrades into the Victorian Energy Upgrades program.

The Budget also includes $50.6 million in FY26 to provide a power saving bonus to vulnerable consumers.

In addition, a total of $1.5 million will be spent this coming financial year on the development of an industrial renewable gas certificate scheme.

The ACCC has issued a final determination authorising the City of Onkaparinga, City of Holdfast Bay, City of West Torrens, City of Salisbury, Town of Gawler and City of Port Adelaide Enfield to form a joint renewable electricity buying group. 

The NT government has awarded a tender to provide technical advice on the Territory Energy Link – a proposed 670-kilometre multi-user infrastructure corridor stretching from Elliott to Darwin.

"This expert support will drive corridor planning and pipeline development, ensuring the 670km priority section is development-ready by 2028," the NT government said.

The project will deliver a buried services corridor designed to carry gas, water, optical fibre, hydrogen and other utilities.

"It will connect the Beetaloo to Darwin and the world, laying the foundations for billions in investment and thousands of local jobs," said Infrastructure Minister Bill Yan.

Issue 92, 19 May 2025

EnergyAustralia and Parents for Climate have settled a Federal Court court case brought by the group over the energy company's marketing of its 'Go Neutral' residential customer energy products.

A public apology issued by EnergyAustralia says the company "acknowledges that carbon offsetting is not the most effective way to assist customers to reduce their emissions and apologises to any customer who felt that the way it marketed its Go Neutral products was unclear". 

"EnergyAustralia has now shifted its focus to direct emissions reductions," it says. 

"While offsets can help people to invest in worthwhile projects that may reduce greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere, offsets do not prevent or undo the harms caused by burning fossil fuels for a customer’s energy use," it says. 

"Even with carbon offsetting, the emissions released from burning fossil fuels for a customer’s energy use still contribute to climate change." 

"While high quality carbon offsets may play a role for hard to abate residual emissions, it is important for organisations to provide clear and transparent information to consumers on where and how offsets have been used and what those offsets can achieve."

Parents for Climate welcomed the company's apology, describing it as "a major win". 

"It is the first legal case of its kind in the country to protect the public from 'carbon neutral' greenwashing," the group said.

"The facts are clear," the group said. 

"Carbon offsets should be a last resort. Too many companies are using offsets to delay real climate action - and that’s not just misleading, it’s dangerous. The federal government has failed to deliver a high-integrity program for voluntary offsets, so we're taking matters into our own hands." 

Submissions to the review of the National Electricity Market have been made public.

In a joint communique issued following their leaders meeting, Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto and Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have:

• welcomed positive developments on collaboration to promote "electric vehicle ecosystem growth", and tasked officials to continue working together.
• welcomed the economic opportunities of the global net zero transition, and reinforced the value of the Australia-Indonesia Climate and Infrastructure Partnership (KINETIK).
• announced a $50 million contribution by Australia to capitalise the KINETIK Fund for Green Infrastructure, under the AU$200 million Australia-Indonesia Climate and Infrastructure Partnership launched by Leaders in June 2022. * 
• recognised a shared commitment to addressing plastic pollution in our region, and the importance of finalising an ambitious international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.

The CEFC has committed $3 million to Australian clean energy technology company EcoJoule Energy, to support its deployment of grid strengthening technology that will facilitate the increased uptake of distributed generation.

The CEFC investment is part of EcoJoule's $15 million capital raise.

Consultation opportunity - ACCUs. The Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee has released an exposure draft of a new landfill gas ACCU method. Comments are due by 12 June. Changs from the previous method include:

• incorporating an upward sloping baseline.
• providing a crediting period extension for existing projects, but with an adjustment to their baseline.
• establishing a regulatory baseline factor that must be used if state and territory landfill gas capture regulations mandate gas capture to a level higher than the default baseline factor.
• facilitating additional abatement by incentivising continued investment in existing landfill gas projects.
• improving and strengthening methane measurement requirements used to calculate net abatement from landfill gas projects.

The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis has released a new paper on methane abatement in coal mines. 

Australia's Climate Leaders Coalition has released an AI for Climate framework that charts how AI applications can be used for mitigation, adaption and restoration.

The Monash Sustainable Development Institute is offering a range of professional development programs through its Net Zero Academy.

Windlab has announced that its 1.4GW Wongalee wind farm has received state development approval. The project is still waiting on EPBC approval.

AEMO Services Ltd has launched its sixth tender under the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap, seeking an indicative 1GW of long duration storage projects in NSW.

Bids must be submitted by 10 June.

Transcript is now available of the first hearing conducted by a parliamentary committee inquiry into the impact on communities of renewable energy zones.

The NSW government has gazetted the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Amendment Regulation 2025.

The NSW government has approved Esco Pacific's proposed $312 million, 90MW Summerville solar farm, to be built southwest of Lismore, with an associated battery energy storage system.

Esco will also provide about $3.1 million to Richmond Valley Council to deliver infrastructure and community benefits.

The project still requires federal EPBC Act approval.

The NSW government has identified 28 current and historic mine sites that could have critical minerals and "high-tech metals" within their tailings.

Consultation opportunity - electricity grid. VicGrid's draft 2025 Victorian transmission plan proposes seven renewable energy zones, a Gippsland shoreline renewable energy zone, and new transmission lines required out to 2040.

Comments are due by 24 June.

Statutory development - energy efficiency. Parliament has passed the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Amendment (Energy Upgrades for the Future) Bill 2025.

The Bill extends the Victorian Energy Upgrades program's legislated end date from 2030 to 2045, and allows VEU targets to be set for a two-year period, rather than five years, up until 2030.

The Coalition opposed the Bill, citing concerns about the administration of the scheme and the conduct of a review of the VEU scheme that is currently underway. 

Meanwhile, Climate Change Minister Lily D'Ambrosio has given notice that she will be gazetting the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Amendment (Targets and Shortfall Penalty Rates) Regulations 2025.

Consultation opportunity - electricity and gas bills. The Essential Services Commission has proposed new rules to require energy retailers to move two types customers onto cheaper plans - those experiencing financial hardship, and those who have been on the same plan for more than four years. 

The Commission estimates the proposed changes would result in retailers switching up to 75,000 electricity and 60,000 gas customers to their best offer. 

"This could result in total average annual savings of up to $16.8 million for affected electricity customers and $11.0 million for affected gas customers," says a regulatory impact statement.

The Victorian Greens have instigated a parliamentary inquiry to investigate how the state can best harmonise electric vehicles with electricity supply and demand.

Fortescue has made a referral to the WA EPA for the construction and operation of a wind farm and transmission infrastructure to provide renewable energy to its Pilbara mining operations. 

The proposed East Pilbara Generation Hub would comprise up to 200 wind turbines and five substations, with a total capacity of 2.1GW.

"The proposal will allow Fortescue to cut down Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions from its operations by at least 1.5 million tonnes of CO2-e per year by replacing diesel and gas-fired stationery power generation with renewable sources," says the company's supporting documentation.

Greens MP Kat McNamara has quizzed the NT government in the Legislative Assembly over the absence of a climate risk assessment or framework in the NT Budget released this month, noting that all other state and territory budgets have them. 

In response, Environment Minister Joshua Burgoyne said the NT government "is getting on with protecting the environment whilst ensuring that approval timeframes are reduced".

Issue 91, 12 May 2025

DCCEEW is inviting organisations planning to attend the COP30 climate talks in Brazil to complete a short survey, to assist in government planning.

"Limited support is available to fund the travel of underrepresented groups ... with a particular focus on First Nations Australians and youth," says the survey landing page. 

"This survey will help us identify interest in COP30 attendance and potential barriers that exist to participation," it says.

Responses must be submitted by 18 May.

Advocacy group Climate Integrity has lodged a complaint with the ACCC over representations made by "Australians for Natural Gas".

The group is represented by the Environmental Defenders Office.

There is a large opportunity for state policy in NSW and Queensland to complement the Safeguard Mechanism and unlock cost-effective, near-term fugitive emissions abatement from coal mines, says a new report from Common Capital. 

Developed in consultation with government officials, mining industry representatives, and other interest groups, the report says:

• Fugitive emissions from coal mines are currently responsible for 9.7 MtCO2e in NSW (7% of annual emissions) and 11.6 MtCO2e in QLD (8% of annual emissions). Fugitive emissions could increase significantly, by 75% in NSW (to 17 MtCO2e), and by 90% in QLD (to 22 MtCO2e).
• There is approximately 5.1 MtCO2e per year of abatement available in NSW and 5.5 MtCO2e per year of abatement available in Queensland that is likely to be cost-effective (< $30/tCO2e).
• These abatement estimates are based on current technologies applied at just the nine highest emitting underground mines in NSW and six highest emitting underground mines in Queensland, which collectively account for 63% of national reported coal mine fugitive emissions but only 12% of coal production. 

"In the last quarter of 2024, renewables provided 46% of the power in our main national grid on average, reaching over 70% at times," Climate Change Authority chief executive Brad Archer has noted in a speech to CEDA.

"Over four million homes and properties already have solar panels on the roof," Archer said. 

"Some of the nation's leading businesses are switching to renewables to power their operations – companies like BHP and Rio Tinto, and Bunnings. This progress should give us the confidence to keep going, to keep building on our momentum," he said.

Ten renewable energy projects have been given access rights to connect to the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).

The projects have a total of 7.15GW of renewable energy and storage capacity, which will be capable of powering 2.7 million homes by 2031 in peak periods. They will avoid 10.29 million tonnes of carbon emissions per year.

The ten projects comprise three wind farms, four solar facilities (one of which as a battery component), and three standalone battery projects.

The Victorian government has approved ACEnergy's $350 million Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project in Little River, through its fast-track Development Facilitation Program. 

Consultation opportunity - clean fuels. The Tasmanian government has released a draft Tasmanian Future Clean Fuels Strategy to accelerate the production and use of renewable hydrogen, green methanol and advanced biofuels.

Comments are due by 4 July. The final version of the strategy will be released later this year.

Leader of the Opposition Vincent Tarzia has suspended his previous commitment to hold a state Royal Commission into nuclear energy, if the Liberals win the next state election. 

Tarzia last year appointed Stephen Patterson as Shadow Minister for Nuclear Readiness.

Horizon Power has lodged a referral with the WA EPA to construct the Broome Future Energy System, which will comprise a 90MW solar farm and battery energy storage system.

Issue 90, 5 May 2025

Labor's landslide election victory ensures all existing climate and environmental programs will be retained, and Australia will continue to pursue its bid to co-host the COP31 climate talks.

New climate commitments made by Labor during the election include a program to subsidise the purchase and installation of household batteries. 

Labor will also once again pursue the establishment of a federal EPA, and will again attempt to pass major reforms to the EPBC Act. 

A new report from InfluenceMap on corporate engagement with Labor's Future Made in Australia plan reveals that the FMIA measures have secured corporate support across the Australian economy, with the exception of the fossil fuel and automotive sectors.

"Due to the scale of financial support on offer, the FMIA plan is the subject of intensive advocacy by corporate interests," says InfluenceMap, which analysed 185 consultation responses from 58 companies and industry associations on various FMIA policy measures. 

The analysis found roughly half (47.5%) to be supportive of the climate measures in the FMIA.

In comparison, only 35% held supportive positions on the climate and energy consultations conducted by Labor in its first year of office, before it introduced FMIA legislation and policy, InfluenceMap says.

The Clean Energy Regulator has approved ACCU projects proposed by Brickworks, and by Melbourne Water, and will also allow credits to be earned from a waste to energy project at a paper mill.

Brickworks will earn carbon credits from its Horsley Park bioenergy facility in Sydney, which produces gas from the anaerobic digestion of waste that is then used at its brickworks.

Melbourne Water will earn carbon credits from a dedicated food organic waste facility at its Werribee Western Treatment Plant.

A waste to energy project at Opal's Maryville paper mill in the Latrobe Valley, which will significantly reduce gas consumption at the mill, has also been approved to earn credits.

Statutory development - clean energy project approvals. Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie has introduced the Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill. 

A summary of the Bill by law firm King & Wood and Mallesons says it will constitute a "major proposed shift" in how renewable energy projects are assessed and approved in the state. 

"Whilst these proposed reforms represent a key step in standardising renewable energy project assessment in Queensland ... they also present significant new hurdles that proponents of wind and solar projects (and their investors) will need to grapple with, including retrospectively in some cases," the law firm says.

"Further to all wind farms becoming subject to impact assessment on 3 February 2025, it is now proposed that all solar farms also be subject to impact assessment (which is rigorous, lengthy and subject to third party appeal rights)," it says.

The responsibility for assessing large-scale solar farm applications will shift from local governments to the State Assessment and Referral Agency, K&WM adds.

Proponents of wind farms and large-scale solar farms will be required to complete a Social Impact Assessment and establish a legally binding Community Benefit Agreement with relevant local governments or stakeholders, before lodging their development application, it adds.

The requirements for social impact assessments and community benefit agreements will apply retrospectively to projects already undergoing assessment. 

The Bill has been referred to state Parliament's State Development, Infrastructure and Works Committee for consideration. 

The Queensland Conservation Council has launched legal proceedings calling for the Land Court to refuse an application to extend the life of an existing Bowen Basin coal mine by 20 years.

Bowen Basin Coal Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Jellinbah Group, is seeking approval to extend its existing Lake Vermont coal mine. 

The Conservation Council alleges that the proposal fails to appropriately deal with the environmental impacts of the project, including greenhouse gas emissions.

"Based on the production estimates provided in the EIS,the project’s total lifetime carbon emissions would be 348 million tonnes of greenhouse gas," the Council says.

If approved, Lake Vermont could become the sixth biggest emitting coal mine in Queensland by 2028, it says.

A NSW parliamentary committee inquiry into the impact of Renewable Energy Zones on rural and regional communities and industries will hold its first hearings on 13 May (in Sydney) and 16 May (Dubbo).

Submissions closed on Friday to a NSW parliamentary committee inquiry into infrastructure for electric and alternative energy source vehicles.

Green hydrogen and ammonia could be exported to Europe from WA's Mid West, according to the report of a Trilateral Hydrogen Hub Feasibility (TrHyHub) study.

The study - conducted by the WA government, the Port of Rotterdam, and a German solar energy institute - investigated the feasibility of hydrogen exports from Oakajee Strategic Industrial Area.

WA's Zero Emissions Vehicle rebate scheme will not accept further applicationsafter 10 May, the state government has announced.

The ZEV rebate scheme was announced in the FY23 State Budget and provided a $3,500 rebate. As of 31 March, 11,868 ZEV rebate applications have been paid, totalling $41,538,000.

Statutory development - climate change. Greens MLC Brad Pettitt has introduced a Climate Action this Decade Bill 2025. The Bill would provide for:
• the establishment of a target of zero net emissions by 2050 for Western
Australia and for the state government.
• the setting of interim targets for 2030, 2035, 2040, 2045 and 2050 for
Western Australia and for the state government as point targets and
five-yearly emissions budgets.
• the determination of net emissions for Western Australia and for the state
government.
• the development of an emissions reduction strategy to enable emissions
reduction targets to be met.
• the development of a climate adaptation strategy to assist with adaptation to
the impacts of climate change.
• the development of sector adaptation plans for particular sectors to enhance
the capacity of stakeholders to manage the impacts of climate change on the
sector.
• annual reporting to inform the Parliament and the community about Western Australia's progress in achieving its emissions targets.

The Bill is almost identical to a climate Bill introduced by the Labor government in 2023, which it subsequently allowed to lapse, Pettitt told the Upper House.

Issue 89, 28 April 2025

The Clean Energy Regulator has released FY24 data on the performance of the Safeguard Mechanism - the first data issued since reforms to the scheme took effect. The data shows that:

• 219 facilities were covered by the Safeguard Mechanism.
• total Safeguard emissions fell very slightly from 138.7 million tonnes of CO2e in FY23, to 136.0 million tonnes in FY24.
• 62 facilities received a total of 8.3 million Safeguard Mechanism Credit units (SMCs) because their emissions were below their baseline.
• 7.1 million ACCUs and 1.4 million SMCs were surrendered to meet compliance obligations.

The panel reviewing National Electricity Market wholesale market settings has scheduled public forums in major cities, to be held from 13 May to 29 May.

The Australian Industry Group has released an Election 2025: Energy and climate policy paper.

The Queensland government's Resources Cabinet Committee has met withrepresentatives from the Queensland Resources Council, Coal Australia, Australian Energy Producers, and the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies.

The meeting discussed "detailed targeted proposals focused on cutting delays and streamlining approvals", said Natural Resources and Mines Minister Dale Last.

Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie has ordered a rapid decision on a wind farm project, after earlier this year putting assessment of the project temporarily on hold.

Bleijie earlier this month directed that a decision on the proposed 1.4GW Wongalee wind farm be made within 26 days, backflipping on his January decision that the assessment process be suspended for four months.

The direction for a decision on Wongalee within 26 days marks the second backflip by Bleijie on wind farm assessments. 

Last month, he ordered a decision within 20 days on the Bungaban renewable energy wind farm, despite having ordered a four-month suspension of the assessment process in January.

Banana Shire Council will host a Business, Projects and Suppliers event on 1May as it prepares for a major uplift in renewable energy development.

A total of 25 large-scale projects are in the pipeline across the region, valued at more than $40 billion. At least eight of these projects are expected to start construction before July 2026.

EnergyCo has granted four wind, solar and battery projects the right to connect to new transmission lines in the South West Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).

The projects are Origin Energy's 1,460MW Yanco Delta wind farm, Spark Renewables' 1,007MW Dinawan Energy Hub, Someva's Pottinger 831.2MW wind and battery energy park and BayWA's Bullawah 262.3MW wind farm.

The projects include more than 700MW of battery storage.

The Victorian government is inviting tenders for a delivery partner for Victoria's Wind Worker Training Centre, and will provide a $4.9 million grant to support its establishment.

Six South Australian councils have secured a draft determination from the ACCC authorising them to form a joint renewable electricity buying group.

The councils have also secured an interim authorisation that enables them to start work on the joint project pending a final authorisation.

Green Industries SA has awarded Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) a $100,000 Lead-Educate-Assist-Promote (LEAP) grant, for its Moving Forward Sustainability Program.

The program will support HVIA members with South Australian operations in applying sustainable and circular principles to reduce emissions, improve fuel efficiency, and align with climate goals.

Woodside was supposed to submit a revised greenhouse gas abatement program (GGAP) for its Pluto project by the end of last year, under the terms of Ministerial Statement 1208, but now might not have to revise it at all.

The company has released the latest environmental compliance report for the Pluto project which says that the company requested and obtained approval from DWER, in a letter dated 18 December 2024, to extend the deadline for submitting its revised GGAP to 30 April 2025.

In addition, Woodside notes that the WA government is now leaving the regulation of large-emitting projects to the federal Safeguard Mechanism, and is no longer requiring the preparation of GGAPs. 

"In accordance with the updated policy, the state government will initiate a review of existing ministerial statements," Woodside says. 

"Woodside understands a review of MS1208 is likely to be progressed during 2025 to reflect the updated position," the compliance report says.

Issue 88, 14 April 2025

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen and his Opposition counterpart Ted O'Brien have debated energy policy at the National Press Club.

The Coalition has released a Natural gas plan, which includes a commitment to establishing "a new massive $1 billion fund for critical gas infrastructure to get gas to where it is needed".

At least $58 billion worth of new private investment in clean energy would be wiped from Australia's economy under the Coalition's proposed energy agenda, according to a new analysis commissioned by the Clean Energy Council.

The analysis was conducted by Green Energy Markets.

CSIRO has released an updated report on the Australian industrial process heat market, and the path to net zero using renewable energy for process heat. 

Australian industry accounts for 47% of the nation's end use energy and 42% of that is process heat, with an indicative value of $10 billion per year, the report says.

"There are renewable options for all current industrial uses of process heat," it says.

"Short to medium term opportunities that are close to, or already economic, are estimated at 217PJ/year, equal to around 36% of total industrial gas use for heat," the report says. 

The fossil fuel use that would be replaced is currently worth $3.9billion a year, it estimates.

The Carbon Market Institute has released its latest International carbon market update.

Grant opportunity - industrial decarbonisation. ARENA is inviting applicationsunder round two of its Powering the Regions - Industrial Transformation Stream, with $70 million on offer.

Focus areas for round two include supporting supporting highly innovative, first of a kind technologies and solutions that have the potential to significantly reduce emissions. Applications close on 15 July.

Queensland's new Productivity Commission has been instructed to review the state's recently enacted renewable energy and interim emissions reduction targets, according to media reports (here and here). 

The Productivity Commission review will examine the Clean Economy Jobs Act and the Renewable Transformation Act, passed by the former Labor government early last year.

The Productivity Commission was established by the LNP last month.

When in Opposition, the LNP supported the then Labor government's Clean Economy Jobs Bill, which mandated an emissions reduction target of 75% on 2005 levels by 2035, and net-zero by 2050.

"Our decision to support the targets ... is significant and it has been carefully considered," Sam O'Connor, who was the LNP environment spokesperson, told state Parliament at the time.

However, the LNP at the time did not support the other Bill, which legislated renewable energy targets, arguing that the legislation should provide for renewable energy targets to be reviewed every two years.

The state Productivity Commission review was reportedly revealed by Queensland Treasurer and Energy Minister David Janetzki in a speech to the Queensland Energy Club.

Janetzki's offical statement about the speech refer only to a government commitment to finalise a new five-year Energy Roadmap by the end of the year.  

"We're taking an approach based on economics and engineering, not ideology," Treasurer and Energy Minister Janetzki said in the official statement about the speech. 

"Queensland's coal-fired fleet is the youngest in the country and coal generation will continue to play a central role in our grid," he added.

NSW Farmers, with support from the Queensland Farmers Federation and funding from NSW's CleanCo, has launched a new guidebook to help landholders navigate renewable energy and transmission projects. 

The guide covers negotiating agreements, understanding long-term farm impacts, securing fair compensation, managing land use restrictions and addressing construction disruptions and ongoing project impacts.

The NSW government is providing $60 million to councils and communities for 54 projects across the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone, which it describes as "marking the first downpayment on legacy-building local projects".

The grants include $11.25 million for each of the four councils hosting the REZ.

The Victorian government has announced that home ceiling insulation will be included in the Victorian Energy Upgrades program from early 2026. 

The VEU discount will halve the average ceiling insulation install costs of $3,000 to $1,500, based on current certificate prices. 

Almost 60% of homes in Victoria either have no ceiling insulation or are under-insulated. 

"These households are missing energy bill savings of more than $400 per year on average," according to the state government. 

The program will include an insulation safety and quality assurance regime, including audits and oversight requirements. 

The Victorian government has released its Offshore Wind Energy Implementation Statement 4 (IS4), which provides updates on the state's the next steps towards building 2GW of offshore wind energy, as an initial step towards 9GW of offshore wind. 

The statement covers matters including includes updates procurement, legislative and regulatory reform, supply chains and local supply, transmission, and ports.

The state government will launch a Request for Proposals (RFP) stage in September this year, with contracts to be awarded before October 2026.

Successful proponents will be supported through a contract-for-difference process to provide investment certainty, and an availability payment. 

In addition, to ensure Victoria has the pipeline of workers needed to support the development of the wind industry, the state government will soon be opening grant applications for up to $4.9 million to run a Wind Worker Training Centre. 

Octopus Investments has started construction of the 80MW Fulham solar farm and 64MW/128MWh battery in Gippsland, which is supported by the second Victorian Renewable Energy Target auction (VRET2).

The SA government is hosting its latest annual Towards net-zero in SA business in Adelaide on May 8 and 9.

In her first remarks to the new Parliament as the Labor government's new Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation, Amber-Jade Sanderson has outlined the government's proposed rebate for residential batteries. 

"It will be $5,000 for Synergy customers and $7,500 for Horizon customers, acknowledging that the costs are higher in remote regions," Sanderson said. 

"Importantly, we are supporting low- and middle-income earners. We will also match this scheme with a no-interest loan scheme, which will support people with the gap. Batteries can cost between $10,000 and $15,000, and it will support those households with that gap and make it much more available for people on low and middle incomes." 

This is the most generous scheme in the country. It is more generous than the federal scheme. It is more generous than the New South Wales scheme. We will more than double the number of household batteries on our system, helping families to save around $1,500 a year on power bills.

The proposed federal Labor scheme "complements our scheme", the Minister said.

Delivering a ministerial statement on energy, NT Mining and Energy Minister Gerard Maley has accused the former Labor government of having left the Territory's energy system in an "absolute mess".

"Instead of penalising Territorians for Labor’s mess, our government is putting Territorians first," Maley said. 

"We have formally advised government owned corporations to stop advancing their 50% renewables target by 2030, capital expenditure and, instead, plan their future spending on achieving renewable and traditional mix of energy that delivers the lowest cost electricity to Territorians."

The statement, and Labor's response are in the newly-released Hansard for the 27 March sitting of the Assembly. 

Issue 87, 7 April 2025

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has committed a re-elected Labor government to the introduction of a $2.3 billion subsidy scheme for home batteries from 1 July this year.

The program would reduce the cost of a typical installed battery by 30%, with more than one million new batteries expected by 2030, according to the Labor Party.

One in three Australian households now have solar – but only one in forty households have a battery.

A Senate committee inquiry into residential electrification has released its final report, which recommends:

• encouraging household uptake of rooftop solar, home batteries, bi-direction electric vehicle chargers and home energy management systems, as well as participation in aggregator programs that coordinate the management of power in response to grid and market conditions.
• examining how community batteries can spread the benefits of rooftop solar to consumers who are unable to install their own systems.
• considering cost-effective tuition for apprentices, including electrical apprentices.

DCCEEW has issued an update on the development of a proposed Integrated Farm and Land Management (IFLM) method under the ACCU scheme. 

The IFLM method will be the first ACCU method to combine multiple activities that store carbon in the land into a single method. 

It will initially enable crediting of carbon stored from the managed regeneration and plantings of native forest, and from improvements to soil carbon. However, it will be designed to enable the addition of activities over time.

The ACCU landfill gas method sunsetted on 31 March. The method supports projects that converts waste into biomethane to produce electricity, or into CO2 for easier destruction.

Projects that started their crediting period before the method expired aren't affected, but new project registrations under the method won't be accepted. An updated method is under development.

The Investor Group on Climate Change has released its latest annual State of Net Zero report.

"Investor ambition on climate remains strong despite persistent challenges," the report says. 

"Most investors now have climate policies and net zero targets in support of their fiduciary duty to beneficiaries, stewardship practices are shifting beyond transparency toward driving real-world action, and constructive
engagement is contributing to a more consistent federal policy approach," it says.

The Carbon Market Institute has released its latest annual Carbon Market report. 

Contributors include RepuTex, Gilbert + Tobin, Norton Rose Fulbright, the Indigenous Carbon Industry Network, South Pole, and WollemAI.

Norton Rose Fulbright has released an update on the draft revised corporate net-zero standard proposed by the Science-Based Targets Initiative.

Grant opportunity - industrial decarbonisation. ARENA is inviting applicationsunder round two of its Powering the Regions - Industrial Transformation Stream, with $70 million on offer.

Focus areas for round two include supporting supporting highly innovative, first of a kind technologies and solutions that have the potential to significantly reduce emissions. Applications close on 15 July.

Grant opportunity - critical minerals. The NSW overnment has launched a $2.5 million co-investment seed funding program for critical minerals exploration projects. The program has four funding streams:

• exploration geochemistry: Up to $50,000 per project.
• exploration geophysics: Up to $70,000 per project.
• exploration drilling – less than 250 metres depth: Up to $150,000 per project.
• exploration drilling – greater than 250 metres depth: Up to $250,000 per project.

Australia's first declared Renewable Energy Zone will start construction within months after the NSW government awarded ACEREZ the contract and reached financial close to deliver the Central-West Orana REZ transmission project.

ACEREZ is a consortium of ACCIONA, COBRA, and Endeavour Energy. It will design, build and finance the Central-West Orana REZ transmission project and operate and maintain it for the next 35 years.

Statutory development - energy efficiency. A Bill to expand the Victorian Energy Upgrades scheme from 2030 to 2045 has passed the Legislative Assembly.

The Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Amendment (Energy Upgrades for the Future) Bill 2025 is now before the Legislative Council.

The WA EPA has released a report recommending approval of a TransAlta project that would build and operate up to 150MW of new gas reciprocating engines at BHP Nickel West's Mt Keith nickel mine. 

The project would annually emit up to 164,380 tonnes of greenhouse gas. However, the EPA does not assess the impact of these emissions as the state government now relies solely on the federal Safeguard Mechanism to regulate large emitters.

The EPA notes that TransAlta did investigate the alternative of relying on firmed renewables. However, "the exclusive use of renewable energy for the proposal is not considered feasible at this stage". 

Zephyr Energy's Parron 489MW wind farm, proposed for a site near Badgingarra, does not require assessment, the WA EPA has decided.

Issue 86, 31 March 2025

Statutory development - liability for climate change damage. In this Parliament's final week, Greens senators Larissa Waters and Mehreen Faruqi introduced a Liability for Climate Change Damage (Make the Polluters Pay) Bill. 

"This Bill will give people and businesses affected by climate change fuelled events, such as victims of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, the right to sue coal and gas corporations to pay for the damage these corporations have caused," Senator Waters said.

The Bill would allow a person who suffered climate change damage, or a federal, state or territory Attorney-General, to seek a court injunction requiring a major emitter to reduce or cease activities that might cause climate change damage in the future.

It would also allow the court to determine the amount of damages the major emitter is liable for, based on their share of global greenhouse gas emissions. 

The Offshore Infrastructure Regulator has released new guidance materials on consultation and financial security under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Actframework.

The consultation and engagement guideline provides information about the requirements for licence holders to undertake consultation before applying for approval of a management plan. 

The financial security guideline provides advice on financial security obligations and compliance monitoring relating to financial security arrangements. 

Grant opportunity - industrial decarbonisation. ARENA is inviting applicationsunder round two of its Powering the Regions - Industrial Transformation Stream, with $70 million on offer.

Focus areas for round two include supporting supporting highly innovative, first of a kind technologies and solutions that have the potential to significantly reduce emissions. Applications close on 15 July. 

ARENA has awarded a $500,000 grant to RELA Australia to create create an improved software tool for assessing the potential of wind and solar energy generation on regional land.

The inclusion of additional data points, such as the ability to include farm plans while using the tool, will allow landholders to determine the potential income of renewable energy generation assets on their land and to be better equipped to negotiate agreements with renewable developers.

An updated ACCC assessment has predicted that gas supply in the east coast gas market would fall short by 9 petajoules in the period July to September 2025, if LNG producers export all their uncontracted gas.

In response, the federal government has secured agreement from gas producers to make an additional 9PJ of gas available for the domestic market in Q3 of this year, under the terms of a pre-existing arrangement between the government and gas producers.

Australia and Singapore have selected eight projects for funding as part of a $20 million initiative to reduce emissions in the maritime sector, and create a green shipping corridor between the two economies. 

A parliamentary committee reviewing the first annual report of the Net Zero Commission has issued its final report. 

The report acknowledges that there is "considerable uncertainty" about whether the state can meet its 2030 and 2035 emissions targets, given the sizeable pipeline of new coal expansions currently being assessed.

It recommends that the state government support the Commission to use its legislated functions to provide a further report on the resources sector, including methane abatement technology and fugitive emissions, "as a matter of urgency".

It also recommends that the government consider "regulatory changes to encourage the earlier adoption of low emissions technologies".

In addition, it recommends that the government implement an energy ratings disclosure scheme for existing homes at the point of sale or lease. 

The report doesn't include any dissenting statements.

Fortescue has made a referral to the WA EPA for a solar hub to power its Pilbara mining operations. 

The Turner River solar hub would comprise the installation of solar panels and a substation with an estimated total capacity of 644MW.

The NT government has announced the scrapping of the former Labor government's target of 50% renewable energy generation by 2030.

The NT government said the target was "unachievable". 

"Attempting to meet this target would put an unacceptable financial burden on Territorians and crippling pressure on our aging electricity network," it said.

Renewables in 2024 accounted for less than 20% of the Territory’s energy generation, the NT government noted, claiming that meeting the target would cost households up to $56,000 each.

The government said it will:

• develop the Beetaloo Sub-basin "to provide an abundant and reliable source of gas to underpin our energy security and economic growth".
• expand large-scale solar and battery storage "to reduce the cost of supply whilst maintaining grid stability".

Issue 85, 24 March 2025

The federal government's first Capacity Investment Scheme tender for Western Australia has resulted in four new battery projects receiving CIS support:

• the Boddington Giga Battery (324MW) operated by PGS Energy.
• the Merredin Big Battery (100MW) operated by Atmos Renewables.
• the Muchea Big Battery (150MW) operated by Neoen.
• the Waroona Renewable Energy Project - Stage 1 (80MW) operated by Frontier Energy.

The successful projects will be able to deliver 654MWh, which is sufficient to supply the peak electricity load for more than 600,000 homes for four hours.

The four projects are scheduled to be operational by October 2027.

The federal government has appointed 10 people to its new Youth Advisory Council on International Climate Change. 

The Opposition has committed to making a decision on Woodside's North West Shelf extension within 30 days of government, if it wins the election.

The Coalition would also introduce a National Interest Test "requiring a strengthened consideration of the economic and social benefits of projects under environmental approvals". 

In addition, it would establish a 'statute of limitations' on how reconsiderations of earlier EPBC Act approvals could be initiated. This would also limit the standing of third parties to challenge EPBC Act approval decisions, and limit third party requests for reconsiderations to a maximum 12 month period after an approval is made. 

The Australian Energy Market Operator has released its latest annual Gas Statement of Opportunities (GSOO) report, which says gas consumption has declined across most sectors, influenced by higher retail prices, mild winters, and increased electrification. 

In association with changes in electricity generation outlooks, this "has improved short-term gas availability", says the AEMO report, which forecasts gas supply and demand in all states except Western Australia. 

Last year's GSOO forecast risks of shortfalls on extreme peak demand days from 2025 and the potential for small seasonal supply gaps from 2026, ahead of
annual supply gaps that will require new sources of supply from 2028.

In the latest report, AEMO says there will be risks of peak day shortfalls from 2028 and new investment in Australia's central and east coast gas markets is still needed to address forecast supply shortfalls in the southern states.

AEMO notes that production from the Longford Gas Plant, which has historically supplied two-thirds of the gas used in the East Coast Gas Market, will reduce before retiring at the end of 2033.

"Various industry-led solutions are being considered to address shortfall risks, beyond the advanced developments already included in the GSOO," AEMO says.

"Investment could include new production, storage, transportation, and LNG regasification terminals, or a combination of these solutions."

"Flexible gas-powered generation will remain the ultimate backstop in a high-renewable power system," AEMO adds.

"Gas, alongside batteries and pumped hydro, will enable higher renewable penetration and support reliability as coal-fired power stations retire."

Alongside the GSOO, AEMO has also published the 2025 Victorian Gas Planning Report (VGPR), which provides a five-year assessment of Victoria’s gas supply and demand balance.

The draft FY26 work program of the Australian National Audit Office includes the Capacity Investment Scheme, and the early implementation of Rewiring the Nation.

It also includes the delivery of Snowy 2.0, the effectiveness of the implementation of the Future Made in Australia plan, and audits of Commonwealth funding of fire ant eradication.

The federal government has awarded a $39.8 million Safeguard Transformation Scheme grant to Simcoa to expand charcoal production at its WA silicon-making facility, and remove the use of coal in its silicon making operations.

Substituting coal with renewable charcoal will reduce Simcoa's emissions by 89% percent, or more than 100,000 tonnes per year.

ARENA has announced the first recipient from its Hydrogen Headstart Program, with $814 million allocated under round 1 to Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners' 1,500 MW Murchison Green Hydrogen Project in Western Australia.

The program commits funding in the form of a production credit, meaning it is only provided once projects are constructed and operational.

To date, ARENA has provided over $370 million to 65 renewable hydrogen projects from early-stage research to deployment projects.

Based on a DCCEEW analysis, ARENA says Australia's hydrogen industry could unlock over $50 billion in additional private sector investment and create up to 16,000 new jobs by 2030.

The project will involve the large-scale production of renewable hydrogen and ammonia in the Mid West of Western Australia. It will include up to 1.5GW of electrolysis and 3,600 tonnes per day of ammonia production capacity. 

The facility will operate completely off-grid, powered by about 1.2GW of solar and about 1.7GW of onshore wind, with a 600MW/1,200MWh battery energy storage system.

The CEFC is  investing $160 million, in conjunction with a fund managed by Goldman Sachs Alternatives, to facilitate a whole of lifecycle approach to reducing building emissions in Australian construction projects.

The CEFC and Goldman Sachs fund will co-invest in construction debt facilities, primarily in the residential and commercial office sectors.

The Australian Institute of Company Directors, in collaboration with the national science agency CSIRO, has released a Climate Change Science Snapshot.

The publication aims to support boardroom discussions on scenario analysis, risk management, and transition planning.

Meanwhile, the Actuaries Institute has issued a new Climate Change Public Policy Statement.

Clean energy is one of four focus sectors identified by DFAT in a new Roadmap for Australia's economic engagement with India.

Wind farm development applications for the Marmadua Energy Park and the Middle Creek Energy Hub, 23km east of Tara, and 15km south of Wandoan respectively, have been issued with proposed 'call in' notices. 

The call-ins by Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie propose that submissions on the projects be accepted until 19 May.  

Transcript of a recent hearing into the annual report of the NSW Net Zero Commission is now available.

The NSW government has tabled its response to a Parliamentary committee inquiry into electric and hybrid vehicle batteries.

Statutory development - energy efficiency. The Victorian government has introduced a Bill to amend theVictorian Energy Efficiency Target Act 2007 to extend the state's Victorian Energy Upgrades program.

The Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Amendment (Energy Upgrades for The Future) Bill 2025 would extend the operation of the scheme to the end of 2045.

It would also give the Essential Services Commission a range of new and expanded enforcement tools to ensure compliance with the scheme requirements.

Statutory development - waste to energy. The Victorian government has released animpact assessment for proposed Circular Economy (Waste Reduction and Recycling) (Waste to Energy Scheme) Amendment Regulations 2025.

The impact assessment examines the impact of adjusting the cap on the amount of waste that can be processed in waste to energy projects.

It examines three options:

• a cap limit of 2,000,000 tonnes per year (as currently prescribed).
• a cap limit of 2,500,000 tonnes per year (the recommended option).
• a cap limit of 3,000,000 tonnes per year.

Grant opportunity - electrification. The Victorian government is inviting applications for the Community Electrification Engagement Program – which funds local community groups to help locals switch from gas to electric and save. 

Organisations will be eligible for grants of up to $110,000 to help local families in their region to electrify their homes. Applications close on 14 April.

Statutory development - climate change. The South Australian government has secured passage of its Climate Change and Greenhouse Emissions Reduction (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill, after agreeing to Legislative Council amendments.

The Bill enshrines in law a net zero by 2050 target, and it establishes a new short-term target for reducing net emissions by at least 60% by 2030.

It also legislates a a state target of 100% net renewable electricity generation by 2027.

In addition, the Minister will be required to set interim five-yearly emissions reduction targets for the state from 2030 to 2050. 

It also requires the government to prepare a statewide emissions reduction plan and to review and update it in line with the five-yearly targets. A statewide climate risk assessment must also be prepared within two years of the bBll being enacted, and it must be reviewed every five years. 

In addition, the Bill allows the Premier to nominate a public sector entity to prepare an agency or sector plan that addresses emissions reduction and/or climate change adaptation.

Amendments accepted by the government, or introduced by it, include clarifying the term "net renewable energy generation", and establishing a process for considering whether net zero can be met earlier than 2050.

The government also accepted an amendment that requires the reporting of total greenhouse gas emissions without taking into account any removals of emissions from atmosphere from offsets outside the state.

WA Premier Roger Cook has announced his new ministry, with a new portfolio of energy and decarbonisation going to Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson.

Sanderson's portfolio responsibilities also encompass Manufacturing; Skills and TAFE; and the Pilbara.

Don Punch has portfolio responsibilities including climate resilience and water. Matthew Swinbourn is the new Environment Minister. 

Jodie Hanns has been appointed parliamentary secretary to Minister Sanderson, and Kim Giddens has been appointed parliamentary secretary to Minister Swinbourn.

Issue 84, 17 March 2025

DCCEEW has published a report on real estate sector perspectives on home energy ratings and disclosure schemes. 

The report is based on NSW government engagement with the state's real estate sector. 

The Australian Energy Regulator has released its draft determination for Default Market Offer (DMO) electricity prices in south-east Queensland, NSW and South Australia for FY26.

The DMO says cost increases have resulted in draft prices for residential customers increasing by between 2.5% and 8.9%. Small business customers could see rises between 4.2% and 8.2%.

"The DMO is intended as a safety net for those who don't or can't shop around, but there are better offers available," said AER chair Clare Savage.

"By early February 2025 we had seen median market offers fall between 2% and 5% compared with July 2024, and the most competitive offers are now 19% to 25% below the current DMO price," Savage said.

Comments are due by 3 April. 

Climate and energy ministers met last week, discussing issues including the Default Market Offer. 

Ministers encouraged the Australian Energy Regulator to further examine retailer revenues and margins, and to further consider ongoing cost of living pressures in settling the final DMO, which applies in south-east Queensland, NSW and South Australia.

They noted that the Victorian Default Offer uses a different methodology to the AER and has proposed average price increases of less than 1%. 

Ministers also agreed to a National Energy Equity Framework. 

Geoscience Australia has released its latest annual stocktake report of the nation's mineral resources.

In the 2023 calendar year Australia had significant new investment in mineral exploration for 'other metals', a category which includes critical minerals, the report says. 

"This investment of $767.5 million exceeded the exploration spend in both our iron ore and copper sectors," according to Geoscience Australia.

Thirteen minerals on Australia's critical mineral list saw an increase in the quantity of resources reported as ready for extraction and/or production. 

Additionally, Australia became number one in world ranking for vanadium resources - with almost half of the world's economic resources and vanadium projects under development in Queensland and Western Australia.

The Business Renewables Centre Australia has released the recording of a recent webinar on the current state of the power purchase agreement market.

DCCEEW has issued guides to help apartment block owners and strata managers to make their buildings "EV ready". 

The Australian Industry Group has published a blog post on progress in the industrial energy transition, which says the brightest spot has been the significant uplift in Australia's renewable energy generation. 

"However, there remains an exceptionally long way to go before renewables can meet Australia’s energy needs," it says.

Two months after the Queensland government directed the planning department to put the assessment process for a wind farm on ice, it has ordered the department to complete the assessment of the project within 20 days.

In January, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, who is also Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, directed the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning to suspend the assessment of Windlab's $3.9 billion, 1.4GW Bungaban wind farm.

But last week, after receiving new "briefing material", the Deputy Premier directed the department to complete the assessment of the project within 20 business days. 

The wind farm would be located in the Western Downs and Banana Shire regions of Queensland. 

Windlab has a power purchase agreement in place that would result in 80% of its power being allocated to Rio Tinto's Gladstone operations, with the remainder sold into the National Electricity Market (see company news below).

An associated Community Benefit Fund will provide over $2 million annually for local sponsorships, regional partnerships, and community-led projects.

A separate Good Neighbours Shared Benefit Program will provide more than $10 million in voluntary benefits throughout the project's life, including annual payments to nearby landholders, based on their proximity to turbines.

A NSW parliamentary committee inquiry into the annual report of the NSW Net Zero Commission held a public hearing last week. 

The many witnesses appearing before the committee included representatives of Lock the Gate, the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional
Development, the Australian Industry Group, the Property Council, the NSW Minerals Council, the Australia Institute, and the Climate Council.

Members of the Net Zero Commission also appeared before the committee. Transcript is not yet available.

Consultation opportunity - climate change strategy. The Victorian government is seeking survey responses on preparations for its 2026 to 2030 climate change strategy. Comments are due by 8 April. 

Consultation opportunity - default electricity prices. The Essential Services Commission has released its draft Victorian Default Offer, which varies according to five distribution zones.

About 13% of Victorian households and 20% of small business customers are currently on the Victorian Default Offer. 

For residential customers, the average across the five zones is a $12 increase on last year (less than 1%).

For small businesses on a Victorian Default Offer, annual prices would increase across the five distribution zones by an average $103 (3%).

"The default offer isn't the cheapest on the market, as retailers look to attract new customers by offering a low price," said Commission chair Gerard Brody. "But it is a fair price and one that won't increase by more than the Essential Services Commission allows."

Comments are due by 11 April.

Grant opportunity - electrification. The Victorian government is inviting applications for the Community Electrification Engagement Program – which funds local community groups to help locals switch from gas to electric and save. 

Organisations will be eligible for grants of up to $110,000 to help local families in their region to electrify their homes. Applications close on 14 April.

Consultation opportunity - SA planning regulations. New South Australian draft planning amendment regulations would exclude electric vehicle charging stations from the definition of 'development'.

Comments are due by April 22.

NT start-up Environmental Keystones has been awarded federal and NT funding to establish a pyrolysis plant that will process organic waste using a CSIRO-developed technology.

The $8 million facility, which will be the only one in Australia using the CSIRO technology, can convert green waste into biochar, bio-oil, syngas and fertiliser.

The $8 million project has been made possible through a $5.59 million concessional loan from the Territory Infrastructure Loans program, funded by the Australian Government’s Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) and the CLP Government.

Issue 83, 10 March 2025

The federal government, after consultation with states and territories, has released the inaugural National Renewable Energy Priority List.

The List will provide coordinated support for regulatory planning and environmental approval processes for identified priority renewable energy projects across Australia.

The inaugural Priority List identifies 56 priority projects nationally consisting of 24 transmission, and 32 generation and storage projects. 

If approved through Commonwealth, state and territory regulatory planning and environmental processes, these projects could deliver an additional 16GW of generation and approximately 6GW of storage capacity. 

"Nationally, these generation projects can provide the annual electricity needs for over 9 million homes," DCCEEW says. "The storage projects could meet peak energy demand for over five million homes for up to four hours."

DCCEEW is seeking registrations of interest from developers of renewable energy infrastructure and transmission lines wishing to participate in a design and testing program for a proposed Renewable Energy Developer Rating Scheme.

Businesses appointed to the Renewable Energy Businesses Participation Panel will work along-side other key stakeholder groups that will advise on the scheme's design, including a Landholder and Community Lived Experience Panel and a Stakeholder Reference Group. 

The establishment of a developer rating scheme was recommended last year by a community engagement review conducted by former Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner Andrew Dyer.

Eleven business and finance groups have jointly endorsed Australia's continued bipartisan commitment to the Paris Agreement goals, and have called on all levels of government to continue to support Australia's transition to a prosperous net zero economy.

The signatories include Ai Group, the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, the Clean Energy Investor Group, CPA Australia, the Investor Group on Climate Change, the Property Council of Australia, and the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia.

The Offshore Infrastructure Regulator has for the first time approved a feasibility stage management plan for an offshore wind project - for the proposed Blue Mackerel project off Victoria's Gippsland coast.

The approval allows Blue Mackerel to begin feasibility activities.

Australian power bills could jump by 30% for households and 41% for small businesses by 2030, further aggravating the cost-of-living crisis, if Australia stalls the rollout of renewable energy, according to independent modelling by Jacobs, commissioned by the Clean Energy Council.

The modelling compares Labor's renewables-based energy transition strategy to the Coalition's energy proposals. 

It examines the impact of the Coalition's proposed reduced-build trajectory for renewables, both by itself and in conjunction with a catastrophic coal plant failure.

Climate and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has appointed Angela Karl to the board of ARENA.

CSIRO and DCCEEW are recruiting renters and owner-occupiers of apartments for a major study of how they use energy.

Smart devices will be installed in 430 apartments in various cities that will collect real-time data.

The NSW government has released a design outline for a proposed ACCU method that would allow businesses and organisations to earn carbon credits through Improved Native Forest Management in Multiple-use Public Native Forests.

The method would provide ACCUs to projects that increase carbon stocks and avoid greenhouse gas emissions, by stopping or delaying harvesting in multiple-use public native forests.

The NSW government successfully pitched the proposed ACCU method to the federal government as a new method that should be made a development priority.

The NSW government has also released the expression of interest for the development of the method that it submitted to the federal government.

The Blue Economy CRC has launched its hydrogen production and research facility, which will produce 262 kilograms of hydrogen per day, sufficient to run two 22-metre hydrogen fuel cell powered passenger ferries.

The Territory government has released a 2025 update of the Critical Minerals in the Northern Territory Guide.

Issue 82, 3 March 2025

The Clean Energy Regulator has released the latest annual data on emissions from entities covered by the NGER scheme. 

The FY24 NGER data shows corporations emitted 303 million tonnes of direct (scope 1) emissions, and 74 million tonnes of indirect (scope 2) emissions. 

The ten largest emitters account for 45.7% of reported national scope 1 emissions.

The Clean Energy Regulator has released its Quarterly Carbon Market report for the quarter ending December 2024.

In 2024, schemes administered by the Regulator are estimated to have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by at least 69.2 million tonnes, up 8% from 2023.

"This is a conservative estimate as it uses the average emissions intensity of the electricity grid rather than assuming renewables are solely displacing coal and gas generation," the report says.

In 2024, a record 7.5GW of renewable energy generation capacity was added to the grid, up from 5.3GW added in 2023.

"Looking ahead, the Regulator anticipates that renewable penetration in the NEM could reach 44% to 46% in 2025," it says. 

Overall ACCU market liquidity looks strong in the year ahead, with new ACCU supply for 2024 reaching 18.8 million and the 2025 new supply outlook expected to be between 19 and 24 million ACCUs, the report says.

The Regulator has also issued more than eight million Safeguard Mechanism Credits to facilities. 

The federal government has released terms of reference and named members of a panel led by Dr Cathy Foley, which will advise on the atmospheric measurement of fugitive methane emissions from coal, oil, and gas operations.

The Coalition's nuclear power proposal would result in an additional one billion tonnes of emissions from the electricity sector, and likely at least that amount again economy-wide by 2050, according to new research from the Climate Change Authority.   

It would also result in Australia pursuing a pace of climate action that is consistent with a global pathway of around 2.6°C of warming, a level at which scientists, economists and governments anticipate major social, economic and environmental harm. 

In addition, it would result in Australia missing its legislated 43% national emissions reduction target for 2030 by more than five percentage points, and still not achieving this level of reduction by 2035.  

The Authority's research compared the Coalition's nuclear power proposal with the current national pathway, in which coal-fired generators are fully replaced by a mix of renewables and firming by 2040.

A House of Representatives inquiry into nuclear energy has released its interim report. 

"The Committee heard that nuclear power is costlier to build than the readily available alternatives in Australia," the report says.

"The Committee also received compelling evidence nuclear power would cost consumers more to use. The Committee believes the evidence strongly indicated Small Modular Reactor technology is not yet commercially available and so is not a viable option for Australia's energy needs," it says.

"It is clear to the Committee from the evidence it received that there would be significant challenges associated with establishing a nuclear power generation sector in Australia before the mid-2040s, at the earliest," the report says.

The Coalition members of the committee included dissenting comments. 

Consultation opportunity - ACCU Scheme. The Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee is seeking feedback on the ACCU Soil Organic Carbon Method, with comments due by 11 April.

The consultation is focused on compliance with the Offset Integrity Standards, and relevant advances in science and technology. 

The federal government aims to release a plain English version of the proposed Integrated Farm and Land Management ACCU Scheme method by the end of March, with an exposure draft of the method due by mid-year, a DCCEEW official told Senate Estimates.

The IFLM method will "cover activities including native plantings, revegetation and soil carbon on farmland", the official said, adding that it would be the first ACCU method that allows the stacking of multiple credit-earning activities onto a single parcel of land.

The recently appointed Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner, former NFF chief executive Tony Mahar, has released his opening statement to a Senate Estimates hearing. 

The federal government has granted licences to two proponents of offshore wind projects, which allow them to assess the feasibility of their proposals.

The licences have been granted to Novocastrian Wind Pty Ltd, for the Hunter offshore wind zone, and Spinifex Offshore Wind Farm Pty Ltd for the Southern Ocean offshore wind zone. 

The 1.2GW Spinifex project would have sufficient capacity to meet 10% of Victoria’s electricity needs, and would be a source of renewable energy for the Portland aluminium smelter. 

The Novocastrian project would have a capacity of 2GW. 

Meanwhile, the Opposition has said it will abolish the Southern Ocean Offshore Wind Zone, in which the Spinifex project would be located, if it wins the upcoming election.

DCCEEW has released proposed amendments to the NGER emissions reporting scheme, with comments due by 11 April.

Proposed changes deal with matters including biomethane, and flaring at oil and gas operations. 

The Australian Energy Market Operator has released a new explainer on its approach to scenario planning. 

Consultation opportunity - Capacity Investment Scheme. DCCEEW has released a design paper on the WA tender under the Capacity Investment Scheme. Submissions are due by 31 March.

Grant opportunity - community energy projects. The federal government has invited applications under round two of the Community Energy Upgrades Fund, which supports local governments to lower energy energy bills, cut emissions, and make their communities more sustainable. 

Grants of between $25,ooo and $2.5 million are available. 

Grant opportunity - community batteries. ARENA is inviting applications for a share of $46.3 million in funding under round two of its Community Batteries Funding Program. Applications close on 30 April. 

In round one of the program, ARENA approved $124.7 million to deploy 318 batteries in all states and the Northern Territory. 

Grants awarded - sustainable aviation fuel. ARENA has awarded a total of $10.4 million to two projects under its Sustainable Aviation Fuels Funding Initiative.

The largest grant will go to Licella, for a $26.1 million for a project to assess the viability of establishing a biorefinery facility in Bundaberg that would convert sugar mill residues to renewable fuels. 

Another $2.4 million will go to Viva Energy for a $4.9 million project to recondition an existing tank at its Pinkenba Terminal to enable blended SAF supply into Brisbane Airport for commercial use. 

Viva will also work with industry partners to develop a claim system so that customers can recognise the carbon reduction benefits of the SAF that is supplied.

The latest Quarterly Update of Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory: September 2024 is now available.

The report shows 434.9 million tonnes of CO₂-e were emitted in the year to September 2024. This is down 0.5% (2.2 Mt CO₂-e) compared with the previous year. 

Consultation opportunity - Guarantee of Origin scheme. DCCEEW is consulting on the first tranche of draft rules for the Guarantee of Origin (GO) scheme, which will track and verify emissions associated with low-emissions products and certify renewable electricity. 

Comments are due by 27 March.

Finance provided - healthcare providers. The Clean Energy Finance Corporation is providing $20 million in finance to support a discount green loan product for healthcare providers, working with specialist Credabl.

The loan product aims to boost the uptake of energy efficient equipment and solar PV at dental practices, doctors' surgeries and other healthcare offices around Australia.

Developers can now apply for offshore electricity infrastructure transmission and infrastructure licences (TILs), and DCCEEW has published new guidance to support the application process.

Meanwhile, the Offshore Infrastructure Regulator has released a brochure to explain the design notification process for offshore renewables.

Grant opportunity - hydrogen production. The federal government is offeringgrants of up to $1 million in round two of the Global Science and Technology Diplomacy Fund – Strategic Element (GSTDF-SE). 

The GSTDF-SE is designed to forge international science relationships with some of our closest partners in Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, New Zealand, and South Korea.  

Priority themes include hydrogen production.

A new international report by InfluenceMap on how the oil and gas and utilities industries are opposing electrification, includes an Australian case study that examines lobbying by groups including the Australian Energy Producers and the Australian Pipelines and Gas Association. 

The Investor Group on Climate Change has released its 2024 Annual Report.

The NSW EPA is consulting on proposed changes to the state's energy from waste framework.

The thermal treatment of waste that involves energy recovery is currently banned in NSW, unless it occurs in one of four specified regional precincts.

A discussion paper proposes amending the precincts where energy from waste projects are acceptable. 

In particular, the changes would allow for a facility on the site of the former Wallerawany power station, where a Cleanaway-led consortium has shown interest in developing a facility that could combust 400,000 tonnes of waste annually for energy recovery. 

The changes would also allow a facility to be established at Tomago, with the paper noting that Remondis had shown interest in developing a facility at its Tomago Resource Recovery facility.

In addition, they would empower the EPA to allow on a case-by-case basis waste to energy projects in any location that replace LPG, fossil gas, and LNG with energy recovered from waste.

The paper also proposes amending the definition of thermal treatment. Comments are due by 8 April.

AEMO Services has announced that three projects have been successful in its latest NSW Roadmap competitive tender for long duration storage, nearly tripling the energy storage capacity so far supported by the scheme.

The tender process requires proponents to competitively bid the pricing terms for a long-term financial support contract. The support payments top-up revenue the projects expect to receive from participating in the National Electricity Market. 

The three successful projects are made up of two batteries and, for the first time, a pumped hydro project. They have a combined capacity of 1.03GW and 13.79GWh of energy storage, exceeding the tender's indicative target of 1GW.

The three projects are ACEN Phoenix's 800MW/11,900MWh pumped hydro project, Enervest's 125MW/1,000MWh Stoney Creek battery energy storage system, and Eku Energy Projects' 100MW/800MWh Griffith battery energy storage system. 

The NSW government has given planning approval for Hydrostor's proposed compressed air energy storage system at a disused mine in Broken Hill, which will have a capacity of 200MW/1,600MWh. 

Hydrostor's $638 million Silver City Energy Storage Centre, which will be the first of its kind in Australia, could power about 80,000 homes in peak demand times, according to the state government. 

Consultation opportunity - solar export restrictions. The NSW government is consulting on plans to create an emergency backstop mechanism for solar energyacross the state, which would curtail solar exports during emergencies to prevent blackouts.

Comments are due by 7 March.

Victoria's Essential Services Commission has set minimum feed-in tariffs for 2025-26, including a minimum flat feed-in tariff of 0.04 cents per kWh. 

The two time-varying feed-in tariffs range from 6.57 cents per kWh in the evening peak to 0.00 cents per kWh during the day.

Grant opportunity - EV charging station grants. The Tasmanian government is offering grants of up to $50,000 for the installation of a public EV charging station, under round three of its ChargeSmart program. Grant applications must be submitted by 24 March.

Consultation opportunity - energy efficiency. The South Australian government is consulting on the next phase of the Retailer Energy Productivity Scheme (REPS), which subsidises energy efficiency activities in homes and businesses.

The consultation will support the determination of new thresholds and targets for the operation of the scheme from 1 January 2026 until 31 December 2029.

Comments are due by 31 March.

Issue 81, 24 February 2025

A House of Representatives inquiry into local government sustainability has issued an interim report. 

The report notes general agreement among LGAs that mitigating the effects of climate-related natural disasters and climate adaptation management is not only essential, but also poses a significant financial cost. 

"Local governments are at the forefront of climate change mitigation and adaptation, disaster response, and environmental protection; spending more on environmental protection than other government levels, but lacking resources and expertise to implement all necessary measures," the report says. 

"As a result of these challenges, the committee has been advised additional and continued funding is needed to assist local governments to undertake disaster resilience and risk reduction initiatives to manage the physical and social impacts of disasters caused by climate change and natural disasters," it says. 

Across all LGAs, the average annual damages to council assets as a result of coastal flooding, inland flooding, bushfires, heatwaves, and severe storms are in the range of $90–$120 million, the report notes. 

"According to a report by Natural Capital Economics, this is expected to increase to between $210–$300 million by 2050, and to between $400–$540 million by 2100," it says.

The federal government has named 58 local governments that will share $50 million in round one grants under the $100 million Community Energy Upgrades Fund. 

ARENA has awarded a $30 million grant to VSPC Pty Ltd to support its efforts to commercialise a new process for manufacturing cathode powder for lithium-ion batteries. The funding will go towards building a new 250 tonne-per-year demonstration facility, likely to be built in Brisbane. 

Consultancy Currie has issued a report on Making the clean energy transition work for farmers.

The NSW government has issued its first Investment Mandate to the Energy Security Corporation, which outlines how the corporation is to co-invest with the private sector in renewable energy projects.

The Corporation has ben seeded with $1 billion to help build a more reliable energy system.

The NSW government has published its response to a parliamentary committee report on the planning system and the impacts of climate change on the environment and communities.

The response notes that agencies are developing a state policy for large-scale, multi-hazard managed relocation.

The government also says it supports a recommendation to implement statutory planning controls to mitigate the urban heat island effect, and will consider opportunities to do so. 

"These opportunities may include updating provisions in state-wide instruments such as SEPPs as well as providing support to councils to update local policies and planning controls," it says.

The Australian Conservation Foundation has made a submission to a parliamentary committee inquiry into the Net Zero Commission's annual report.

The submission says planning regulations should be amended to require relevant planning decision makers to consult with the Net Zero Commission for all proposed coal and gas expansions or extensions.

Meanwhile, a submission from the Clean Energy Investor Group says that biodiversity offset processes in NSW are slower and more costly than in other jurisdictions. 

The committee has released all submissions made to the inquiry.

Industry association Bioenergy Australia has made a submission on the Victorian government's proposed bioenergy certificate trading scheme, stating that the proposed 2035 target for the scheme is too low.

"We submit that the proposed 4.5PJ target by 2035 underestimates both the capacity and the potential of Victoria's renewable gas industry," its submission says. 

"A target this low tells investors that Victoria is not ready to support this sector, increasing the risk that capital will flow overseas instead of into the domestic market," it says.

The submission calls for a target of 14.5PJ by 2035, noting that this would be "consistent with the aspirational target outlined in Victoria's Renewable Gas Consultation Paper". 

Since it began in 2018, the Solar Homes program has approved almost 430,000 applications and subsidised just over 400,000 installations, according to new program data. A total of $693 million in rebates have been approved, for solar panels, solar hot water systems, and batteries.

About 30% of Victorian homes have solar installed, more than double the number of homes that had solar when the Solar Homes program began in 2018.

The federal and South Australian governments have announced a multi-billion dollar package to support Whyalla Steelworks, which employs 1,100 workers. 

The funding follows the state government's decision to place the steelworks in administration. 

The funding will consist of an immediate $100 million, half of which will go to creditors, with $32.6 million going to infrastructure upgrades, and $6 million to jobs matching and skills.

Another $384 million will go to fund the operation of the steelworks while it is in administration.

Another $1.9 billion of federal and state funding will go towards working with a new owner to upgrade and improve the steelworks. 

The state funding will come from funding originally set aside for the Hydrogen Jobs Plan, which will now be deferred to secure the future of the steelworks.

"Whyalla is critical to sovereign Australian steel," the state government said. "It's one of only two Australian steelworks, produces 75% of Australian structural steel and is the only domestic producer of steel long products."

The SA government rushed a Whyalla steelworks Bill through Parliament in one day to facilitate taking control of the steelworks. 

"The situation we find ourselves in today is one where the Crown is owed millions of dollars in mining royalties and water debts by OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Ltd the legal entity that owns and operates the steel works," SA Infrastructure and Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis told Parliament.

"It is also being widely reported that there are also significant debts owed to a broad range of supplies to the Whyalla steelworks and multiple stop works by suppliers have been reported over the last few months as suppliers attempt to recover their debt," he said.

The South Australian government is providing a $450,000 grant to CoilRig to help commercialise its coiled tubing drilling rig, which provides a cost-effective solution for installing geothermal heat pumps.

The WA EPA has agreed to amend Infinite Green Energy's referral of a proposed green hydrogen project, in the Shire of Irwin.

The project entails the construction of a hydrogen production facility, powered by renewables. 

The EPA has agreed to increase the maximum proposed hydrogen production by 19 tonnes a year, to 42 tonnes annually.

Issue 80, 17 February 2025

Statutory development - tax incentives for hydrogen and critical minerals. The Senate has passed a government Bill that introduces tax credits for the production of hydrogen and critical minerals.

Producers of renewable hydrogen will receive a $2 incentive per kilogram of hydrogen produced for up to ten years.

The critical minerals incentive will provide a refundable tax offset of 10% for the costs of processing the 31 critical minerals currently listed in Australia. The credit will be available for a maximum of 10 years.

The Bill passed after the Senate accepted Greens amendments to prevent uranium benefitting from the scheme. 

ARENA and RACE 2030 have published a National Roadmap for Bidirectional EV Charging. The roadmap outlines 18 actions for governments to facilitate "bidi".

"Many stakeholders consider uptake rates for bidirectional EV charging could be comparable to those achieved for rooftop solar in Australia, achieving 2.6 million residential V2G installations by 2040," the roadmap says.

Statutory development - offshore wind. Parliament has passed a Bill that ensures applications for offshore wind licences are treated the same, whether they were made before or after regulations gazetted last December.

The Coalition unsuccessfully moved an amendment stating that the Bill is "specifically designed to make electricity more expensive for Australian families" and that "a Labor-Greens minority government would introduce super-charged nature positive laws to make electricity even more expensive".

The reporting date for a Senate committee inquiry into consultation about offshore wind has been delayed until 13 March, and the reporting date for an inquiry into greenwashing has been delayed until 28 March.

The first Safeguard Mechanism Credits have been issued by the Clean Energy Regulator.

Human-induced regeneration (HIR) projects under the ACCU scheme are expected to deliver between 123 million tonnes and 170 million tonnes of abatement over their cumulative crediting life, says a new paper from the Clean Energy Regulator that includes a new analysis from CSIRO.

The CSIRO component of the paper confirms that ACCU issuances for HIR projects "closely agree" with expectations under the FullCAM method, which is used to estimate sequestration by all landscape-based ACCU methods.

As at May 2024, there were 467 HIR projects registered across Australia, covering an area of 42 million hectares – more than 5% of Australia’s land area. Current reporting projects cover 13.6 million hectares, but not all of this area is eligible to earn credits – only 4.9 million hectares of this area were determined as suitable for regeneration. 

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has appointed four new part-time members to the Clean Energy Regulator - Oliver Costello, Anna Hancock and Jo Sheppard from 3 February 2025, and Matt Cahill from 4 April 2025.

Representatives of DCCEEW and the Department of Industry, Science and Resources appeared before a hearing on Friday of a Senate committee inquiry into the transition to electric vehicles. 

The federal government has granted major project status to three more projects, which means they will receive assistance in seeking regulatory approvals from the Major Project Facilitation Agency:

• Nico Resources' Wingellina Nickel-Cobalt Project near Uluru will develop one of the largest deposits of nickel-cobalt in Australia and the world, providing nickel that is used to manufacture lithium-ion batteries. 
• Renascor's Battery Anode Materials (BAM) Project in South Australia will commercialise the Siviour graphite deposit, one of the world's largest proven reserves of graphite. 
• Tivan's Speewah Fluorite Project in the East Kimberley region will produce 97% acid-grade fluorspar, which is used to make semiconductors, solar cells and electric vehicle batteries.

Grant opportunity. Applications close 20 March for grant funding in round 17 of the federal Cooperative Research Centres program.

Applications are open to all industry sectors, with a focus on supporting Australian Government priorities including:
•    transitioning to a net zero future.
•    supporting healthy and thriving communities.
•    elevating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders knowledge systems.
•    protecting and restoring Australia's environment.
•    building a secure and resilient nation.

Projects can apply for funding of between $100,000 and $3 million over three years. 

The momentum for new grid connections continued to build in the December quarter, with 20 projects (4.9GW) getting application approval, 11 projects (1.7GW) registered, and four projects (0.6GW) reaching full output, according to new datafrom the Australian Energy Market Operator.

"Project registrations in the last six months are more than double those in the previous 12 months. This surge reflects the wave of application approvals in 2023," said AEMO Onboarding & Connections Group Manager Margarida Pimentel.

Solar projects led registrations in the December quarter with 831MW, followed by wind (440 MW), batteries (350 MW), and upgrades to existing facilities (49 MW).

"These registered projects are built, connected to the grid and can now move through to the final commissioning phase," Pimentel said.

Application approval volumes over the past six months are similar to the same period last year with 7.5GW reaching this important milestone, while 2GW achieved full output, compared to 2.2GW through the entire FY 2024.

As of 31 December 2024, 49.6GW of projects were progressing through the connections process, up from 36.4GW at the end of 2023.

"Given the NEM’s total generation and storage capacity of 66 GW, nearly 50 GW of new projects marks a significant pipeline of future energy supply," Pimentel said.

Around 36% of this capacity was in NSW, 32% in Queensland, 21% in Victoria, and 10% in South Australia.

The new data also shows that 18.1GW of the 49.6GW within the connections pipeline are battery projects, representing a 97% increase on the 9.2GW in progress at the same time last year.

Australia has seen its best year for large-scale renewable energy investment since 2018, finishing 2024 with $9 billion in total capital investment committed to new projects, according to new figures from the Clean Energy Council. 

The Council's latest Quarterly Clean Energy Investment Report found seven new large scale renewable energy projects, representing 1598MW of new generation capacity and $2.4 billion of capital investment were financially committed in Q4 of 2024.  

Clean Energy Council Chief Executive, Kane Thornton, said the strong quarterly result was in line with the pace required for Australia to hit its target of 82 per cent renewables by 2030.

Delivering the 2025 Ann Moyal Lecture, Chair of the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation, Dr Ken Henry, said the ACBF has been working on a proposal for a "nature positive ACCU scheme", in which land-based ACCU projects that don't contribute directly to nature repair would pay a royalty in the form of the surrender of a proportion of their ACCUs.

This would be used to invest in land-based "cost effective, high priority nature repair". 

"This is very, very different from current land based ACCU that deliver carbon sequestration with little or no nature benefits, either through monoculture plantations or through the regeneration of habitat in low priority locations, typically in regions with low land values and high levels of remnant native vegetation," he said. 

"Analysis commissioned by the ACBF finds that the nature positive scheme could deliver significant restoration of high priority habitat reversing past damage and materially reducing extinction risk for Australia's endangered flora and fauna," Henry said. 

"It would deliver spending on nature repair of the magnitude recommended by the Wentworth group ... around about $7 billion a year."

The NSW government and wind farm developer WestWind Energy Pty Ltd have signed a lease agreement to help facilitate a 1.5GW wind farm on Crown land in south-west NSW. 

WestWind Energy is aiming to construct the $3.8 billion Lake Victoria wind farm from 2029 to 2032, subject to planning approvals and community consultation.  

The project is listed on the NSW Planning website to be assessed as a State Significant Development once a development application is lodged.  

The NSW government has placed on exhibition a proposal by Whitehaven to build a solar farm and associated battery storage system next to its Narrabri coal mine.

Victoria's Essential Services Commission has banned a company trading as Care for Environment from the Victorian Energy Upgrades program, for alleged rule breaches.

The Commission has also ordered the company to surrender VEU certificates worth about $10 million.

The WA Greens, who could hold the balance of power in the Legislative Council after next month's state election, have announced their 2025 climate platform. 

The plan includes: 

• A 10% clean energy transition levy on gas revenue. 
• The development of a gas transition plan for WA.
• The setting of state-specific 2030 targets for emissions reductions and renewable energy. 

Issue 79, 10 February 2025

Statutory development - offshore wind. Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has introduce a Bill that would ensure all applications for offshore wind feasibility licences are treated the same way, whether or not they were submitted before or after regulatory changes made last December. 

A Senate committee inquiry into greenwashing is due to report on Wednesday, and a Senate committee inquiry into offshore wind consultation is due to report on Thursday. 

Grant opportunities - graphite. CSIRO is offering R&D grants of up to $50,000 to mining and manufacturing small-to-medium enterprises to undertake collaborative graphite R&D projects. 

Export Finance Australia is providing a $170 million guarantee to support the 583 MW Greater Changhua 4 Offshore Wind Farm in Taiwan. Once completed, the project will power nearly two million households and reduce carbon emissions by 3.5 million tonnes annually. 

EFA is working alongside the project's financing partners, including international banks, Credendo, the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO), Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (KSURE), Taiwanese National Credit Guarantee Administration (NCGA), and UK Export Finance (UKEF).  The transaction has a total value of $1.6 billion.

ARENA has awarded a $2.4 million grant to EVX Australia Pty Ltd to install 250 public kerbside pole electric vehicle chargers in more than 60 local government areas across Victoria, NSW and South Australia.

The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) and CSIRO are trialling energy ratings for existing homes.

Eligible households can join a trial to get a free energy rating by a trained assessor.

The Queensland government has announced it will not provide funding for the CQ-H2 hydrogen project in Gladstone.

Following the announcement, state-owned power company Stanwell said the CQ-H2 consortium "is considering the state's announcement that it will not provide further funding to support the CQ-H2 project".

"Stanwell Corporation is also reviewing its involvement in other hydrogen initiatives and will work with relevant stakeholders regarding future steps for these projects," the brief statement from Stanwell said.

Gladstone mayor Matt Burnett said the CQ-H2 project would be "good for Gladstone", and claimed the project is "pressing ahead", with Stanwell not handing back more than $1.4 billion in proposed ARENA funding.

Burnett has met with both Queensland Premier David Crisafulli and federal Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen to advocate for the project.

Grant opportunity - decarbonisation. Applications are now open for a $1.5 million grant program to help eligible businesses achieve net zero emissions.

The Net Zero Planning Grant scheme offers businesses up to $30,000, covering up to 75% of project costs, to identify and implement actions towards net zero.

Eligible projects include developing a greenhouse gas inventory, or a net zero stakeholder engagement plan, or formulating a net zero action plan or net zero target.

The grants will be provided in two stages. In the first stage, up to $4,000 will be provided to access advisors. In stage 2, up to $26,000 will be provided to support detailed work on prioritised actions.

The Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) has published an Expression of Interest to implement a solar and battery bulk-buy program.

The program will lead to the creation of a Virtual Power Plant across participating local government areas in Western Sydney. Expressions of interest must be lodged by 25 February. 

A future land use project for Liddell Power Station has been approved by the NSW government, which will result in the former power station being demolished, remediated, and prepared for future industrial land uses.

The Victorian Parliament's Economy and Infrastructure Committee has extended the tabling date of a self-referred inquiry into the Victorian electricity grid from 20 December this year to 30 June 2026.

Issue 78, 3 February 2025

A Senate committee inquiry into the government's proposed production tax credits Bill, which would support the development of the green hydrogen and critical minerals industries, has issued its final report.

Labor members supported passage of the Bill. Coalition members opposed it, stating that the Coalition's instant tax write off proposal, and its proposed tax deductions for business-related meals, would help more businesses. 

The Greens supported the Bill, but criticised the government for continuing to support the coal and gas industries.

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has directed the ARENA board to consider funding for more community electrification demonstration projects across Australia. 

The direction means ARENA will examine opportunities to expand the Electrify 2515pilot program in North Illawarra, by replicating it in Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania and the ACT. 

Bowen's direction follows discussions with cross-bench senators David Pocock, David Van, Jacqui Lambie and Lidia Thorpe.

The CEFC has committed $300 million to co-finance two NAB green loan programs. 

Of the total, $200 million will go towards a NAB green finance for vehicles and equipment program. The remaining $100 million will go to support a 1.5% interest rate discount to help farmers reduce their emissions. 

The funding was announced in conjunction with the launch of Towards Net Zero Agriculture Pathfinder, an online resource co-developed by the CEFC and CSIRO. 

Pathfinder^1 includes information on a range of emissions reduction activities, including those that might be eligible for discounted CEFC finance.

Meanwhile, the CEFC has announced a record $3.5 billion in new investment commitments in the six months to December 2024.

"Together with co-investors, CEFC commitments in the six-month period are on track to deliver $13.3 billion in investment across the clean energy economy," the green bank said. 

"The sustained pace of CEFC investment activity saw the completion of 28 transactions to December, averaging just over one each week."

The Australian Energy Market Operator has released its Quarterly Energy Dynamics report for the last quarter of 2024, showing record-breaking demand levels in the NEM, and a surge in renewable energy contributions.

"Growth in distributed PV output and reduced coal availability saw renewable sources reaching a record 46% share of the overall NEM supply mix, with the contribution of coal-fired generation dipping below 50% for the first time," the quarterly report says.

ARENA has awarded a $20.8 million grant to Western Power to help better integrate rooftop solar and small-scale batteries into the main Western Australian grid.

Wind farm projects in Queensland can now face third party appeals, following gazettal of a new regulation.

The Planning (Wind Farms) Amendment Regulation ends previous arrangements that made no provision for third party appeals. 

"The Amendment Regulation has not been consulted outside government agencies as it has been progressed as a matter of urgency to ensure timely delivery of the Government commitment," says an explanatory statement.

In addition to introducing the regulation, the state government has amended the wind farm code so that proponents must pay security bonds for decommissioning. 

The state government intends making solar farms assessable under similar arrangements, said Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie. 

It will also introduce a community benefit framework for renewable energy developments that is similar to the requirements for other major development projects, he said.

The NSW EPA has released a new Guide for Large Emitters, which describes how emissions should be assessed, avoided, and mitigated throughout a project’s life.

The guide will generally apply if a project proposal:

• requires development assessment and approval, or a change to an approval, under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, and
• involves one or more scheduled activities under Schedule 1 of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 and/or will be carried out at an existing licensed premises, and
• is likely to emit 25,000 tonnes or more of scope 1 and 2 emissions of CO₂-e in any financial year. 

Proponents will need to prepare Environmental Impact Assessments that include:

• emission projections;
• plans that outline how projects propose to achieve emission reduction goals, including by avoiding or minimising greenhouse gas emissions;
• Robust measures for monitoring and reporting emissions.

The EPA will use the information to formulate its advice to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure or the Independent Planning Commission on planning decisions.

Proponents must only use carbon credits for emissions that can't be avoided. Any credits must be sourced from accredited Australian schemes, and must preferably be from NSW projects.

Almost 200 neighbours of Stromlo Energy's proposed Pines wind farm in NSW stand to share more than $100 million spread over 35 years, under the proponent's proposed Nearby Neighbour program.

The average annual payment would be around $14,000, adding up to more than $500,000 over the life of the wind farm when CPI increases are applied.

Those living nearby would also receive a $100 annual electricity bill credit.

The NSW government has released a report on triggers and thresholds for managing natural hazard risks in coastal areas, including beach erosion and shoreline recession.

The NSW government has released a new report on koalas in the landscape, which examines landscape capacity to support koala populations in a changing climate. 

The report notes that landscape capacity fell by an estimated 71% from the late 1700s through to 2000, mostly due to clearing. 

In the absence of significant added conservation efforts, from 2000 to 2070 a further 16% loss from pre-industrial times is expected, due solely to projected climate change impacts (not taking into account any clearing). 

The submission period for a NSW parliamentary committee inquiry into the impact of renewable energy zones on rural and regional communities closed last Friday. No hearings have yet been scheduled.

The NSW government has placed on exhibition Avenis Energy's proposed Deniliquin battery energy storage system, with a capacity of 120MW/480MWh.

Victoria's Minister for Planning, Sonya Kilkenny, has appointed acommittee to advise on the Kentbruck green power hub project.

The Kentbruck hub involves the development of a 600MW wind farm on a site near Portland, and a new 275kV underground transmission line connecting the wind farm to the grid, at the existing Heywood terminal station. 

The committee will hold a directions hearing on 1 April, with hearings to begin in May. 

The Environmental Effects Statement for the project, which would be sited in a pine plantation, is now on public exhibition.

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas has congratulated Santos and Beach Energy for achieving full ramp-up of the Moomba Carbon Capture and Storage project, which will store up to 1.7 million tonnes of CO2 each year.

"As the Moomba CCS grows over subsequent phases of development, the project has potential to provide carbon storage for companies across Australia and the Asian region," Malinauskas said.

Santos chief executive Kevin Gallagher said the project was injecting CO2 at a rate of under $49 a tonne.

Issue 77, 28 January 2025

The federal government is introducing a $2 billion Green Aluminium Production Credit scheme from FY29, to help aluminium smelters transition to renewable electricity. 

Under the scheme, smelters that can show new significant decarbonisation before 2036 can negotiate an emissions-linked credit contract payable per tonne of green aluminium produced for up to 10 years.

Final credit rates will be based on individual facility circumstances and will be dependent on reducing Scope 2 emissions, which for about 85% of emissions from aluminium smelting. 

The scheme will be reviewed in 2030. The government has also committed $1.5 million over three years to help develop international green aluminium standards. This work will inform the final design of the credit scheme.

The federal government has announced an additional $2 billion capital allocation to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.

"We expect this additional capital to be particularly important in increasing investment in much-needed renewable energy generation and energy storage projects, which are central to delivering on our national emissions ambitions," saidCEFC chief executive Ian Learmonth.

The federal government has deferred the sunsetting of the Carbon Farming Initiative Rule by two years to 1 April 2027.

The CFI Rule provides detailed arrangements for administering the CFI Act and the ACCU Scheme. An explanatory statement says the delay will provide more time to implement remaining responses to the Chubb review, and responses to the Climate Change Authority's 2020 and 2023 reviews of the CFI Act. 

The CEFC is committing up to $200 million to allow Rabobank Australia to offer discounted loans for farmers to undertaking Environmental Planting projects under the ACCU scheme.

Through the CEFC support, Rabobank will provide a discount of one percent on its environmental plantings loans, to help ease initial borrowing costs. Rabobank will also contribute a further discount of up to 0.15 percent for these loans.

Meanwhile, the CEFC has also committed $100 million to a new build-to-rent (BTR) strategy managed by AXA IM Alts.

In its initial stages, the strategy is targeting as many as 3,000 fully electric apartments. At least half of them will be offered at a discount to equivalent market rents for means-tested tenants, in key worker employment hubs in major cities.

Submissions to a Senate inquiry into the government's Production Tax Credits Bill are now available.

The Senate committee inquiry held a public hearing last Thursday, with appearances by groups including the Clean Energy Council, the Superpower Institute, the Minerals Council, the Australian Hydrogen Council, and Treasury. 

The Climate Council has released a new report on Australia's ageing coal fleet and summer blackouts. 

Grant opportunity - EV charging. The federal government is offering car dealerships and EV repairers grants of up to $2,500 for every eligible smart EV charger that they install, up to a maximum of $20,000 per site.

Queensland Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie has exercised rarely-used ministerial powers to re-assess and re-decide a wind farm project that received state approval last month.

Bleijie has issued a call in notice regarding the approval granted for Greenleaf Renewables' $1 billion, 450MW Moonlight Range wind farm near Rockhampton. 

The call-in notice allows him to re-decide the development application. The Minister has invited public comments on the project by 14 March. 

"The Crisafulli government is acting to ensure local communities are consulted for any new wind farm developments, in line with the LNP’s election commitment," Bleijie said in a media statement.

"These actions are the first step in delivering the LNP's election commitment to ensure renewable energy projects are impact assessable with approval processes consistent with other land uses like mining," he said.

Using another rarely used power, a ministerial direction, Bleijie has paused for four months the assessments for three other wind farms currently under assessment.

Eric Abetz, Tasmania's Minister for Business, Industry and Resources, has written to the federal government criticising a proposal to prioritise the development of a new ACCU method that would issue carbon credits for deferring or ending native forest harvesting.

In a media statement, Abetz described the proposed method as "an underhanded attack on Tasmanian jobs".

"This is an attack on regional jobs here in Tasmania, plain and simple," Abetz said.

"Tasmania will not support any carbon credit scheme proposal that undermines the value of our native forestry sector and puts at risk local jobs in an attempt to placate extremist environmental groups."

Federal Shadow Minister for the Environment, Fisheries and Forestry, Jonathan Duniam called on the federal government to "urgently scrap this process and, in doing so, recognise the importance of native forestry for our environment and our economy".

Issue 76, 20 January 2025

Statutory development - peak demand. The NSW government has gazetted a Peak Demand Scheme Amendment Rule, which specifies provisions for calculating and creating Peak Reduction Certificates.

It has also issued a Peak Demand Scheme exemption order for various energy intensive facilities.

Consultation opportunity - embodied carbon. The NSW EPA has released a draft Protection of the Environment Policy for Sustainable Construction. Comments are due by 2 April.

The draft PEP - developed in consultation with Infrastructure NSW - aims to reduce upfront carbon emissions and promote a circular economy in major public infrastructure projects.

Under the proposed policy, government agencies would need to report on how they are decreasing emissions and prioritising recycled construction materials, applying an 'if not, why not' approach to justify decisions.

If implemented, the final policy would apply to significant public projects with cost thresholds of:

• More than $50 million for building sector projects. 
• More than $100 million for all other infrastructure types.

NSW's climate, environment and water department has released a report on managing coastal natural hazards, such as beach erosion, shoreline recession, inundation, and cliff or slope instability.

A new report from Geoscience Australia, in collaboration with the Geological Survey of NSW, has found elevated levels of natural hydrogen and helium in locations throughout New South Wales.

Consultation opportunity - renewable gas. The Victorian government has released a renewable gas directions paper, which proposes a market-based certificate scheme called the Industrial Renewable Gas Guarantee. 

The scheme is intended to launch in 2027, with the goal of reaching 4.5PJ of renewable gas per year by 2035. That is equivalent to approximately 6% of projected gas demand in the state's industrial and gas-powered generation sectors.

Comments are due by 7 February.

New Victorian Opposition leader Brad Battin has pledged to abolish the State Electricity Commission, although shadow energy minister David Davis acknowledged the difficulties of doing so, given the SEC's mandate and objectives were enshrined in the state's Constitution in 2023. 

The Victorian Opposition has previously undertaken to reinstate VCAT appeal rates for renewables projects.

Consultation opportunity - connecting energy projects to the grid. VicGrid is consulting on network access arrangements to manage how renewable energy projects connect to Victoria's electricity transmission network. 

The new access regime will impose caps on new generation capacity in the state's renewable energy zones (REZs), to prevent excessive network congestion. 

The regime will also introduce a Grid Impact Assessment process for projects seeking to connect to the grid outside REZs. Comments are due by 14 February. 

The Victorian government is consulting on plans to reward the introduction of new energy management information systems through the Victorian Energy Upgrades program. Comments are due by 17 February.

Victoria's Essential Services Commission has released its draft decision on the minimum amount electricity retailers must pay solar customers for the electricity they export into the grid.

The proposed minimum flat feed-in tariff is 0.04 cents per kWh starting 1 July 2025, down from this year's minimum of 3.3 cents per kWh. Comments are due by 31 January.

The Clean Energy Future Fund has awarded grants totalling $16 million to seven projects. 

• BOC Ltd will receive $3 million to install a 1.25 MW alkaline electrolyser to produce up to 500 kg per day of renewable hydrogen at its Kwinana site. 
• Tesla Geraldton Pty Ltd (not related to EV manufacturer Tesla Inc.) will receive $3.5 million to convert a 10MW diesel generator at Geraldton Airport to battery storage, to provide grid services and EV charging.
• Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation will receive $2.5 million to install 103MW of solar power and 51.5MWh of battery storage on Banjima country in the Central Pilbara.
• Edenlife Communities Pty Ltd will receive $432,750 to build a retirement village of fully electric houses, by installing 395kW of solar and 300kW/663kWh of battery storage .
• Electric Power Conversions Australia will receive $3 million to convert a 150-tonne mining haul truck from diesel to battery electric.
• Pacific Energy will receive $574,400 to help install a 250kW/1MWh vanadium redox flow battery.
• Pilbara Solar - $3 million will go to the Junja project, which will install 10MW of solar near Port Hedland on Jinparinya Aboriginal Community land.

The latest WA Gas Statement of Opportunities reveals a strengthened near-term outlook compared to last year's report, with domestic gas supply expected to exceed consumption through to 2027.

The NT government says its has ended duplication in gas emissions policies in the Territory, by abolishing the greenhouse gas policy that previously applied to large emitters, and relying solely on the federal Safeguard Mechanism.

The abolished plan required large emitters to prepare a greenhouse gas abatement plan.

"The Territory established the large emitters and gas emissions policies when there were no other policies to regulate greenhouse gas emissions," said NT Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment and Water Resources, Joshua Burgoyne.

"The federal government then introduced a nationally consistent approach to reducing emissions, so now we have tidied up and strengthened our processes."

Burgoyne has also abolished the requirement for all environment management plans for petroleum activities to be referred to the NT EPA.

"This does not remove the NT EPA's ability to call in any project application for formal assessment, nor does it remove my right to request the NT EPA’s advice for specific proposals," Burgoyne said.

Issue 75, 13 January 2025

The federal government has launched a revamped online Platform for Land and Nature Repair (PLANR). 

PLANR aims to help landholders plan and monetise biodiversity and carbon projects, and help corporate and/or philanthropic organisations to voluntarily buy biodiversity services to support their organisational goals.

The federal government has gazetted the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Amendment (2024 Measures No. 2) Rules 2024, which amend the CFI Rule.  

As a result of the changes, additional information about ACCU projects will be released by the Clean Energy Regulator. This includes:

• more detail of project activities for all projects under all methods.
• a description of any suppression mechanisms identified and removals of suppressors relating to a project. 
• a description of the type of estimation approach used. 
• project crediting period start and end dates, the project permanence start date, and the start date for the chosen tool or modelling approach used to calculate abatement for each project's carbon estimation area (CEA).
• a published link in the Project Register to any enforceable undertakings.
• the names of all agents who are significantly involved in a project's registration or administration. 

Consultation opportunity - carbon credits from capturing coal mine waste gas. The Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee has released a consultation paper on the ACCU Scheme Coal Mine Waste Gas Method, which dates from 2015 and is due to sunset this year. 

Since the CMWG method was made in February 2015, 26 projects have been registered, but 11 of these have been revoked. As of November 2024, there are 15 projects that have not been revoked, and these have generated 2.8 million ACCUs.

The Committee is investigating whether the method should be remade. Currently the method only encompasses underground mines, but the committee has invited information on extending it to include open-cut mines. Comments are due by 27 January.

Infrastructure Australia's 2024 Infrastructure Market Capacity Report shows the nation's $213 billion five-year Major Public Infrastructure Pipeline - representing nearly a quarter of the country’s total $1.08 trillion of construction activity - is growing across energy and social infrastructure projects.

Investment in major transport projects has dropped, after a decade-long boom, and investment in buildings and utilities has grown to $71 billion and $16 billion respectively.

The recalibration is due to a shift in focus towards housing and net zero.

Infrastructure Australia projects that there will be a six-fold increase in renewable energy projects across all construction activity in Australia over the next five years.

The final report of a Senate committee inquiry into energy planning and regulationis now available. The report includes a dissenting report by Labor senators, and separate additional comments by Senator Matt Canavan, and Senator David Pocock. 

A Senate committee inquiry into the Future Made in Australia (Production Tax Credits and Other Measures) Bill is due to report by 30 January, with submissions to the inquiry now available.

A House of Representatives inquiry into nuclear energy has released transcript from its December 16 and 17 public hearings. 

The federal government has granted a greenhouse gas assessment permit to a consortium comprising Chevron, Shell, and Mobil, and another to Beach Energy.

The Clean Energy Council has released an analysis of the Frontier Economics analysis of the cost of building nuclear power stations.

Following the commencement of the Orderly Exit Management Framework Act for coal-fired power stations, climate and energy ministers have now released the OEM Framework.

The Framework gives governments that opt in a tool to manage the orderly retirement of thermal generators. 

The CEFC has made a $150 million commitment to support the Commonwealth Bank's EV Access Program, which provides discounted EV car loans to bank customers who work in key sectors or who earn less than $100,000 per year. 

The CEFC finance will support a discounted rate that will apply to a range of new and used EVs valued up to $55,000, as well as EV home charging infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the CEFC has also announced a $100 million investment in a Neoen portfolio of clean energy assets, covering an additional capacity of 1.3 GW of renewable energy generation and battery storage capacity.

The CEFC commitment will support the construction of the 440MW Culcairn solar farm in NSW, the 341 MW/1,363 MWh Collie Battery Stage 2 in WA, and the 270MW/540MWh Western Downs Battery Stage 1 in Queensland.

CEFC capital is now backing more than 2.3GW in new battery capacity across nine projects Australia-wide and more than 6.2GW of clean energy generation.

Planned federal Budget spending on climate and the environment averages less than 1 cent out of every Commonwealth dollar across the forward estimates, at 0.84 cents in real terms, says an Australian Conservation Foundation Budget submission.

The fossil fuel tax credit averages 68% more, standing 1.41 cents per dollar across the forward estimates, the submission points out.

ARENA is providing grants totalling $14.1 million for two sustainable aviation fuel projects.

ARENA will provide $8 million in funding to Ampol for a $30.2 million study that will investigate developing a renewable fuels facility of greater than 450ML p.a for SAF and renewable diesel at the company’s Lytton refinery in Brisbane. 

Another $6.1 million will go to GrainCorp for a $19.8 million investigation into the establishment of an oilseed crushing facility that could produce a minimum of 330kt p.a of canola oil as a feedstock input for SAF production. 

This represents approximately 12% of the canola exported from Australia in the 12 months to 30 September last year. 

Ampol and GrainCorp, along with IFM Investors, recently entered a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the establishment of an integrated renewable fuels industry in Australia.

More than 80% of Australian households in the National Electricity Network could move to a cheaper electricity plan if they shopped around, the ACCC’s latest electricity inquiry report has found.

Australia and South Korea have signed a new Green Economy Partnership Arrangement on Climate and Energy.

Australia's Chris Bowen and his Korean counterpart, Minister Ahn Dukgeun, signed the partnership on Friday 20 December 2024.

Issue 74, 16 December 2024

A House of Representatives select committee on nuclear energy is holding two hearings in Western Australia this week. 

A hearing today in Collie will hear from Traditional Owners, the Electrical Trades Union of WA, and the Climate Justice Union. 

A hearing in Perth on Tuesday will hear from groups including the Minerals Council, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA, the WA Conservation Council, Engineers Australia, and Tellus.

A Senate select committee on energy planning and regulation is due to report this Friday. 

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has announced 19 successful projects under round 1 of the Capacity Investment Scheme. The 19 projects have a total capacity of 6.4GW.

The seven NSW projects have a capacity of 3.7GW, plus 900MWh of battery storage, and the seven Victorian projects have a capacity of 1.GW (plus 1,500MWh of storage).

The two South Australian projects have a joint capacity of 574MW, and the three Queensland projects have a capacity of 550MW, plus 1,200MWh of storage.

The successful projects have committed to provide a total of $660 million for community development initiatives, and $280 million for First Nations benefits. 

Most of the projects are expected to start operating between 2026 and 2028.

Consultation opportunity - planning the future of the NEM. The Australian Energy Market Operator is consulting on draft 2025 inputs, assumptions, and scenarios. 

AEMO is proposing three scenarios for work including its 2026 Integrated System Plan:

• a refined version of its 2023 Step Change scenario, in which consumers are more hesitant to share their energy resources via their energy retailer, virtual power plants, and vehicle to grid.
• a Progressive Change scenario, which assumes less economic growth, and a weaker and slower energy transition globally, "meaning local benefits from new green industry opportunities are relatively unrealised".
• a Green Energy scenario, involving two variants - Green Energy Exports (but with lower NEM-connected hydrogen production than envisaged in 2023), and Green Energy Industries (which would exclude developments that would support hydrogen exports as an energy carrier). 

Consultation closes on 11 February. 

Meanwhile, an independent panel reviewing NEM settings has issued a paperspecifying issues on which it would value early stakeholder input. 

Associate Professor Cris Brack has released his latest independent review of the performance of human-induced regeneration projects registered under the ACCU scheme. The report analyses 33 HIR projects. 

Climateworks has issued a report on leading climate policies from Australia's states and territories.

A review of the application of the EPBC Act to large-scale renewables projects, conducted by Herbert Smith Freehills and the Clean Energy Investor Group, identifies ten "quick wins" to solve common problems.

The design of the federal government's Energy Price Relief Plan was largely effective, and its development was informed by sound policy advice, concludes an audit report by the Auditor-General.

The five-year plan, worth up to $3.5 billion and encompassing measures including electricity bill rebates, was developed in response to global energy price volatility triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

CSIRO has published a series of business case reports exploring the technical and economic feasibility of developing a low emissions carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) hub near Darwin.  

One report outlines a pathway to expand CO₂ capture and storage to more than 25 million tonnes annually by 2040.

A second report concludes that rapid decarbonisation in the Northern Territory will require a combination of technologies like renewable electrification, hydrogen, and CCUS.

A third assesses demand for low-emissions hydrogen, ammonia and chemical feedstocks in the NT's major trade markets - Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, and Taiwan. 

A fourth provides an overview of international CCUS projects, with a particular emphasis on European hub examples, while a fifth examines sector coupling to create a low emissions production hub for ammonia, urea, methanol and derivatives. 

Other reports provide a concept-level overview and costings for a CCUS hub, analyse power generation options, assess transnational CO2 shipping options, and explore opportunities for CO2 utilisation in the NT.

CSIRO has released its draft GenCost report for FY25. Key findings include:

• Large-scale PV capital costs have fallen 8% for two years in a row. 
• Battery costs recorded the largest annual reduction, with capital costs falling 20%. 
• Onshore wind generation costs increased 2%, reflecting ongoing but moderate increases in equipment and installation costs. 
• Gas turbine costings increased 11%, reflecting the additional cost of being hydrogen ready, which is now an industry standard. 
• Modelling nuclear's long operational life factor across all new-build electricity generation technologies presents no unique cost advantage over other technologies.  
• Based on global analysis, the total development lead time for nuclear in Australia would be at least 15 years.  

The federal government has declared an area off northern Tasmania's Bass Strait as suitable for offshore wind development. The government says the zone has the capacity to generate 20GW of offshore wind energy. 

The area is the sixth offshore wind zone to be declared - following declarations for Gippsland, the Hunter, the Southern Ocean, the Illawarra, and Bunbury. 

The federal government has gazetted Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Amendment (Overlapping Applications) Regulations. 

An explanatory statement says the regulations are required to address the interpretation of the offshore wind licensing scheme adopted by the Federal Court in the Seadragon case. 

Meanwhile, the government has gazetted new regulations under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act. 

The 2024 amendments include licensing scheme requirements for management plans, a design notification scheme, financial security, safety and protection zones, work health and safety, record keeping, and fees. 

Submissions on the draft regulations are available here. 

The federal government has launched a $10.8 million Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area Climate Resilience Grant Program to build climate resilience and address climate change impacts in the region.

The program which will fund the recruitment of local First Nations climate resilience officers to conduct adaptation actions and projects to support regional climate adaptation.

The Coalition has released costings by Frontier Economics that it says show nuclear power, "offers a cheaper, cleaner, and more consistent alternative, delivering massive savings for Australian families and businesses".

The federal government has gazetted amendment regulations under the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act to ensure hydrogen production from electrolysis is eligible for exemption from RET liability. 

The regulations also adjust the exemption from liability provisions for iron and steel, to better allow for potential future changes to production processes. 

Export Finance Australia is providing a US$79 million loan to a major renewable energy project in Thailand, supporting a USD820 million equivalent construction facility arranged by the Asian Development Bank. 

The financing will enable Gulf Energy to develop eight solar projects, and four solar plus battery energy storage system projects, with a total capacity of 649MW.

ARENA's latest annual report says that in FY24 the agency increased funding committed to $392.5 million and doubled the number of projects committed to 72, up from $358 million and 35 projects in 2022-23.

Former Reserve Bank deputy governor, Dr Guy Debelle, has been appointed to the CEFC Board.

Dr Debelle is a board member at FundsSA, a non-executive director at critical minerals company Tivan, and co-chair of the ASFI Taxonomy Technical Experts Group that is developing an Australian Sustainable Finance Taxonomy.

The latest annual report of Coal Innovation NSW provides an update on technologies to destroy ventilation air methane, and on work to establish CO2 storage potential in the state.

Consultation opportunity - biodiversity impacts of renewable energy projects. The Victorian government is consulting on proposed new guidance on the impacts of renewable energy facilities on Victoria’s biodiversity.

Consultation materials comprise a discussion paper and a draft handbook for managing the biodiversity impact of renewable energy projects. 

The materials favour a "no net loss" approach to biodiversity impacts, rather than a "net positive" approach. 

Consultation opportunity - electrification. The Victorian government has developed a Regulatory Impact Statement exploring options and pathways to electrify all new residential and some new commercial buildings.

The RIS examines four options and favours an option involving electrification of all new residential and commercial buildings. The preferred option also includes the replacement of gas hot water and heating with electric at end-of-life in existing residential buildings, with the exception of cookers. 

Comments are due by 28 February.

The Victorian government has issued a Critical Minerals Roadmap, which signals the establishment of a Victorian Critical Minerals Coordination Office, and the classification of priority development zones. 

The state government will also develop a benefit sharing model for the community and Traditional Owners, and convene an advisory group to investigate the establishment of a critical minerals downstream industry in regional Victoria.

Victoria's critical mineral resources include globally significant quantities of titanium, zirconium, and associated rare-earth elements in mineral sand deposits in the northwest of the state. 

Central Victoria has Australia's largest antimony deposits and the nation’s only operating antimony mine.

Promising early-stage mineral exploration for other critical minerals is also underway.

The latest annual Victorian Renewable Energy Target Progress Report states that renewable energy sources accounted for approximately 37.8% of Victoria’s electricity generation in FY24.

In addition:

• 13 large-scale generation projects with a combined capacity of 2,199MW were under construction or undergoing commissioning as at 30 June 2024.
• Victorian households and businesses installed 630MW of rooftop solar systems in FY24, resulting in rooftop solar providing 9.3% of Victoria's electricity generation, up from 7.9% during the previous year.
• 557MW of commissioned energy storage capacity and 12 utility-scale storage projects with a combined capacity of 1,115MW were under construction or undergoing commissioning as at 30 June 2024.

The WA Appeal Convenor has issued its first advice that takes into account a recently released state government policy that leaves it to the federal Safeguard Mechanism to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from major projects.

The advice is in its report on 134 appeals lodged over an EPA report recommendation to conditionally approve the expansion of South32's bauxite mine near Boddington, which services its Worsley alumina refinery.

The Appeals Convenor notes that the EPA report preceded the release of the new greenhouse gas policy, but says the EPA was cognisant of the Safeguard, and that in any case the policy is now the measure by which carbon emission conditions must be set.

The Convenor proposed deleting the EPA-proposed greenhouse gas conditions, and inserting new conditions. The proposed new conditions include references to "non-Safeguard GHG emissions", such as those arising from land clearing. 

Environment Minister Reece Whitby has decided to accept the recommendations made by the Appeals Convenor on all matters relating to the mine expansion, including those dealing with greenhouse gas emissions.

The WA government has appointed an industry advisory board for its new Clean Energy Skills National Centre of Excellence, and named the centre's general manager. 

The centre has been allocated $70.5 million in federal and state funding over five years. 

The WA Chamber of Minerals and Energy has released a report on the state's green iron potential.

The WA government has awarded grants totalling $3.2 million to six projects, under the latest round of its Carbon Farming and Land Restoration Program.

Issue 73, 9 December 2024

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has published an information paperoutlining the objectives of a Climate Vulnerability Assessment that it is conducting with Australia's five largest general insurers.

The assessment is exploring how the affordability of general insurance might change between now and 2050 in response to physical and transition risks, modelled against two future climate scenarios.

The findings will be released next year. 

Meanwhile, the latest quarterly statement from the Council of Financial Regulatorssays understanding, measuring and preparing for the effects of the physical and transition risks of climate change "is a key priority for the financial system, in line with the government's sustainable finance strategy".

Consultation opportunity - clean energy and net zero. The Productivity Commission is seeking ideas to inform its recommendations to government as part of five new inquiries, one of which is an inquiry into investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and net zero.

The PC will combine the public input with its own research to identify three to five policy reforms under each inquiry, which it will explore further.

Suggestions should be submitted by 15 January. 

Santos has registered two ACCU soil carbon projects in Queensland, and Treasury Wines has registered an ACCU soil carbon project in South Australia.

A CSIRO report on hydrogen electrolyser manufacturing has projected that Australia's hydrogen electrolyser manufacturing sector could generate $1.7 billion in revenue and create nearly 4,000 jobs by 2050. 

A meeting in Adelaide of climate and energy ministers has released a "version 2" Home Energy Ratings Disclosure Framework, which aims to facilitate a nationally consistent approach to home energy ratings disclosure, for states and territories that choose to implement it. 

It updates an initial version released in July, and now includes apartment buildings. 

An associated cost benefit analysis says there is a net economic benefit nationally, and in all jurisdictions, for implementing mandatory disclosure at point of sale.

There is a net economic benefit in all jurisdictions for implementing mandatory disclosure at point of lease, if scheme design decisions to reduce compliance costs and other supporting initiatives are incorporated, it concludes.

Meanwhile, ministers also instructed senior officials to develop options tostrengthen consumer protections and modernise the consumer regulatory framework.

The meeting communique is here.

The federal government has announced a review of the NEM wholesale market settings by an independent expert panel.

The review will be chaired by Associate Professor Tim Nelson. Other panel members include Paula Conboy, Ava Hancock and Phil Hirschhorn.

The expert panel will consult states and territories, and will not consider options that involve carbon trading schemes, carbon markets, "or that entail governments supporting new fossil fuel generation".

The federal government has released the inaugural First Nations Clean Energy Strategy. 

The strategy has three goals - power First Nations communities with clean energy, enable equitable partnerships, and achieve economic benefits with First Nations peoples. 

A supporting plan will be developed.

Australia has announced a $75 million contribution to Singapore's FAST-P program, which aims to accelerate the move to net zero in Southeast Asia. 

Singapore announced at COP29 that it was committing US$500 million in concessional funding the program, which aims to bring together public, private and philanthropic funding.

ARENA has awarded a $10 million grant to Fortescue to develop, build, and demonstrate world-first fast EV chargers for heavy electric vehicles.

The project will develop 6MW fast chargers capable of charging 240-tonne battery-electric trucks within 30 minutes.

The grant is the first awarded under the $400 million Industrial Transformation Stream of the federal $1.9 billion Powering the Regions Fund.

The CEFC has made a $25 million commitment to energy network owner and operator Energy Locals, to support the deployment of clean energy in apartments, aged care centres, and commercial sites. 

The CEFC finance comes from its Powering Australia Technology Fund (PATF), under its growth equity investment strategy, which supports fast-growing technology businesses.

Meanwhile, the CEFC is also committing $50 million to Bank Australia to support up to $100 million in green home loans, as part of the $1 billion Household Energy Upgrades Fund. 

The investment follows similar deals with Plenti, Westpac, and ING Australia.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has formally declined to take into account climate change impacts in her consideration of three coal mine expansion projects. 

The decisions regarding the basis for assessing expansions of Idemitsu's Boggabri coal project, BHP Mitsubishi's Cabal Ridge coal project, and Jellinbah's Lake Vermont coal project leave the way clear for the government to approve the projects at any time.

The Minister's decision follows unsuccessful efforts by the Environment Council of Central Queensland, which sought to have the basis for assessing the projects reconsidered, so that climate impacts would be taken into account.

An alliance of organisations including the Energy Efficiency Council, the Australian Industry Group, and the Property Council has issued a report titled Demanding Better, which calls for a new national energy performance agency and targets.

Grant opportunity - clean energy supply chains. Applications are now being accepted under Round 1 of the Quad Clean Energy Supply Chain Diversification Program.

Grants will fund research and development projects and feasibility studies to develop, diversify and reduce vulnerabilities in supply chains for solar PV, hydrogen electrolysers, and batteries.

Projects must be delivered jointly with Indo-Pacific organisations. Organisations in India, Japan and the US can also be additional project partners.

Up to $25 million will be available under the funding round, with grants of up to $2.5 million available. 

The federal government has announced grants totalling $21 million for five critical minerals projects that involve international partnerships.

AEMO has released its first Transition Plan for System Security, an annual report focussed on maintaining power system security as the NEM shifts towards lower emissions.

Agriculture Minister Julie Collins last week convened a roundtable of key industry leaders in Sydney to discuss the development of the agriculture and land Sector net zero plan.  

Solquartz Pty Ltd has lodged an EPBC referral for Project Green Poly, near Townsville, which will include a facility that processes quartz into metallurgical silicon, then into polysilicon.

The $8 billion project could provide north Queensland with an opportunity to be an integral part of the global solar PV manufacturing supply chain, the referral says. 

The project will also include a biochar processing facility, and a battery energy storage system.

Solquartz is a subsidiary of Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners.

ENEOS, Japan's largest oil company, is to increase production of a green hydrogen carrier at Bulwer Island, the state government has announced. 

For two years from 2026, ENEOS will produce up to 680 kilograms of methylcyclohexane (MCH) at Bulwer Island, following a previous successful pilot project at the site. 

MCH is a liquid that can be transported at room temperature and normal pressure, making it easy to store and transport. 

This project is a demonstration project commissioned by Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and supported by its Green Innovation Fund.

The NSW EPA is considering a range of licence variations for the 59 coal mine licences that it administers, including additional reporting on greenhouse gas emissions and tougher standards for non-road diesel equipment.

The announcement follows consultation as part of a five-yearly review of coal mine licences.

The EPA has also released a summary report of its consultations on coal mine licences.

The NSW government has tabled in Parliament a review of provisions in the National Parks and Wildlife Act that empower the Minister for the Environment to create and deal with carbon sequestration rights on National Parks Service land.

The review notes that national parks represent one of the largest carbon stores in NSW, covering more than 10% of the state, and equating to 40% of the total NSW forest carbon stock. 

"Providing secure, long-term protection for these carbon stocks is a vital contribution to managing climate change risk," it says.

The review says two National Parks Service vegetation regeneration projects are expected to generate 738,000 ACCUs over 25 years. Various existing environmental plantings projects are expected to generate 191,875 ACCUs over 25 years. 

The review concludes the provisions remain valid and appropriate.

The NSW government has released a Seaweed Prospectus, which aims to develop a globally competitive seaweed industry, and highlights opportunities for investment in the sector. 

Opportunities include the global nutraceuticals market, the pet food market, methane-reducing supplements, animal feed additives, and alternative proteins. 

The prospectus says seaweed farming is one of the world's fastest growing industries.

The NSW government has placed on exhibition the EIS for Elgin Energy's proposed 600MW Mayfair solar farm and associated battery storage system, which would be located in the Central-West and Orana REZ.

Consultation opportunity - energy efficiency. The Victorian government is consulting on 2026 to 2027 targets for its Victorian Energy Upgrades program.

A webinar will be held on 11 December, and responses are due by 16 January.

The WA EPA has recommended approval for BHP Iron Ore to increase the capacity of its Yarmina gas power station in the Pilbara. The assessment report says it is "highly likely" that BHP will need to use carbon credits to comply with the project's proposed emissions reduction trajectory.

If BHP relies solely on ACCUs to comply with the trajectory, it will require 220,000 ACCUs a year from FY27 to FY30, rising to 940,000 by FY51 to FY52.

KMPG estimate that post FY30, the proposal's annual ACCU demand volume could be more than 2.5% of total ACCU supply.

The WA Department of Water and Environmental Regulation has granted works approval for construction of BP's H2 Kwinana Renewable Hydrogen project, on the site of the company's former refinery.

The facility will produce 48 tonnes of green hydrogen each day.

Clean energy and decarbonisation, environment and sustainability, mineral supply and value-adding, and sustainable food production are among the strategic action areas listed in a new 10-year state science and technology plan. 

Grant opportunity - wind industry manufacturing. The state government is offering up to 50% co-investment funding under a new Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program.

Both financial and non-financial support is being made available through the program.

Priority areas include the manufacture of wind tower foundations, anchor cages, transmission poles and specialised transport trailers.

Grant opportunity - mineral carbonation. The Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia is inviting expressions of interest for grant funding for research into mineral carbonation.

The NT EPA is inviting comment on the proposed Lei Lithium project, proposed by Lithium Plus Minerals, which would be located approximately 30km south of Darwin.

Issue 72, 2 December 2024

Statutory development - Future Made in Australia. Parliament has passed the government's Future Made in Australia legislative package.

The package comprises:

• the Future Made in Australia Bill that establishes a National Interest Framework to support decision-making about public investment that facilitates private sector investment in the national interest.
• an associated omnibus amendments Bill that amends the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Act and ARENA's establishing legislation. 
• a Guarantee of Origin Bill that establishes a voluntary Guarantee of Origin (GO) certification scheme, which will authenticate low-emissions products, starting with hydrogen, as well as renewable electricity.

Statutory development - production tax incentives. A production tax incentives Bill designed to implement the next stage of the Future Made in Australia package, has passed the House of Representatives. The Bill establishes two tax incentives:

• a Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive worth $2 per kilogram of renewable hydrogen produced between FY28 and FY40, for up to ten years per project.
• a Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive worth 10% of relevant processing and refining costs between FY28 and FY40, for up to ten years per project.

In a related move, the Senate has instigated a committee inquiry into the Future Made in Australia (Production Tax Credits and Other Measures) Bill 2024. Submissions are due by 9 January and the inquiry will report by 30 January.

A Greens-chaired Senate select committee on the impacts of climate risk on insurance has issued its final report, with the majority report recommending that Treasury develop options for a levy on coal and gas extraction companies.

The funds should be used to help fund disaster mitigation and resilience measures, and the cost of rising insurance, it recommends. 

In additional remarks, Labor senators said they "agree in principle that securing funding from fossil fuel producers to contribute towards supporting policy holders is an idea that has merit". 

"However, we cannot endorse such a significant change to Australia's taxation system when it is not supported by any modelling or evidence of its intended or unintended consequences," they stated.

Any such levy "could act as a perverse incentive to future Governments to prop up the thermal coal sector", they added.

Coalition senators said that they "oppose in principle the idea of a levy of this kind because the cost will likely be passed on to consumers through the higher costs of goods and services". 

"Any review of the taxation of fossil fuel companies should be of a broader examination of Australia’s taxation system as to whether it will play a key role in the transition to a carbon neutral future or arrest biodiversity loss," they said.

The federal government has issued its latest Annual Climate Change Statement, along with new emissions projections, and a new quarterly update of its emissions inventory. 

In addition, the Climate Change Authority has issued its latest Annual Progress Report, assessing Australia's progress in reducing emissions.

Registration for the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) Tender 4 - NEM Generation - is now open.

CSIRO has successfully trialled what it describes as a game-changing hydrogen production technology at BlueScope's Port Kembla Steelworks.  

CSIRO's technology, which has been licensed to CSIRO spin-off Hadean Energy, has completed 1,000 hours of successful operation in the trial with BlueScope Steel, which commenced in October 2024.  

Unlike conventional hydrogen electrolysers, which rely heavily on electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, the CSIRO technology also makes use of waste heat (for example, steam from the steelworks) to help produce hydrogen.  

The technology can reduce the electricity needed to produce renewable hydrogen by up to 30%.

Meanwhile, a new CSIRO venture called FPR Energy has secured $15 million in seed funding to commercialise next generation solar thermal technology. 

FPR Energy was launched in collaboration with global advisory and funds management firm RFC Ambrian and utilities leader Osaka Gas. 

FPR Energy aims to cut emissions in heavy industries such as minerals refining, steel, cement and chemical production using CSIRO’s particle-based Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) technology, which is capable of producing temperatures up to 1,200 degrees Celsius. 

Squadron Energy has made an EPBC referral for its 300MW Conargo wind farm in NSW, and an associated 150MW/1,200MWh battery storage system.

Meanwhile, Jinko has referred a 600MW solar farm and 400MW/800MWh battery storage system, proposed for a site near Goondiwindi. 

In addition QEM Ltd has made a referral for its Julia Creek vanadium and energy project in Queensland's North West Minerals Province, and Aeris Resources has referred its Constellation copper project in NSW. 

The federal government has called for expressions of interest to develop voluntary emissions estimation and reporting standards for the agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

The standards are intended to improve the consistency of calculating and accounting for emissions on agricultural land.

The federal government has appointed David Shankey, a former deputy director-general at Queensland's Department of Energy and Public Works, as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the Net Zero Economy Authority.

The Net Zero Economy Authority will ensure Australian workers, industries and communities share the benefits of the net zero transition.

The NSW Net Zero Commission's first annual report has been tabled in state Parliament.

"The achievement of the emissions targets the Parliament of NSW has established for 2030, 2035 and 2050 are far from assured," the report says.

"Unless action is accelerated, NSW may not reach net zero by 2050 and we will fail to meet our nearer term targets. This will require ongoing cooperation from governments at all levels, along with businesses of all sizes, as they work together with households and the wider community."

The report says the Commission is concerned about the risks to the state's targets due increased emissions in the resources sector, due in large part to new coal mining projects.

The NSW government has granted planning consent for EnergyAustralia's $1 billion 500MW/2,000MWh Mt Piper battery energy storage system.

The project will create 177 jobs during construction, with developer EnergyAustralia to invest up to $2 million into the Lithgow City LGA through a Voluntary Planning Agreement.

Construction has started on a Synchronous Condenser (SynCon) in Ararat that will help to stabilise and balance the grid as more wind and solar energy from Western Victoria enter it.

Statutory development - managing coal plants in the National Electricity Market. In its role as lead legislator on matters relating to the National Electricity Market, the South Australian parliament has passed coal power plant "orderly exit" legislation.

The EPA has confirmed a detailed environmental assessment is required to determine the extent of the Western Green Energy Hub proposal's environmental impacts.

The hub proposal entails the construction and operation of 3,000 wind turbines, 35 solar farms, and a renewable hydrogen facility, about 440km east of Kalgoorlie.

The proponent’s referral states that about 95% of the proposed 22,690km² development envelope will remain undisturbed. 

The state government has introduced new support measures for lithium producers affected by a sudden and unexpected plunge in lithium prices. 

Fee waivers worth up to $90 million will be provided for up to two years two downstream processors, and two-year fee waivers, worth a total of $9.37 million, will be provided to lithium miners.

A $50 million loan facility will also be available to help lithium miners access temporary interest-free loans to help sustain their operations, based on demonstrating their current financial position and operational plan. 

WA's main electricity grid hit a new renewable energy record last month, with renewables peaking at 85.1% of energy on the South West Interconnected System on 17 November. 

The state government says it has more than doubled the renewables on the grid since 2017, from 14% in 2017 to more than 34% in 2023.

Issue 71, 25 November 2024

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has convened the fourth annual Investor Roundtable, with a focus on new industries and energy, as well as housing.

Chalmers said the government will establish an Investor Council to better coordinate investment in national priorities. The Council will work closely with entities including ARENA, the CEFC, the Future Fund, and the Net Zero Economy Agency.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has announced a new investment mandate for Australia's sovereign wealth fund, known as the Future Fund, and issued the fund with a Statement of Expectations.

"The independent Future Fund already plays a crucial role in our economy and the Government wants to make sure it can play an important role in the decades ahead," Chalmers said.

"The Fund's primary focus will remain on maximising its returns," he said. However, it will now also be required to consider Australia's national priorities - housing supply, the energy transition, and improved infrastructure.

The Fund's benchmark return rate will remain at between four and five per cent above CPI per annum over the long term, and there will be no change to its risk profile.

Statutory development - energy system governance. Assistant Climate Change Minister Josh Wilson has introduced the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Australian Energy Regulator Separation) Bill 2024.

The Bill would separate the Australian Energy Regulator (the AER) from the ACCC, establishing the AER as a non-corporate Commonwealth entity with operational control of its staff, resources and governance arrangements.

The federal government has approved a new version of the ACCU Scheme environmental plantings method, just in time for proponents to use it this planting season.

Australian companies are increasingly linking executive remuneration to climate transition efforts, according to a new study from the Investor Group on Climate Change and climate and nature investment and advisory firm Pollination.   

However, many attempts to do so are ineffective because they aren't linked to a climate transition strategy, the study concludes.

The federal government will contribute $50 million to the international Loss and Damage Fund that was instigated two years ago at COP27.

The Fund will help developing countries to respond to extreme weather, focusing on both the economic and non-economic impacts of climate change.

Other Fund contributors include Canada, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Australia, 24 other countries, and the EU launched a Call to Action at COP29 to end the construction of new coal power plants.

The signatories to the Call to Action announced their intention to put forward national climate plans that reflect no new unabated coal in their energy systems, and called on others to do the same. 

Statutory development - clean energy bonds. Nationals MP Sam Birrell has introduced the Requiring Energy Infrastructure Providers to Obtain Rehabilitation Bonds Bill 2024. The private member's Bill would require wind and solar project developers to obtain rehabilitation bonds.

"Regional communities are bearing the brunt of the renewable energy rollout, and certainty is needed for the end-of-life rehabilitation of onshore wind and solar farms," Birrell said.

Speaking at the G20 summit, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese noted that Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen and his UK counterpart Ed Milliband would sign a Climate and Energy Partnership at COP29.

The PM also welcomed the launch of the India-Australia Renewable Energy Partnership. 

"Our new partnership will boost two way investment in renewable energy projects like solar PV manufacturing, battery and mineral processing, green hydrogen and green iron," Albanese said. 

"One of the key early projects under the partnership is the establishment next year of the India-Australia Rooftop Solar Academy," he said. "Australia will partner with India's Skill Council for Green Jobs and the private sector to train 2,000 young Indian technicians on solar PV."

A Senate committee inquiry into the Impact of Climate Risk on Insurance Premiums and Availability is due to report tomorrow.

Labor's Bill Shorten has described climate change as "unfinished business for the nation", in his valedictory speech to Parliament. 

"Climate change is not a Labor issue or a Liberal issue or a Greens party issue or a teal issue," Shorten said. "It's the world we live in, and it's the country we pass on to our grandchildren. It concerns every Australian."

The federal government's advisory scientific body on unconventional gas and large coal mines spent its most recent meeting discussing its draft advice on the potential impacts of unconventional gas exploration in the Beetaloo Basin.

The Clean Energy Council has released a report on emissions reductions in Australia attributable to the uptake of renewables.

Since 2015, 40GW of new rooftop solar and large-scale renewable energy capacity has been deployed across Australia, the report notes.

This has resulted in emissions being 30% lower today than they would have otherwise been without the renewable energy investment since 2015.

The federal Coalition has released a report by Frontier Economics titled Developing a base case to assess the relative costs of nuclear power in the NEM.

Edify Energy has lodged an EPBC referral for its proposed Pleystowe battery system, to be located near Mackay.

A Legislative Council committee has issued a report on the Planning system and the impact of climate change on the environment and communities. 

The report makes 18 recommendations, and urges amendments to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, which currently doesn't mention climate change. 

Alternatively, it suggests the introduction of a state environmental planning policy to properly integrate climate change within the planning system.

The NSW Parliament's Research Service has released a report by Professor Penelope Crossley on Energy regulation in transition.

"Despite the significant changes associated with the energy transition, the cooperative energy laws that underpin the NEM have only been subject to piecemeal changes," the paper says. 

"This has resulted in a complex legal, institutional and governance structure that is increasingly unworkable and not fit for purpose."

"A reformed legal framework that integrates these principles would enable the electricity sector to remain efficient and reliable while meeting consumer and industry needs in the face of rapid transformation," it says.

A video presentation by Professor Crossley is here.

The NSW government has awarded more than $1 million in new grants to several NSW universities through its Electrification & Energy Systems Network Seed Grant Scheme. 

The grants of between $50,000 and $200,000 support early-stage projects that are working to resolve the technical, economic, social and environmental challenges of electrification technology.

Victoria's State Electricity Commission will invest $370 million to build a renewable energy park near Horsham, with its first stage comprising a 119MW solar farm and an associated battery system. 

The SEC will also set up a community benefits fund that will invest $42,000 a year back into the local area during the project's construction, and a further $70,000 every year once the project is operational.

The Renewable Energy Park will come online in 2027.

The South Australian government has secured an agreement with ATCO Australia to contract GE Vernova to supply gas turbines capable of running on 100% hydrogen, for the planned Whyalla hydrogen power plant.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of COP29 in Baku. Commissioning is expected in early 2026.

Premier Peter Malinauskas was in Baku for the COP, with the state government hoping that Adelaide will be the host city if COP31 is secured by Australia and Pacific neighbours.

The SA government has signed a letter of intent to support a feasibility study by energy company Zero Petroleum that will explore the development of a low-carbon sustainable aviation fuel production facility in Whyalla.

Zero Petroleum, a producer of synthetic fuel, is exploring the opportunity for a commercial-scale production plant - Plant Zero.SA - to be located in South Australia’s Upper Spencer Gulf.

Adelaide Airport and Qantas will also be involved in the feasibility study.

Statutory development and consultation opportunity - firming capacity. The South Australian government is consulting on a framework to ensure the state has sufficient long duration firm capacity.

Under the proposed framework, the state government will define a rolling five-year Firm Energy Target (FET).

To meet the FET, long duration firm capacity generators would annually
tender for contracts that underwrite a portion of their revenue through
a Firm Energy Reliability Mechanism (FERM). Comments are due by 20 December.

The WA government has released Western Australia's inaugural CCUS Action Plan, which aims to develop "a world leading CCUS industry" in the state.

"Although the gas sector is likely to be the main driver of CCUS in Western Australia in the short to medium term, in the long term, modelling indicates that the dominant use of the technology will be in other sectors," it says. 

"CCUS will particularly have a role in other emissions-intensive, hard-to-abate industrial sectors, such as fertilisers, other chemicals, cement and lime, and iron and steel, as well as in low-carbon industries, such as hydrogen, ammonia, and synthetic fuel."

The state government has also announced $26 million in funding for two CCUS projects.

A $15 million grant will support the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group to develop an onshore transmission pipeline for an offshore multi-user CCS hub in the Pilbara. 

"The project will help transport CO2 from facilities on the Burrup into depleted gas fields, sequestering up to five million tonnes of carbon dioxide in its first phases," the state government said. 

Another $11 million grant will support Mitsui E&P Australia and Wesfarmers Chemicals, Energy & Fertilisers to develop the Cygnus CCS hub in the Mid West. The hub will initially store around 530 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide annually from the Waitsia Gas Plant and the Wesfarmers CSBP ammonia plant in Kwinana.

Meanwhile, the WA government is also offering $4 million under the second roundof its Carbon Innovation Grants Program, which aims to build the capacity of heavy industry to transition to net zero emissions by 2050. Applications close on 28 February.

Issue 70, 18 November 2024

The Capacity Investment Scheme Tender 3 is now open. Tender 3 aims to provide revenue underwriting for 4GW of 4-hour equivalent dispatchable capacity in the National Electricity Market.

Projects with a minimum storage duration of two hours and a minimum size of 30 MW are expected to be eligible.

The federal government's independent Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee (ERAC) is reviewing the ACCU Scheme's the Alternative Waste Treatment method for earning carbon credits.

The existing method encompasses the processing of waste by enclosed composting, anaerobic digestion, or the manufacture of process engineered fuel. Projects under the method have generated around 4.9 million ACCUs to date.

The existing version of the method, which reduces emissions by processing waste that would have gone to landfill, is due to expire on 31 March next year. Comments to ERAC are due by 2 December. 

Meanwhile, ERAC is also seeking feedback by 26 November on a proposed variation to the wastewater ACCU method, which would extend the crediting period for non-biomethane projects from 7 years to 12 years.

The wastewater method focuses on capturing methane from treatment ponds.

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has published the findings of its second climate risk survey of banks, insurers and super funds.

The survey found that, on average, larger entities have continued to improve their climate risk maturity, but broad variations remain.

The federal government is guaranteeing up to US$200 million (about A$300 million) worth of Asian Development Bank climate change lending, through the ADB's Innovative Finance Facility for Climate in Asia and the Pacific.

Other countries supporting IF-CAP include the US, the UK, and Japan.

IF-CAP will ultimately support the ADB to deliver up to US$11 billion in climate-related loans, and boost private sector capital mobilisation.

Meanwhile, the federal government has also announced an additional $125 million investment in Pacific renewable energy projects.

The funding comprises a $75 million investment through the REnew Pacific program and $50 million through the Australia-Pacific Partnership for Energy Transition (APPET) program.

ARENA has announced a $1.7 million grant to support UNSW's $4.3 million Project CICCADA, which aims to better understand the integration of consumer energy resources (CER) into the National Energy Market. 

The project will analyse large real-world datasets from CER such as rooftop solar, household batteries and electric vehicles to help better understand integration challenges.  

Over 1,400 MW of new large-scale renewable energy generation projects, worth $3.3 billion in new investment, were committed in the third quarter of 2024, according to the Clean Energy Council’s latest Quarterly Renewables Report.

Meanwhile, Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has said the nation is on track for a near record of 3.15GW of rooftop solar capacity to be added this year.

In early November, the Australian carbon market saw its second-highest weekly traded volumes on record, according to carbon and energy analyst Reputex. 

As a result, generic ACCU prices rose above $40 for the first time in more than two years. Much of the activity is driven by demand from entities covered by the Safeguard Mechanism.

Statutory development - energy storage. The NSW Parliament has passed the Energy Amendment (Long Duration Storage and Investment) Bill 2024, which establish a new long-duration storage infrastructure objective of an additional 12GWh by 2034.

This is in addition to an existing objective of constructing a minimum of 16GWh of long-duration storage by 2030.

The NSW government has issued updated planning guidelines for renewable energy projects. Further details are available here. 

Key changes include:
• a revision of setbacks for wind turbines.
• a revision of visual magnitude thresholds and viewpoint sensitivity levels to be consistent between development types.
• a requirement that proponents of transmission projects consider viable project options (including undergrounding) in their scoping report.
• the addition of a benefit-sharing rate for battery energy storage systems and guidance on how benefit-sharing rates should be distributed to communities.
• simplification of the private agreement guideline.

Some parts of the framework will apply immediately, while others are subject to transitional arrangements. The Clean Energy Council welcomed the updated guidelines.

The $4.8 billion HumeLink transmission project has been approved by the NSW government, and will now proceed to the Commonwealth Government for final approval.

The project will provide a 365km renewable energy infrastructure spine across southern NSW, connecting energy infrastructure including Snowy 2.0. 

The NSW Independent Planning Commission has approved TotalEnergies' proposed 320MW Middlebrook solar farm and associated battery, which will be located approximately 22 km south of Tamworth.

The NSW government has placed on exhibition the EIS for Lightsource bp's proposed 400MW Gundary solar farm, which would be located in the Southern Tablelands.

It has also placed on exhibition the EIS for the proposed 74MW/148MWh Hume North battery energy storage system, which would be located near Albury.

In addition, it has placed on exhibition the EIS for ACEnergy's proposed 250MW/1,100MWh Yanco battery energy storage system, which would be located near Leeton.

The Victorian government is providing grants to four manufacturers through the Made in Victoria – Energy Technologies Manufacturing Program.

The four businesses will share funding of more than $1 million.

Statutory development - orderly exit of coal legislation. As lead legislator for National Electricity Market legislation, the South Australian government has introduced a National Electricity (South Australia) (Orderly Exit Management Framework) Amendment Bill 2024.

Introduction of the Bill follows a September meeting of national, state and territory energy ministers that approved the legislation.

The Bill establishes a process that enables jurisdictions to:

• Firstly, identify whether the early retirement of a thermal generator creates system reliability or security risks. 
• Secondly, investigate alternatives to replace the outgoing capacity, undertake voluntary negotiations with the generator.
• Thirdly, as a last resort, direct the generator to continue to operate until the risk of its retirement is managed. 

The NT Department of Mining and Energy is seeking feedback on the proposed development of the Darwin Renewable Energy Hub, including input on the preferred site location.

The hub, proposed for a site 30 kilometres from Darwin, would comprise six large-scale solar farms with a generation capacity of up to 210MW. Comments are due by 28 February.

Issue 69, 11 November 2024

"If you want to talk about what will drive up the cost of electricity, it's nuclear," Climate Change Authority Chair Matt Kean has told Senate Estimates. 

"Nuclear will drive up the cost of electricity for millions of families and businesses across the country," Kean said, in his first appearance before federal Estimates. 

"The CSIRO GenCost report, AEMO, the Australian Energy Regulator —all of these bodies have very clearly said that nuclear is the most expensive form of electricity," he said. 

"There is no bigger rent-seeking parasite than the nuclear industry," he told Estimates.

"I know you're trying to get your grabs up on Sky at the moment," Kean added when Nationals Senator Ross Cadell spoke about nuclear energy cost modelling.

The Clean Energy Regulator has released a recording of a Sydney forum on the Safeguard Mechanism.

The Investor Group on Climate Change has released a guide on Investor Expectations for Corporate Just Transition Planning, as well as a research report on Activating Private Investment in Adaptation that was co-written with ERM Energetics.

The adaptation research paper says the National Adaptation Plan should be legislated and on par with the Net Zero Australia plan.

The paper recommends that the mandates of all specialist investment vehicles, including the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation, Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, Regional Investment Corporation, Clean Energy Finance Corporation, and ARENA, should expressly include adaptation and resilience.

Assistant Climate Change and Energy Minister Josh Wilson will lead Australia's COP29 delegation in the first week of the talks. Minister Bowen will lead the delegation in the second week.

"A COP with a less than ideal outcome is not a good thing," Minister Bowen told the IGCC conference last week. "So we will be arguing for strong language on ambition."  

ARENA has announced that an additional $100 million in funding will be available under the Driving the Nation program to support transitioning heavy vehicles to electric.

ARENA is separately providing $28.6 million in funding to two projects with $19.6 million committed to Linfox and $9 million to Toll.

Linfox will deploy 26 battery electric trucks and charging infrastructure across three distribution centres in Queensland, South Australia and Victoria.

Toll will roll out 28 battery electric trucks and required infrastructure at 10 customer and Toll-owned sites across Australia.

A CSIRO-developed technology to increase oil yield from plants, which will help advance the production and use of biofuels such as sustainable aviation fuel, has been acquired by ASX-listed Nufarm.  

The Biomass Oil Project aims to extend commercial oil production from just the seeds and fruits of plants, to encompass leaves and stems.   

"We were inspired to develop this technology in response to the world’s need for increased production of plant oil without impacting on food security," said CSIRO's Dr Thomas Dr Vanhercke. 

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has issued charter letters to each of his ministers.

• Jarrod Bleijie, Minister for State, Development Infrastructure and Planning, is instructed to "amend laws to ensure renewable energy projects are impact assessable with approval processes consistent with other land uses like mining and agriculture". 
  
  He must also explore opportunities for new industries across Queensland. 
• David Janetzki, Minister for Energy, must facilitate private sector investment in new energy infrastructure while maintaining public ownership of existing assets. 
  
  He must "prioritise the delivery of an energy system that is affordable, reliable and sustainable" and "progress early work on the Borumba Pumped Hydro project".
  
  Janetzki must also investigate other smaller pumped hydro schemes, and must work with industry to progress a code of conduct for renewable energy proponents.
  
  In addition, he must work to progress transmission infrastructure, like Copperstring.
  
  Janetzki, who is also Treasurer, must also create an Office of Social Impact and work with impact investors, philanthropists, corporates and others to co-design a roadmap for social enterprise and impact investing.

The new Queensland government has released a report prepared by Queensland Hydro for the former government on the Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro project that it had proposed for a site near Mackay.

The new government, which is not proceeding with the project, said in its media release that the report demonstrates the project was neither financially viable, nor environmentally appropriate. 

The report says the project would add between $14,479 million and $16,598 million to the Mackay region's gross regional product, between 2024 and 2054.

It also says the project was in the public interest and there were no impediments to its development.

The report says local opposition to the project "is not unified and centres on concerns for displaced landholders and changes to the area’s natural values. Many local and regional businesses are positive and seeking economic benefits."

Coexistence Queensland has released a Landholder guide: Negotiating onshore gas activity.

The guide provides landholders with practical information and tips for negotiating land access agreements with gas companies.

The NSW Independent Planning Commission has granted planning approval to Canadian Solar's 250MW Gunning solar farm, and an associated 150 MW/ 600MWh battery.

The Victorian government has released a Zero Emission Bus Plan to guide the shift from a diesel bus fleet to zero emissions buses. 

From mid-2025, new buses ordered for the public fleet will be required to be zero emission – with almost 690 zero emissions buses so far funded through the state government's $20 million ZEB trial and current contracts with bus operators. 

Issue 68, 4 November 2024

The Carbon Leakage Review second consultation paper is now available. 

The paper concludes that a "border carbon adjustment" applied to imports of some commodities could be appropriate. This would be broadly similar to the EU CBAM.

The policy would mean that imports of specified commodities would be liable to pay a border carbon adjustment if they have a higher emissions intensity than the relevant Australian Safeguard baseline for that commodity. 

"Cement and clinker would be suitable for initial consideration for a border carbon adjustment," the paper says. 

Lime would also be suitable for early consideration. Ammonia and derivatives, and steel, as well as glass, could be candidates for a border carbon adjustment later.

For domestic producers of commodities benefitting from a border carbon adjustment, the paper suggests it might be appropriate to reduce the Safeguard Mechanism threshold for domestic coverage from 100,000 tonnes of CO2 annually, to a level that covers all domestic production. 

The federal government has agreed to prioritise the development of four new methods for earning credits under the ACCU scheme. 

Two of the methods were proposed by Indigenous groups, and the other two were proposed by state governments. 

The four proponents will each lead work on the drafting of their respective proposed methods. 

The Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation said the two methods proposed by state governments had the potential to sequester up to 3.7 million tonnes of CO2 annually. 

Meanwhile, the government has also committed to finalising an updated version of the ACCU environmental plantings method before the end of the year, and will release an exposure draft of an integrated farm and land management method in the first half of next year. 

The contribution of renewables to the National Electricity Market reached a new milestone during the September quarter, according to AEMO's latest  Quarterly Energy Dynamics report.

At the end of Q3 2024, 45.6GW of new capacity were progressing through the connection process from application to commissioning, a 36% increase compared to the same time last year.

This capacity included 14.6GW of battery projects, representing an 87% increase on the same time last year.

The third quarter of 2024 also saw a new peak renewable contribution record set on 9 September, when renewable sources supplied 72.2% of total NEM generation. 

The federal and NSW governments are jointly investing more than $60 million over five years to establish the Hunter Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence at TAFE NSW's Newcastle campus. 

ARENA has provided $17.2 million to Mars pet food for a demonstration project of using concentrated solar thermal technology to provide process heat. 

The $39.3 million project is set to be the first deployment of parabolic trough concentrated solar thermal technology in Australia, and will be the sixth largest deployment of solar heat for an industrial process, globally.

Meanwhile, ARENA has also committed almost $4 million to Australian technology company AnteoTech Ltd to commercialise its new lithium-ion battery anode technology.

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation has released its latest annual report. 

"Since we began investing, $4 billion of CEFC capital has backed 7.6 GW in large-scale new renewable generation capacity and energy storage," says an introduction by CEFC chief executive Ian Learmonth. 

"We have supported $2.3 billion in discounted finance for more than 70,000 smaller-scale clean energy projects, and our natural capital portfolio, already at $400 million, is underpinning a sustainable future for our agriculture sector."

The Clean Energy Regulator has released its latest annual report. 

CSIRO and BOM have released the 2024 State of the climate report, which confirms Australia's weather and climate has continued to change, with an increase in extreme heat events, longer fire seasons, more intense heavy rainfall, and sea level rise.  

Meanwhile, CSIRO has opened a $6.8 million facility in Victoria, which prints flexible solar cells on thin plastic films.  

The technology is lightweight, portable, and suitable for various applications including urban construction, space, defence, mining, emergency management, disaster relief, and wearables. 

A Senate select committee on energy planning and regulation last week held three public hearings. 

Australia will host a major global conference on carbon capture use and storage in 2026.

The conference, run by the International Energy Agency, will be co-hosted in Perth by the CSIRO, CO2CRC and DCCEEW, as well as the industry association representing the upstream oil and gas industry.

Consultancy EY's Net Zero Centre has released a new report on the voluntary carbon market. The global report estimates credit prices will rise to US$75-125 per tonne by 2035 across Paris-consistent scenarios. While prices will vary across market segments, it projects that 30% to 50% of credits will cost more than US$50 per tonne by 2035 in these scenarios.

"Advanced economies and high-capacity companies must not only meet but sustain deeply net-negative CO2 emissions," the report says. 

The Centre's analysis finds that using high integrity credits in combination with ambitious internal abatement lowers decarbonisation costs by 45% to 65% in Paris-consistent scenarios, compared to relying only on internal abatement measures.

The NSW Independent Planning Commission has approved Squadron Energy's proposed $2 billion Spicers Creek wind farm, to be located in the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone near Gulgong.

The project will comprise a 700MW wind farm and associated 400MW/1,800MWh battery energy storage system.

Statutory development - gas. The Victorian Parliament has passed the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment Bill, which allows holders of a petroleum production licence to temporarily store fossil gas in offshore natural reservoirs for later recovery and use.

The Victorian government has released the latest annual Victorian Renewable Energy Target progress report, which shows that 13 large scale renewable energy generation projects with a combined capacity of 2,199MW were under construction or undergoing commissioning as at 30 June 2024.

A total of 557MW of energy storage capacity and 12 utility-scale storage projects with a combined capacity of 1,115MW were under construction or undergoing commissioning, as at 30 June 2024, the report says.

Victorian households and businesses installed 630MW of rooftop capacity in FY24.

The Victorian government has announced that households can receive up to $140 off the cost of a new induction cooktop, if they will replace a gas cooktop. 

The Victorian Energy Upgrades scheme discounts will be available through VEU accredited providers, or through participating retailers.

The WA government has released an updated Renewable Hydrogen Strategy, with a major focus on green products and value-adding. 

Issue 67, 28 October 2024

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has announced the next round of auctions under the Capacity Investment Scheme will be significantly expanded. 

"We originally planned that the next two tender rounds would call for 2GW of dispatchable renewable power and 4GW of renewable energy generation," the Minister told an AFR Summit.

"I’m announcing today that this auction will now be for 4GW of dispatchable power and 6GW of renewable generation," he said. 

Market briefs will be released shortly and the tender process will open in mid-November.

NGER emissions and energy reports for FY24 must be submitted to the Clean Energy Regulator by this Thursday. 

The federal government has made public CLARA Energy's EPBC referral for the project Rosedale hydrogen facility, which would be built near Wagga. 

It has also made public the referral for Spark Renewables' Wattle Creek solar farm, which would be located on the NSW Southern Tablelands.

Meeting on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Samoa, Australian PM Anthony Albanese and UK PM Kier Starmer have agreed to negotiate an Australia–UK Climate and Energy Partnership.

The partnership will focus on the development and accelerated deployment of renewable energy technologies, and will also "build upon the two countries' long-standing cooperation on international climate action, including on renewable energy and climate finance".

Meanwhile, the two leaders also announced six grant recipients under the Australia-UK Renewable Hydrogen Innovation Partnership Program. 

The government-commissioned review of carbon leakage (which includes an assessment of the feasibility of an Australian Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism), which was due to report in September, is yet to report. 

The federal government has appointed Arek Sinanian as a member of its advisory Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee.

A new guide titled Renewables that are good for nature, people and your businesshas been released by the Business Renewables Centre-Australia, ERM Energetics and WWF Australia.

Australia's infrastructure sector has released a new consultation paper titled Defining infrastructure net zero.

The consultation is being undertaken through a new Infrastructure Net Zero taskforce, which has members including the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council, the Infrastructure Sustainability Council, and the Green Building Council of Australia.

The paper notes that about 70% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions are directly attributable to, or influenced by the infrastructure sector. 

The Future Fund is a top 10 shareholder in Woodside Energy, Santos and Whitehaven Coal, and has not supported any climate-related shareholder proposal at these three companies since 2021, says a new analysis by Market Forces.

The Clean Energy Council has announced the 10 recipients of the 2024 Chloe Munro Scholarship for Transformational Leadership. They will join the network of 36 women who have been awarded this scholarship since its first round in 2021. 

Defence, which is Australia's largest energy user, has released a Net zero strategy. The strategy notes that "climate change is a national security issue", and says Defence will aim to source 100% of its grid-provided electricity from renewables by 2030.

The LNP's victory in Saturday's Queensland election will put the state's renewable energy targets at risk, based on its approach to Labor climate legislation introduced earlier this year.

In April, the LNP supported Labor's Clean Economy Jobs Bill, which mandates an emissions reduction target of 75% on 2005 levels by 2035, and net-zero by 2050.

"Our decision to support the targets ... is significant and it has been carefully considered," Sam O'Connor, LNP environment spokesperson, told Parliament at the time.

But the LNP's attitude to the renewables Bill, which went through Parliament on the same day, was different, with the then Opposition party arguing that renewables targets should be reviewed every two years.

Even so, LNP energy spokesperson Deb Frecklington at the time acknowledged in Parliament the importance of Queensland's active involvement in the energy transition.

"We do not want to miss the once-in-a-generation chance to create new careers and keep our brightest kids in the bush," she said. "We do not want those energy careers going across the border or to another country."

Notably, in October last year, the Queensland parliament did pass on a bipartisan basis, the Gas Supply and Other Legislation (Hydrogen Industry Development) Amendment Bill, which expands the scope of legislation regulating the transport of petroleum and fossil gas to encompass hydrogen and other renewable gases. 

Statutory development - long duration storage. NSW Climate Change Minister Penny Sharpe has introduced the Energy Amendment (Long Duration Storage and Investment) Bill 2024. 

The Bill retains the minimum objective of 16GWh of long-duration storage to be constructed by 2030. It builds on this to establish a new long-duration storage infrastructure objective of an additional 12GWh by 2034.

"Currently the National Electricity Market has just over 3GW of utility-scale storage. The energy market operator's Integrated System Plan shows the national market will need at least 15GW of additional utility-scale storage by 2030," the Minister told the Legislative Council.

The NSW government is expanding the functions of the Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW, empowering it to provide information and a dispute resolution service to landholders and community members affected by new renewable energy and transmission infrastructure.

The Victorian government is consulting on an application by AGL to access water for rehabilitation of its Loy Yang coal mine, when its Loy Yang A power station closes in 2035. 

AGL has applied for a new bulk entitlement to access up to 35.8 GL of water annually for the water-based rehabilitation of the Loy Yang mine, for a period of 30 years. 

This is slightly lower than the amount that AGL is currently entitled to take for cooling water for the Loy Lang A power station.

The government is also consulting on two related developments. One would amend AGL's existing Loy Yang A generation water entitlement to clarify when power generation stops. 

The other would allow Southern Rural Water (as the system manager) to plan for the resulting change in water system operations.

AGL will also seek to extend its separate entitlement to extract about 20GL of groundwater, so that the same amount can be used in mine rehabilitation. The company's groundwater licence will expire in September 2026.

Issue 66, 21 October 2024

Shadow climate minister Ted O'Brien has announced a Coalition government would amend the Capacity Investment Scheme so that it can support new gas projects.

The federal government has established a Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Estimation and Reporting Standards Reference Group, which will provide guidance and advice to support the development of standards for agriculture, and the incorporation of the standards into GHG calculators and accounting tools.

Members include representatives of various agricultural organisations and agencies, agriculture value chain businesses, and First Nations groups.

Consultation opportunity - energy efficiency. DCCEEW is inviting views on a Regulation Impact Statement on a proposal to impose stricter GEMS energy efficiency requirements on distribution transformers. 

Distribution transformers are components of the electricity grid. They typically lose less than 2% of the energy that passes through them, but as they are energised 24 hours a day, even small increases in efficiency result in large electricity savings.

The existing performance requirements for distribution transformers have not been revised since 2004. Comments are due by 6 December. 

The federal government will provide $5 million to Australian Strategic Materials Limited (ASM), to cover half the cost of a study that will investigate more efficient ways of refining rare earths. 

The new $5 million grant to help develop ASM's proposed rare earths project in Dubbo is on top of a $6.5m grant provided to ASM last year through the Critical Minerals Development Program. 

ASM has also received a non-binding Letter of Interest from the US Export-Import Bank for up to US$600 million, and Export Finance Australia has previously provided a letter of support for $200 million in debt funding. 

The Dubbo project will produce critical minerals such as zirconium, niobium and hafnium, as well as a number of rare earth elements. 

Consultation opportunity - the National Electricity Law. DCCEEW has released a consultation paper on a proposal to the National Electricity Law to better enable the Australian Energy Market Operator to support administration of the tenders for the Capacity Investment Scheme.

Initial submissions are now available to a Senate select committee inquiry into energy planning:

• Professor Bruce Mountain says there is no need for an Integrated System Plan, criticises the Australian Energy Market Operator, and says transmission planning should be an issue for the states. 
• The Australian Energy Council says AEMO should include in its ISP modelling a scenario "of what it thinks is likely", which would be a baseline that other scenarios can be compared with.

The federal government has announced 13 new carbon farming capacity-building grants.

The GEMS energy standards and labelling scheme is conducting a stakeholder satisfaction survey.

Transcript is now available from a recent hearing of a Senate select committee inquiry into the impact of climate risk on insurance premiums.

Satellite observations of methane emissions from 20 Australian methane hotspots suggests their emissions may be around double what they are currently reporting through NGER. 

The data has prompted the Superpower Institute to call for an urgent overhaul of how methane is reported and accounted for in Australia.

The NSW government will defer royalties up to $250 million to improve cashflow and investment feasibility for new critical minerals projects.

The royalties deferral scheme is one of several measures outlined in a new NSW critical minerals and high-tech metals strategy.

Statutory development - long-duration storage. The NSW government has pledged to legislate a new minimum objective for the construction of 28 GWh of long-duration storage by 2034.

The pledge, which builds on an existing objective of 2GW/16GWh long-duration storage by 2030, is made in a new Long Duration Storage Review: Position Paper.

The NSW government has placed on exhibition Winterbourne Wind's proposal for a 700MW wind farm near Walcha.

Detailed maps are now available showing the 19 highway upgrades that will improve connections between the Port of Newcastle and the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone.

ARENA is providing a total of $5.4 million for a project that will electrify 500 north Illawarra households. Brighte will be the project lead, with Rewiring Australia as the research partner, and Endeavour Energy as the network partner. 

By 2035, Victoria is forecast to need 25GW of new renewable energy and storage capacity, says a new SEC Infrastructure annual report.

"By partnering with industry, we expect to contribute around 4.5GW of new capacity, which is approximately 20% of the total new generation and storage capacity Victoria is expected to require by 2035," it says. 

"This includes distributed solar and batteries as well as all committed, and future utility-scale projects.

The Victorian government has launched a Carbon farming outreach program, which will deliver more than 130 training events over two years.

The training will be delivered by Agriculture Victoria, Victoria's Catchment Management Authorities, Melbourne Water, and Landcare Victoria.

The Victorian government has gazetted the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Amendment (Induction Cooktops and Co-payments) Regulations 2024, which allow the VEU energy efficiency scheme to support the installation of induction cooktops.

Statutory development - emissions and renewables targets. The Legislative Assembly has passed the Greenhouse Emissions Reduction (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill.

The Bill is now before the Legislative Council. 

Neoen has made an EPBC referral for its Goyder North (SA) renewable energy stage 1 project. The project would comprise a 600MW wind farm and a 225MW/900MWh Battery Energy Storage System.

A revised WA government greenhouse gas policy for major projects will result in the emissions from these projects only being regulated through the federal Safeguard Mechanism.

State ministerial statements that specify approval conditions for existing major projects will be amended to ensure they also only have their greenhouse gas emissions regulated through the Safeguard Mechanism.

The state government has released an accompanying information sheet on the changes.

Issue 65, 14 October 2024

The federal government has instigated a House select committee inquiry into nuclear energy, which will report no later than 30 April next year. The inquiry will consider matters including deployment timeframes and costs. 

Shadow climate change minister Ted O'Brien has unsuccessfully sought to have the government's Guarantee of Origin bills referred to the House economics committee. 

O'Brien later told the House that the bills risk "being a Trojan horse for a broader economy-wide carbon price", and show "a clear bias" against hydro in favour of wind and solar. 

Consultation opportunity - carbon market infrastructure. The Clean Energy Regulator is seeking feedback on its proposed exchange trading model for ACCUs, and its proposed new units and certificates registry. 

The Regulator is also seeking views on broader measures to facilitate liquid and transparent carbon markets. Comments are due by 22 November.

Virescent Ventures, which was spun out of the CEFC in 2022, has announced the $100 million first close of its new climate technology fund (Fund II). 

The CEFC is a cornerstone investor in Fund II, and Virescent Ventures manages a portfolio of CEFC investments in specialist early-stage climate tech on the CEFC's behalf.

Grant opportunity - long-rotation plantations. The federal government is inviting applications for grants under the third round of a $74 million program to support the establishment of new long-rotation softwood and hardwood plantations.

The government will provide up to $2,000 per hectare of new long-rotation plantation forest established. Applications close on 5 November next year. 

Leading Pacific Islands researcher, Salā Dr George Carter, has been appointed to the scientific council that will advise the COP29 Presidency in Azerbaijan.

Dr Carter's appointment "signals the rising prominence of Pacific voices in the global climate discourse, particularly in advocating for small island states most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change", said an Australian National University statement.

VicGrid has made an EPBC referral for the 2GW Gippsland offshore wind transmission project. 

The project encompasses the construction of an overhead transmission line from an onshore connection hub to a proposed grid connection substation near the Loy Yang Power Station, in the Latrobe Valley.

A House of Representatives inquiry into electric vehicles held a hearing on Friday and will hold another this Thursday. 

The federal government has granted EPBC approval to Lightsource BP's proposed 450MW Goulburn River solar farm and battery system near Merriwa, in NSW's Central-West Orana REZ.

Meanwhile, Vena Energy Services has withdrawn its referral for surveys for the 2GW Blue Marlin offshore wind project, off Victoria's Gippsland coast. 

The Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity has released a recording of a recent webinar for businesses on maximising the return on investment from batteries and solar.

WWF Australia has released a Blueprint for Australian oceans leadership.

The NSW government has released updated projections of reductions in greenhouse gas emissions over coming years.

The projections are based on two abatement scenarios - one in which programs provide the abatement they are designed to deliver, and another based on the abatement they are currently tracking to deliver.

Under the scenario in which policies deliver the abatement they were designed to deliver, NSW remains on track to achieve its targets, reaching 50% below 2005 levels in 2030 and 70% below 2005 levels in 2035. 

But the more cautious "currently tracking" scenario "indicates more work may be needed", according to the projections. 

"Accounting for abatement uncertainty, NSW is projected to be 44% to 50% below 2005 levels by 2030 and 65% to 70% by 2035," according to the projections.

The NSW government has placed on exhibition a proposal by Edify for the 100MW Burroway solar farm and energy storage system, which would be located near Narromine and Dubbo in the Central-West and Orana renewable energy zone. 

In what the NSW government terms a "first-of-its-kind initiative", seven landholders from the Murray-Riverina are now protecting, enhancing and extending patches of important native vegetation while generating Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) with restorative plantings.

Between them, the landholders are permanently 788 hectares of threatened native habitat under conservation agreements with the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust.

An additional 141 hectares has been registered with the Clean Energy Regulator to restore, connect and extend habitat through environmental plantings projects under the ACCU scheme.

The state government has signalled it will introduce legislation to extend its Victorian Energy Upgrades program, which supports household and business energy efficiency initiatives.

Currently, the scheme is due to expire in 2030, but the proposed Bill will extend it, as the state aims for net zero by 2045. The government recently initiated a two-year review of the VEU program. 

Stage one of what will be the largest wind farm in the Southern Hemisphere has begun feeding into Victoria's electricity grid.

Once both stages are fully operational, TagEnergy's Golden Plains wind farm near Geelong will have a capacity of 1.3GW, supported by a 300MW battery.

As the 756MW stage one of the project starts generating power, Ikea has announced it has taken a 15% stake in the project's 577MW stage two, through its Ingka investment arm. 

Ikea already has a 15% stake in the 756MW stage one of the project. 

Last month, EnergyAustralia entered into a landmark 10-year renewable Power Purchase Agreement with TagEnergy to offtake 40% of Stage two's capacity.

Issue 64, 7 October 2024

Minister Chris Bowen and US Secretary for Energy Jennifer Granholm have met on the sidelines of a G20 energy meeting in Brazil.

The two ministers announced that Australia would become an international collaborator of the U.S DOE's Long Duration Storage Shot, which aims to reduce the cost of grid-scale energy storage by 90% by 2030, for systems that deliver 10+ hours of duration.

The ministers also committed to signing an MOU between the US Department of Energy and ARENA before the end of the year. In addition, they will this month hold an inaugural Dialogue on Engaging Tribal and First Nations Peoples in the Energy Transition.

APRA will later this year release an update on the methodology it is using for its insurance climate vulnerability assessment, a Senate committee inquiry into climate change and insurance premiums has heard.

APRA's assessment aims to gauge the potential impact of climate change on household insurance affordability in the decades out to 2050, and the results will be published in the first half of 2025. 

Engineers Australia, through Engineering Education Australia (EEA) and Deakin University, will launch a suite of hydrogen energy micro-credential training coursesto upskill the engineering workforce. 

Training courses cover hydrogen handling, hydrogen fuel cell operation, safety and maintenance, hydrogen electrolyses, and hydrogen in the built environment. 

The Australian National Audit Office has released an Emissions Reduction Plan describing the actions it is taking to reduce operational emissions and contribute to the APS Net Zero 2030 target.

The plan notes that ANAO plans to participate in a whole of Australian Government renewable electricity purchasing arrangement currently being established by the Department of Finance.

New Queensland government agency annual reports include CleanCo's FY24 annual report, which notes it signed renewable energy agreements with new customers including North Queensland Airports, BHP, Mitsubishi Alliance, Aurora Group, and Vinidex.

The total capacity of its renewables PPAs has reached 1,071MW, of which 631MW is now in service. 

CleanCo's integrated portfolio, including owned assets and projects where it has offtake agreements, generated 3,065GWh of clean energy in FY24, an increase of 652GWh compared with FY23. Its owned assets generated 1,959GWh. 

Meanwhile, the annual report of the Department of Energy and Climate shows that renewable energy as a percentage of total energy consumed in Queensland has grown from just 7% in FY17 to 28.2% in FY24.

The federal government has decided that that the X-Elio's proposed 420MW Sixteen Mile solar farm near Chinchilla (Qld) does not need EPBC approval. The project will also comprise 120MW/240MW of storage.

RES Australia has withdrawn its EPBC referral for the proposed 476MW Barneys Reef wind farm near Gulgong (NSW), within the Central-West Orana REZ. 

The NSW government has placed on exhibition Yancoal's proposal for a $1.8 billion renewable energy hub, comprising a major pumped hydro project and a 320MW solar farm on the site of its Stratford open-cut coal mining complex.

Mining operations at the site are due to conclude by the end of the year.

Renewable energy developer BrightNight has received Victorian government approval to start construction on the $700 million Mortlake Energy Hub in the state's southwest.

The project will combine a 360MW solar farm with a 300MW battery. It was approved under the state's fast-track Development Facilitation Program.

A major expansion of Gippsland Water's composting facility will increase the plant's capacity to process organic waste by 70,000 tonnes to 250,000 tonnes.

The $12.2 million upgrade of the facility is being funded by a combined $4.8 million from Sustainability Victoria’s Circular Economy Organics Sector Transformation Fund and the federal Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund. 

The Victorian government has issued a declaration for the 2GW Gippsland offshore wind transmission project, which describes procedures and requirements for the project Environment Effects Statement.

The declaration applies to the construction of an overhead transmission line from the proposed onshore connection hub to the proposed grid connection
substation near the Loy Yang Power Station, in the Latrobe Valley.

It also encompasses the onshore connection hub and the Loy Yang grid connection substation.

With Solar Victoria funding, the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre is offeringonline and in-person training for plumbers and fourth-year apprentices on new building efficiency standards, and designing and installing hot water system heat pumps.

The City of Hobart has released a new Climate ready Hobart strategy.

Issue 63, 30 September 2024

The federal government has appointed National Farmers Federation chief executive Tony Mahar as Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner. 

The Commissioner's office facilitates the resolution of complaints about large-scale renewable energy infrastructure, and promotes best practice planning and development. 

Mahar joined the NFF in 2013 and became its CEO in 2016.

The federal and Queensland governments will contribute $14 million towards a proposed $36.8 million facility in Townsville capable of annually producing 110 megalitres of sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel. 

The federal government will provide $9 million through ARENA, and the Queensland government will contribute $5 million to establish feedstock supply chains. 

Jet Zero Australia has formed a consortium of partners to support delivery of the project, with the technology to be supplied by LanzaJet, and Qantas, Airbus and Idemitsu Kosan being among the key investors.

The Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) has approved the mandatory Standard AASB S2 on climate-related disclosures. 

The move follows the passage of federal legislation that will phase in a mandatory regime of climate-related disclosures.

The AASB has also approved the voluntary Standard AASB S1 on general requirements for disclosure of sustainability-related financial information.

Both AASB standards are very closely based on international IFRS standards.

ARENA has released its latest General Funding Strategy, which guides how the agency provides financial assistance in accordance with its statutory requirements.

Submissions have now been made public to a Senate committee inquiry into offshore wind consultation processes.

Pacific Green Energy Park Portland Pty Ltd has made an EPBC referral for the construction and operation of a massive 1GW/2.5GWh battery energy system near Portland, in western Victoria. 

Pacific Green's Portland Energy Park - to be located near Alcoa's Portland aluminium smelter - will comprise four 250MW battery 'parks'. 

Meanwhile, Minister Chris Bowen has made a preliminary decision to grant a feasibility licence for the 1.2GW Spinifex wind farm, which would be located off the Victorian coast.

Proposed by Alinta Energy and Parkland, the wind farm would be located off the coast of Port Fairy, reasonably close to Alcoa's Portland aluminium smelter. 

If a feasibility licence is granted, the proponents would need to undertake consultation, conduct detailed studies, and develop management plans.

Grant opportunity - energy supply chains. Applications for round one funding under the Quad Clean Energy Supply Chain Diversification Program will open in November, the federal government has announced. 

Grants are available for R&D projects and feasibility studies to develop more diverse supply chains for solar PV, hydrogen electrolysers, and batteries. 

Up to A$25 million will be available under the first round, with grants ranging from A$100,000 to A$2.5 million.

The Senate Select Committee on climate risk and insurance premiums has scheduled hearings for today and tomorrow.

Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson is visiting Laos to represent Australia at the East Asia Summit's 18th Energy Ministers Meeting.

The Assistant Minister will use his visit "to strengthen ties with ASEAN partners and discuss the challenges and opportunities in the region’s energy transition, as well as the economic potential presented by the global transition to net zero".

Meanwhile, the Lao government, with support from the Australian government and the Global Green Growth Institute, has hosted a carbon markets forum to foster the country's participation in international carbon markets.

Engineers Australia has released a report titled Making a clean transition, that provides advice for engineers moving from fossil fuel industries to the renewables sector. 

Meanwhile, the Institute for Sustainable Futures and the Australian Energy Market Operator have released a report on Australian electricity workforce requirements out to 2050, based on the 2024 Integrated System Plan.

Grant opportunity - critical minerals exploration. The Queensland government is inviting applications by 11 December for critical minerals exploration grants of up to $250,000.

Renewable Energy Partners Pty Ltd has made an EPBC referral for the 900MW Proserpine wind farm, which would be located between Bowen and Mackay. The wind farm would be built in two stages.

A review of NSW's energy savings and peak demand reduction schemes, newly tabled in Parliament, says energy saved by the energy savings scheme (ESS) in 2022 equated to 4,016GWh of electricity and 217GWh of gas. 

"These energy savings reduced bills for households and businesses by an estimated $513 million, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 3.22 million tonnes," the IPART review says.

"Activities that have taken place before 2023 will deliver an estimated 18,928GWh of electricity savings and 928GWh of gas savings over the 10 years after 2022," the review adds. 

The peak demand reduction scheme created an estimated 4.77MW of peak reduction capacity for the summer of 2022–23, which is estimated to be available over the seven following summers. 

In conjunction with the Renewable Fuel Scheme, the three schemes are known as the Energy Security Safeguard schemes.

The NSW government has placed on exhibition an application by Snowy Hydro Ltd to initially use diesel instead of gas to fuel a new 750MW power station near Kurri Kurri. 

The power station will be commissioned late this year, but delays in construction mean the gas pipeline won't be ready until late next year.

The Victorian government has appointed a committee to advise on the Environment Effects Statement and public submissions on the Victorian aspects of the Marinus Link project.

The committee is part way through a 13-day hearing that will conclude in mid-October.

The Tasmanian government has announced that two projects will pilot its new, streamlined Renewable Energy Approvals Pathway (REAP). 

The two projects are the Equis 224MW Bell Bay wind farm and the Cellars Hill wind farm.

Countrywide Hydrogen will become the first recipient of support under the Tasmanian government's $8 million Green Hydrogen Price Reduction Scheme, following the execution of a funding agreement.

Countrywide Hydrogen, which is a subsidiary of ReNu Energy Ltd, will receive funding on a per kilogram basis of green hydrogen sold to end-users to cover the gap between the cost to produce the green hydrogen and what end-users are able to pay. 

The company has three renewable hydrogen projects under development in Tasmania, and two in Victoria. 

The Tasmanian government has released its inaugural annual Climate change activity statement.

Statutory development - emissions and renewables targets. The South Australian Opposition has signalled it will move amendments to a government Bill that would establish new emissions reduction and renewable energy targets.

The Opposition says it will seek the addition of a "residential power price guarantee target", which would legislate a target of reducing power prices for the average household by the end of 2027.

It also proposes the introduction of a similar small business power price guarantee target, and a grid reliability guarantee. 

The government described the proposed amendments as "meaningless and obstructive politicking".

Rio Tinto has lodged a works approval application for its $215 million BioIron pilot plant near the Kwinana industrial strip, which would produce up to one tonne of pig iron per hour.

BioIron uses raw biomass and microwave energy instead of coal to convert Pilbara iron ore to metallic iron. 

When combined with the use of renewable energy and carbon-circulation through the use of fast-growing biomass, BioIron has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by up to 95%, compared with current blast furnace technology.

The pilot plant would operate for up to five years.

Issue 62, 23 September 2024

The Senate has established a Select Committee on Energy Planning and Regulation, to inquire into the regulation and operation of the Australian energy market.

The inquiry will examine the National Electricity Law, the National Gas Law, and the National Energy Retail Law, as well as the key institutions that administer and operate energy markets. 

Committee members include senators Karen Grogan (Labor), Matt Canavan (Nationals), Jonathon Duniam (Liberals), David Pocock (independent), and Larissa Waters (Greens). 

The committee is due to report on 20 December 2024.

Consultation opportunity - support for transformational investments. Treasury is inviting feedback by 4 October on a new "front door" for major, transformational investments, that could entail coordinated engagement with relevant agencies, and facilitating public financing.

Organisations appearing before last Friday's hearing of a Senate select committee inquiry into the impact of climate risk on insurance premiums included ASIC, APRA and the ACCC, as well as the Insurance Australia Group. Transcript is not yet available.

The committee has scheduled further hearings for 30 September and 1 October. 

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation is providing finance totalling $120 million to facilitate the development of the Victorian component of the VNI West transmission link.

The project will help unlock some 3.4GW of additional renewable generation in Victoria and facilitate an estimated additional 1.9GW of transfer capacity between Victoria and NSW. It will also enhance the energy reliability of Victoria by enabling access to Snowy 2.0.

Meanwhile, the CEFC is also providing a $70 million loan to Flinders Port Holdings, marking its first direct finance in the maritime sector.

The CEFC capital will finance electrification initiatives across FPH’s seven South Australian ports.

ARENA has provided a $2.2 million grant to an alliance of three western Melbourne councils to support an $8.9 million project that aims to facilitate the electrification of their vehicle fleets, including waste and parks maintenance vehicles.

The Queensland government will provide an unspecified grant through its Low Emissions Investment Partnerships (LEIP) program to support a project that will capture methane from Kestrel Coal Resources' Kestrel underground metallurgical coal mine, which will be used to generate electricity.

The grant will help fund the construction of a 30MW power station, that will generate electricity from the methane. Kestrel, which is covered by the federal Safeguard Mechanism, earlier this year started mining in a part of its site which has significantly higher methane levels. 

The state government several weeks ago announced funding for a similar project at the South Walker Creek coal mine.

The Queensland government and the University of Queensland's Sustainable Minerals Institute have formed a Critical Minerals and Circular Economy Research Alliancethat will oversee an $8 million research program to help develop a critical minerals industry that encompasses a circular economy approach.

The federal and Queensland governments are funding the establishment of a TAFE Clean Energy (Batteries) Centre of Excellence that will operate state-wide under the auspices of TAFE Queensland SkillsTech. 

The NSW government has released a Consumer energy strategy that aims to maximise the benefits of the energy transition for households and small business. 

The strategy includes $290 million in new funding to be spent over four years.

Electric vehicle fires are relatively rare, and less common than internal combustion engine vehicle fires, according to a new report from the NSW Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on fire risks in EVs and personal mobility devices. 

"However, when EV battery-related fires do occur, they are severe and more difficult to extinguish," it says. 

"Batteries used in personal mobility devices present higher fire risks than batteries used in other electric vehicles," it adds.

The report recommends that the state government advocate for federal action to strengthen quality control measures for personal mobility devices.

The Victorian government has announced that Sharan Burrow and Cameron Garnsworthy will join the SEC's board of directors.

Burrow is a former general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation and a former president of the ACTU. Garnsworthy is the managing direct of SunCable Australia, and has previously served on the board of the Clean Energy Council.

The Western Australian government has updated its domestic gas policy, and will require new onshore gas projects to reserve 80% of their gas production for use in the state, up until 2030.

After that time, these projects will need to reserve 100% of production for domestic use.

The existing 15% reservation requirement for offshore LNG projects remains unchanged. A 15% reservation will also remain in place for the 'first-mover' in the Canning Basin, to encourage development in the state's north.  

The WA government has released a new Guide to future climate projections for water management in Western Australia. The guide is targeted at water planners, scientists and decision-makers.

Issue 61, 16 September 2024

Statutory development - Guarantee of Origin. The federal government has introduced a Bill to establish a Guarantee of Origin scheme that would track and verify the emissions of low-emissions products, such as hydrogen. 

The scheme will issue two types of digital certificates: Product GO certificates and Renewable Electricity Guarantee of Origin (REGO) certificates.

Statutory development - mandatory climate risk disclosure. The House of Representatives has agreed to Senate amendments to the Bill that introduces a mandatory regime of climate risk disclosure, which means the Bill has now passed both Houses of Parliament. 

Meanwhile, the Australian Accounting Standards Board will formally vote on related Sustainability Reporting Standards in the very near future. 

Statutory development - Net Zero Economy Authority. The House of Representatives has agreed to Senate amendments to the establishing legislationfor the Authority, which means the Bill has now passed both Houses of Parliament.

EPBC referrals made last week include:

• preliminary surveys for Iberdrola's proposed 3GW Aurora Green offshore wind farm, which would be located about 25 kilometres offshore from Gippsland in Victoria.
• marine surveys for Parkwind's proposed 1GW Blue Mackerel North wind farm, offshore from Gippsland.
• the proposed 330MW Meadow Creek solar farm near Wangaratta in Victoria.
• ZEN Energy's proposed 230MW Solar River project in South Australia. 

The federal government also allowed ACEN's 600MW Birriwa solar and battery project to proceed in NSW's Central-West Orana REZ, concluding that it did not require EPBC approval.

Consultation opportunity - Battery Breakthrough Initiative. ARENA has issued a consultation paper on the proposed $523.2 million Battery Breakthrough Initiative. The program will be capable of awarding grants or production incentive payments. Comments are due by 7 October.

An alliance of more than 50 organisations, called Renew Australia for All, has launched an energy bills savings plan at Parliament House in Canberra. 

The plan calls for a $5 billion investment to deliver immediate subsidies that reduce or eliminate the upfront cost of home energy upgrades. It also calls for at least $50 billion over 10 years to repower Australian homes and communities.

Alliance members include the Clean Energy Council, a range of environment groups and businesses, ACOSS, and the ACTU. 

The federal government has released a new National hydrogen strategy, that incorporates its proposed $2 per kilogram green hydrogen production tax incentive program and the expanded hydrogen headstart program.

The strategy has a 2050 "stretch target" of producing at least 15 million tonnes by 2050, and up to 30 million tonnes, supported by five-yearly milestones.

To achieve the base production target, around 3GW of electrolyser capacity could be needed by 2030, with this subsequently growing to 150GW by 2050. 

Approximately 1,200TWh of electricity could be required across the
economy for hydrogen production by 2050.

The strategy quotes a submission by the Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia which states that prioritising the decarbonisation of ammonia is "a promising strategy", and should be part of a broader approach that also promotes hydrogen use in transport, energy, and steel production.

Meanwhile, Australia and Germany have signed what Minister Bowen has termed a declaration of intent to deepen cooperation on new green hydrogen supply chains through a co-funded $660 million (€400 million) H2Global funding window, which will form part of Germany's H2Global auction mechanism. 

The latest renewable projects quarterly report from the Clean Energy Council notes that the capacity of financially committed renewable electricity generation projects in 2024 (1.6 GW) has now surpassed the total for 2023 (1.3 GW).

Onshore wind increased, with another 577MW reaching financial commitment in the quarter, it says. This comes after no onshore wind projects reached financial commitment in 2023.

The report says a big acceleration in financial commitments will be required in the rest of this calendar year, in order to achieve an annual run rate of 6–7 GW per annum of financial commitments for large-scale generation, which is the rate required in order to be on track for 82% renewables by the end of 2030.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will this coming Saturday attend a meeting of Quad leaders in the US, hosted by President Joe Biden.

Climate change and clean energy will be among the issues discussed by leaders, along with security, health, and cybersecurity. 

ARENA is providing global fleet electrification specialist Zenobē with $8.5 million from its Driving the Nation Fund to develop a $19 million BEV truck charging hub in Sydney.

Zenobē, will own and operate the 22-charging station hub, which will service 60 electric trucks that will be leased by Woolworths.

It's the second ARENA lease for Zenobē, which received $5 million in 2021 to help develop a $37.2 million electric bus depot in the Sydney suburb of Leichhardt.

The CEFC is lending US$7 million to Australian startup Siltrax to help it develop an innovative technology that makes lighter, more efficient fuel cells for use in power generation and heavy vehicles. 

The Siltrax technology has been developed by renowned solar entrepreneur Dr Zhengrong Shi and semiconductor expert Dr Jim Zhu.

Organisations including the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and Next Advisory appeared before a hearing last Friday conducted by a Senate inquiry into the transition to electric vehicles.

Interest in the first tender for South West Renewable Energy Zone (NSW) access rights has attracted around four times the indicative tender target, according to AEMO Services.

At the close of bids, AEMO Services had received bids for access rights to the South West REZ from projects representing more than 15GW of generation and storage infrastructure, against an indicative capacity of 3.98 GW.

The Independent Planning Commission last week approved two renewable energy projects - the $166 million, 100MW Wallaroo solar farm near Yass, and Engie's proposed $826.4 million, 372MW Hills of Gold wind farm near Tamworth. 

Meanwhile, the state government has placed on exhibition Terrain Solar's proposed 60MW Maison Dieu solar farm near Singleton. 

Statutory development - firm capacity. The NSW government has gazetted the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Amendment (Firm Capacity) Regulation 2024.

The regulation deals with the calculation of firm capacity for the purposes of the state's energy security target. 

Grant opportunity - Indigenous carbon farming. The state government is investing $2.5 million to support Aboriginal organisations in establishing and managing carbon projects on their land.

The Carbon on Country initiative will support Indigenous communities in restoring Country and participating in the carbon market.

Eligible projects can register to earn carbon credits and apply for up to $250,000 in funding to cover up to 90% of their implementation costs. Expressions of interest must be submitted by 24 October.

The federal and ACT governments have signed a Renewable Energy Transformation Agreement (RETA) that commits them to work together in support of the national energy transformation. 

The agreement will:

• bolster work underway to electrify homes and businesses across the ACT. 
• support Australia’s 82% renewable electricity by 2030 target.
• improve community engagement.
• drive better social and economic outcomes.

The ACT government has released a report on the impacts of the introduction of a Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard in April 2023 that will require the installation of ceiling insulation in rental properties. 

The report found that the Standard has not triggered rent increases, nor has it reduced the availability of rental properties.

Statutory development - gas restrictions. The Victorian government has introduced the Building Legislation Amendment and Other Matters Bill 2024. 

The Bill will establish regulation-making powers to implement key components of Victoria's Gas substitution roadmap, including bans on new connections to fossil gas.

"These regulation making powers will enable draft regulations and a regulatory impact statement to be released later this year ... on options for the electrification of Victorian buildings, including understanding how we can support Victorians to transition to electric appliances as older gas appliances reach their end of life," Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny said when introducing the Bill. 

However, the draft regulations implementing new gas restrictions won't apply to agriculture, industrial buildings, and the use of liquefied petroleum gas, Minister Kilkenny said.

Gas cooktops in existing homes, as well as gas appliances in existing commercial buildings will also be excluded from any regulatory restrictions, the Minister said. 

The Bill does not enable regulations to be made that can prohibit the maintenance or repair of a reticulated gas appliance, the Minister added.

Statutory development - gas storage. The Victorian government has introduced the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment Bill 2024, which would permit holders of a petroleum production licence to temporarily store fossil gas in offshore natural reservoirs for later recovery and use. 

The Victorian government has released a supplementary EES for the proposed Viva Energy gas terminal project, with comments due by 24 October. 

Meanwhile, the government has also invited comments on a licence application by Lochard Energy (Iona Operations) Pty Ltd to construct and operate a 5.3 kilometre pipeline near Timboon and Port Cambell in western Victoria to transport fossil gas or hydrogen, or a blend of the two. Comments are due by 16 October. 

The Victorian government has granted a planning permit for the $651 million, 450MW Hazelwood North solar farm.

The Victorian government has launched a Request for Information process on a Wind Worker Training Centre and Renewable Hydrogen Worker Training Centre.

The Victorian government is inviting survey responses in the first stage of the review of the Victorian Energy Upgrades scheme. Comments are due by 22 September. Further consultation will be undertaken in the first half of 2025.

NT First Minister Lia Finocchiaro has appointed Deputy Chief Minister Gerard Maleyas Minister for Renewables, Mining and Energy, and Agriculture.

Minister Josh Burgoyne will hold the Lands, Planning and Environment portfolio, and will also be Minister for Water Resources.

Issue 60, 9 September 2024

The Climate Change Authority has released its review of potential technology transition and emissions pathways for six sectors – agriculture and land, built environment, electricity and energy, industry and waste, and transport and resources.

The report is backed by CSIRO modelling which focused on two main scenarios. One scenario is consistent with Australia's current emissions targets - a 43% reduction on the 2005 level by 2030 and net zero by 2050 - in a world tracking to temperature rise of less than 2°C. 

The other is consistent with greater ambition and limiting global warming to 1.5°C with no or limited overshoot, with Australia reaching net zero by 2040. 

In conjunction with releasing the review report, the Authority has releasedsubmissions to the review discussion paper. 

Six new projects have been successful under the Victorian-South Australian Capacity Investment Scheme tender round, and are expected to start operating by mid-2027.

The successful projects are:

• EnergyAustralia's 350MW/1400MWh Wooreen battery system in the Latrobe Valley.
• Progress Power's 115MW/230MWh Springvale Energy Hub battery system to be developed on the site of a former landfill in south-eastern Melbourne.
• Pacific Green Energy's 250MW battery system near Mount Gambier.
• Zen Energy's Solar River 170MW/653MWh battery, located north of Adelaide between Burra and Morgan.
• Pacific Blue's 60MW/143MWh Clements Gap battery, at the Clements Gap wind farm in South Australia's mid-north. 
• Energy Australia's 50MW/200MWh Hallett battery in Canownie, 210 km north of Adelaide.

A Senate committee inquiry into the Future Made in Australia Bill has issued its report, with crossbench senators making numerous recommendations. 

Both the Greens senators (nine recommendations) and Senator Pocock (also nine) recommend that it be made clear that the National Interest Framework won't be used to support fossil fuel industries. 

They also urge more support for the electrification of Australian households. 

Independent, former Liberal Senator David Van made seven recommendations. 

Coalition senators participating in the inquiry described the Bill as "highly flawed, incoherent and ineffective".

A Senate committee inquiry into the transition to electric vehicles has scheduled hearings for 13 September, 11 October and 17 October. 

The federal government has launched a new digital Australian Critical Minerals Prospectus, showcasing more than 55 investment-ready projects to potential investors and buyers from around the world.

The Climate Council has released a new report rating the clean energy performance of each jurisdiction.

The consortium behind the Central Queensland Hydrogen (CQ-H2) project, to be located near Gladstone, have lodged an EPBC referral for a 23-kilometre hydrogen transport pipeline. 

Referrals have already been made for other parts of the project - the hydrogen production and liquefaction facilities, an industrial water pipeline, and a jetty. 

Queensland’s $45 million Zero Emission Vehicle rebate scheme, which started in mid-2022, concluded last Monday.

The scheme initially offered means-tested rebates of $3,000, which were subsequently increased to $6,000. More than 10,000 Queensland individuals and businesses received rebates.

The ACT government has issued a Low carbon concrete policy, which commits it to using low carbon concrete in all future government construction projects, where appropriate.   

The policy will be implemented in a phased approach, with phase one commencing on 1 January next year. From this date, designers, engineers, and builders will be required to provide options for using low carbon concrete in government projects, including detailed specifications where applicable.

The Victorian government has awarded Victoria’s first zero emission bus contracts, intended to fast track the replacement of diesel buses with 600 new electric buses by 2035. 

The new contracts to provide electric bus services have been awarded to Dysons, CDC and Kinetic. 

The Victorian government is inviting survey responses in the first stage of the review of the Victorian Energy Upgrades scheme. Comments are due by 22 September. Further consultation will be undertaken in the first half of 2025.

The federal government has declared an area in the Indian Ocean off Bunbury, between Cape Naturaliste and Dawesville, as a renewable energy zone.

The South West Interconnected System is predicted to need 50GW more electricity by 2042, and the declared area could generate up to 11.4GW of wind energy.

The declared area covers about 4,000 square kilometres, which is about half the size of the originally proposed area, and is further offshore, being 30 kilometres offshore at its closest point.

Issue 59, 2 September 2024

At the instigation of the Senate, a Joint Select Committee will conduct a new inquiry into energy, food and water security in Northern Australia. The committee will present an interim report by 28 November, and a final report next May.  

A Senate committee inquiry into the Future Made in Australia Bill conducted hearings last Wednesday and Thursday, and is due to report this coming Friday. 

The ACCC has released a final determination authorising collaboration between renewable energy businesses to resolve overlapping geographic areas in their applications for feasibility licences under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021 and the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Regulations 2022.

The application for authorisation was lodged by DCCEEW in March. The ACCC granted interim authorisation on 20 March 2024 for the Gippsland and Hunter declared offshore electricity generation regions.

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has gazetted the NGER Legislation Amendment (Best Practice Emissions Intensities Update) Instrument 2024.

The instrument includes another tranche of international "best practice emissions intensities" that will be used to set Safeguard baselines for new facilities and facilities producing new products.

Minister Bowen last Thursday hosted China's Minister for Ecology and Environment, Huang Runqiu, for the 8^th Australia-China Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Change. Minister Huang Runqiu also met with Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek.

The federal government has released its response to the recommendations in the Climate Change Authority's 2023 review of the NGER scheme, and has accepted nearly all of them. 

The government has agreed in principle to undertake a study of using the NGER scheme to estimate scope 3 emissions at the entity level, and will explore options to make public emissions data from facilities with annual emissions greater than 5,000 tonnes. 

Currently, public NGER data does not provide any insights into scope 3 emissions or into facility-level emissions. 

The government has also agreed in-principle that NGER coverage be extended to publicly-owned landfills.

However, it has only noted a recommendation by the Authority that agricultural emissions be brought into the scheme. 

As part of its response to the NGER review report, the government has also appointed Chief Scientist Cathy Foley to lead an expert panel to ensure the reporting for coal mine methane is accurate and transparent.

The federal government has also released its response to the Climate Change Authority's 2023 and 2020 reviews of the Carbon Farming Initiative Act, and has agreed or agreed in principle to all the Authority's recommendations. These include recommendations that:

• if an ACCU method is updated, then projects relying on the old version of the method should generally be required to align with the new version within two years. 
• non-carbon attributes of ACCUs should be visible on the ACCU register. 
• ACCU methods be developed for engineered emissions removals.

Grant opportunity - Solar SunShot. ARENA is inviting applications for funding under the first round of the Solar SunShot program, with grants available under two streams.

A total of $500 million will be available under round 1A, which is focused on solar PV manufacturing innovation. 

Another $50 million is available under round 1B, which will support feasibility studies and FEED. 

Consultation opportunity - network connection. Federal, state and territory governments are seeking views on streamlining network connection processes for EV charging equipment, solar systems on the rooftops of commercial and industrial facilities, and neighbourhood-scale batteries. Comments are due by 22 September. 

The Australian Energy Market Operator has released its latest Electricity statement of opportunities, which concludes that the NEM reliability outlook has improved, helped by the progress of 5.7GW of grid-scale generation and storage, and 365km of new transmission developments.

However, modelling indicates reliability gaps at times over the next 10 years if these projects are delayed. 

The Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority has released its FY25 corporate plan, which says lifting expectations to consider the financial impacts of climate risk will be one of its top priorities. Over the coming year, APRA's activities will include:

• increasing expectations for regulated entities to consider climate related risk in their lending, underwriting, and investing. 
• increasing industry and supervisory awareness of the impact of nature risk on the resilience of entities, the financial system, and the community. 

APRA will undertake a Climate Vulnerability Assessment of Australia's five largest household insurers, which between them cover about 80% of the household insurance market. Through the assessment, APRA will seek to understand the impact of climate change on household insurance affordability out to 2050.

The Australian Accounting Standards Board has released a new action alert, which describes key decisions on its climate-related financial disclosure project. 

DCCEEW has released the 2024 Australian energy update, which shows energy productivity improved 1% in FY23. In calendar year 2023, renewable generation in Australia grew to a record 35% of total generation. 

The federal government has updated the climate change considerations chapter of the Australian Rainfall and Runoff: A Guide to Flood Estimation (ARR), which is used to assess flood risk for the built environment.

The federal government has released the Quarterly Update of Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory: March 2024.

The update shows emissions totalled 440.2 million tonnes in the year to March 2024, down 0.6% (2.7 Mt CO₂-e) compared with the previous year.

A project to reduce methane emissions at Stanmore Resources Ltd's South Walker Creek coal mine has become the first project to be supported through the Queensland's government's $520 million Low Emissions Investment Partnerships program.

The government will provide an undisclosed amount towards a new 20MW power station, fuelled by methane drained from the open-cut metallurgical coal mine. 

If successful, the project could pave the way for faster emissions reductions across the broader coal sector. The power station will be completed by 2027, and will meet the mine's entire electricity requirements.

The Queensland government has announced six collection sites for a pilot solar panel recycling program being run in partnership with the Smart Energy Council.

Further collection sites will be announced in coming weeks, and the project will inform decision-making on a national scheme. The state government has provided almost $5.5 million to support the pilot program.

The NSW government has placed on exhibition a proposal by Ratch-Australia for its proposed 100 MW/200 MWh Beryl battery energy storage facility near Gulgong, in the Central-West Orana REZ.

Victoria's Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny has approved the first renewable energy project fully processed under a new fast-tracked approvals pathway for eligible energy projects.

ACEnergy has received a planning permit for its proposed $250 million 250MW Joel Joel battery energy storage system in the Northern Grampians, just nine weeks after submitting its approval application via the fast-track Development Facilitation Program.

Meanwhile, two other battery projects last week lodged planning permit applications under the DFP.

Grant opportunity - neighbourhood batteries. The Victorian government is inviting applications by 29 October for round two grants under its $42 million 100 Neighbourhood Batteries Programs.

Statutory development - climate change. South Australia's Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Susan Close, has introduced the Climate Change and Greenhouse Emissions Reduction (Miscellaneous) Bill, which will overhaul the state's existing climate legislation.

The bill introduces a net zero by 2050 target, and a short-term target of at least 60% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (from 2005 levels). It will also legislate a state target of 100% net renewable electricity generation by 2027. 

The bill also introduces a requirement to prepare a publicly available statewide emissions reduction plan and a statewide climate change risk assessment.

Grant opportunity - energy upgrades. Small businesses in South Australia can now apply for grants of between $2,500 and $50,000 to help reduce their energy bills, under round two of the $154 million Economic Recovery Fund. A total of $20 million will be distributed.

In a recent speech to the WA Chamber of Commerce and Industry, federal Resources Minister Madeleine King said she has long been "a very strong supporter of CCS and trust in the science". 

"We need to mobilise every tool at our disposal to get to net zero," the Minister said. In that context, we need CCS. I might also add that we need to show the public that CCS can work effectively. Industry simply must get runs on the board in that respect." 

The Chamber has recently released a report titled Capturing our future: Why carbon capture is critical to Australia's energy transition. 

"Western Australia's unique geology, geographical location, concentration of industry in key industrial hubs, and our skilled workforces all work in WA's favour to facilitate carbon dioxide imports from Asia, as well as decarbonising local industries," the report says. 

"Significant public investment in carbon capture initiatives relates back to the launch of CO2CRC in 2003, with successive federal governments announcing funding initiatives and policy positions," the report notes. 

"However, the topic became heavily politicised prior to the 2013 federal election when the Abbott Liberal Government heavily opposed any initiatives to address climate change, including carbon capture introduced under the Rudd Labor Government from 2007."

Issue 58, 26 August 2024

Statutory development - Net Zero Economy Authority. The Senate has passed with amendments the Net Zero Economy Authority Bill, which aims to "to promote orderly and positive economic transformation", according to the explanatory memorandum. 

The Coalition unsuccessfully moved an amendment describing the Bill as "a long-held union wish list item that masks itself as being an authority for the regions and for the net zero transition, but is really another Canberra bureaucracy".

As coal-fired power stations close, "zero-emissions nuclear technology will provide well-paid employment opportunities and economic security for generations in rural, regional, and remote communities", the Coalition amendment said.

Statutory development - mandatory climate disclosure. The Senate has also passed with amendments the Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Market Infrastructure and Other Measures) Bill, which phases in a mandatory climate-related financial disclosure regime.

The federal government has established a new green metals advisory panel, with Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic saying green metals could deliver up to $122 billion a year to Australia's economy by 2040. Panel members include:

• Mark Cain, chief executive of the Australian Steel Institute.
• Paul Farrow, national secretary of the Australian Workers Union. 
• Paul Howes, national managing partner, KPMG. 
• Marghanita Johnson, chief executive of the Australian Aluminium Council.
• Steve Murphy, national secretary of the AMWU.
• Jenny Selway, CEO of the Heavy Industry Low-Carbon Transition Cooperative Research Centre.
• Rebecca Tomkinson, CEO of the WA Chamber of Minerals and Energy.

Government and Coalition senators involved in a Senate committee inquiry into the proposed Middle Arm development precinct in Darwin have all expressed support for the project.

In the newly-released committee report, government senators described Middle Arm as "an important way of diversifying industry in the NT and setting up our economy for a sustainable future".

Coalition senators described it as "essential to protect and promote the Northern Territory economy".

However, Greens senators said the government's decision to commit $1.5 billion to the precinct constituted pork barrelling, and no money should go to fossil fuel projects within it. 

Independent Senator David Pocock said Middle Arm would have fossil gas "at its core", and described carbon capture and storage as "a figleaf for the expansion of the fossil fuel industry".

Senator Lidia Thorpe said "the life threatening and ecocidal" precinct must not proceed.

The head of DCCEEW's new Office of the Capacity Investment Scheme, Matt Brine, has described "evolving areas of the CIS design that we are working on for upcoming tenders", in a speech to the recent Clean Energy Investor conference.

The areas discussed by Brine include demand response and virtual power plants, which until now have been excluded. 

"We are keen to address industry calls to include, for example, virtual power plants and aggregations of facilities that on their own would not meet the minimum 30 MW threshold for CIS participation," he said.

DCCEEW is accepting applications until 8 September for its new Youth Advisory Council on International Climate Change. 

The council will advise Minister Chris Bowen on issues to support Australia's commitment to reach net-zero by 2050 and to advance the energy transition.

It will consist of 10 young people aged 18 to 30, and will operate until December 2025.

When Australia's new 2035 emissions reduction target is set in February, it is likely to immediately impact the ACCU market, according to energy and climate analyst Reputex.

The decision will re-shape ACCU prices just prior to the first (31 March) compliance deadline for the reformed Safeguard Mechanism, Reputex points out.

Reputex concludes that Safeguard baseline decline rates (currently set at an average of 4.9% annually) will need to be strengthened in FY27 if Australia adopts a 2035 target that requires greater than a 67% reduction on 2005 levels.

The Climate Change Authority has suggested in its initial advice that a 2035 target of between 65% and 75% might be appropriate.

Parliament's joint committee on treaties has recommended that the Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union treaty be ratified.

The treaty will strengthen cooperation on responding to climate change, as well as cooperation on broader national security interests.

A Senate committee inquiry into the transition to electric vehicles has scheduled a September 5 hearing in Brisbane.

The Insurance Council of Australia has released its latest annual Catastrophe resilience report, showing that the impact of extreme weather on the Australian economy has more than tripled over the last three decades.

The NSW government has granted planning consent to Lightsource's $880 million 450MW Goulburn River solar farm and battery energy storage system.

The project, located between the Central-West Orana REZ and the Hunter-Central Coast REZ, will eliminate about 733,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas annually, and will have access to existing transmission infrastructure, according to the state government. 

The project is the ninth solar farm and twenty-fifth renewable energy project approved by the Minns state government.

New climate modelling contains the finest resolution modelling ever made available to state and local governments.

The projections indicate that NSW is expected to experience average warming of 1.2°C by 2050, and 1.3°C by 2090 in a low-emissions scenario, and warming of 2°C by 2050, and 4°C by 2090 in a high-emissions scenario.  

The NARCliM projections, which were developed in consultation with other state governments, are available at the 4km scale for south-east Australia, and a coarser (20km) scale for Australasia generally.

The Clean Energy Council says it doesn't support the state government's proposed design for a mandatory, industry-financed, VicGrid-administered Community Energy Fund that would make payments to councils in renewable energy zones. 

In a submission to the state government, the Clean Energy Council estimates that a hybrid 150MW battery energy storage system and 300MW solar farm in NSW would be liable to pay $10,000 annually to the relevant local government, plus an amount specified through a voluntary planning agreement.

"If the same project was in Victoria it could be liable for $750,000," the submission says. 

"In 2020, the Clean Energy Council surveyed members on rates paid across the country, the data showed that per MW, projects in Victoria were paying between $3000 and almost $3500 per MW, well above the 2nd highest of almost $1,000 per MW in Queensland," the submission adds. 

"Projects have finite resources and the Clean Energy Council has heard from members that mandatory contributions to a REZ Community Energy Fund would be reallocated from project-led benefit funds," it says.

"If VicGrid is determined to mandate proponent contributions towards REZ Community Energy Funds, CEC submits that VicGrid should explore opportunities [for] lowering electricity bills for families and residents living in REZs," it adds.

The Victorian government is conducting a Request for Information process for a Wind Worker Training Centre and a Renewable Hydrogen Worker Training Centre.

The government is also designing an SEC Centre of Training Excellence, which aims to attract and train the workforce needed to support Victoria's energy transition.

The South Australian government has placed on exhibition the EIS for a battery anode material facility proposed by Renascor Resources, which would produce spherical graphite for use in lithium-ion batteries. Comments are due by 27 September. 

Stage one construction is expected to start next year, resulting in the production of about 50,000 tonnes of spherical graphite. In stage two, production would expand to 100,000 tonnes. The federal government last month awarded a $5 million critical minerals grant to the project.

The Northern Territory's incoming CLP government says the gas industry will be able to "proceed with certainty" when it takes office, stating that the gas from the Beetaloo "can be used to transition to renewables and create a new clean energy source".

In a plan released in the lead-up to Saturday's election, the CLP says it also aims to halve the time it takes to get development approvals in the Territory. 

The CLP will also double the Territory's solar feed in tariff in peak times "lowering your energy bills and creating a greener future for our kids", the plan says.

"We'll also double the battery bonus up to $12,000 so you can store the energy your solar panels produce," it says.

Issue 57, 19 August 2024

Australian Energy Regulator Chair, Clare Savage, has urged network service providers to submit innovative proposals to help reduce the capex costs of the energy transition, which can be tested through a "regulatory sandbox" approach.

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has gazetted the Industry Research and Development (First Nations Renewable Hydrogen Engagement Fund Program) Instrument 2024. 

An explanatory statement says the growth of Australia's hydrogen industry is expected to take place largely on land traditionally owned by First Nations people. The $4 million Fund will support First Nations communities and organisations to: 

• represent their interests and concerns in ongoing project consultations and negotiations based on free, prior, and informed consent to development; and
• capture ongoing social and economic value from renewable hydrogen projects; and
• respond to the growing number of renewable hydrogen projects that are in development.

From 26 August, Westpac can access a discount variable home loan to make energy efficiency improvements or improve climate resilience. 

The discount loans are being provided with $160 million in financial support from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, which is being delivered through the CEFC's $1 billion Household Energy Upgrades Fund.

The Queensland government will provide a renewable energy-based support package to Rio Tinto to secure the long-term future of its Boyne Island aluminium smelter near Gladstone.

The support package, which will be accessible to Rio Tinto from 2029, requires the company to operate the smelter at full capacity until 2040. 

Rio Tinto has also committed to invest in energy demand response capabilities, so that it can reduce its electricity demand at times of tight supply.

The partnership "will use firmed renewables to safeguard jobs at Boyne Smelter for the future", said Premier Steven Miles. 

Rio Tinto chief executive for Australia, Kellie Parker, said the agreement "paves the way for a competitive, green-energy powered Boyne Smelter, supporting employment and lowering Australia’s carbon footprint". 

“While this is a critical part of the puzzle, we have more to do," Parker said. "We will continue to engage with the federal government on supportive industry policy to help sustain Australia’s green aluminium sector for the future."

The Queensland Labor government says it will build a new $15 million skills and training facility in Townsville to help develop the region's green hydrogen industry workforce, if it wins this year's state election, with another proposed for Rockhampton.

Statutory development - renewable energy. Government minister Jihad Dib has signalled that Labor is open to supporting a renewable energy Bill proposed by independent MP for Barwon, Roy Butler, subject to an agreement on amendments. 

The Electricity Infrastructure Investment Amendment (Renewable Energy Sector Plan) Bill 2024 proposed by Butler would amend provisions for planning by the Renewable Energy Sector Board, which comprises representatives of unions, consumers, and energy specialists.

The amendments aim to increase the scope for public involvement in the Board's preparation of a renewable energy sector plan, to better ensure local businesses and communities benefit from Renewable Energy Zones. 

Butler's far-west electorate covers about 40% of the state.

The Queensland government has placed on exhibition Goldwind's proposed $2.8 billion 1,400MW Baldon wind farm project, which would be located in the Southwest Renewable Energy Zone. 

The project would be accompanied by a 200MW/400MWh energy storage system. It would be built in two stages, with stage one comprising 45 turbines and stage two comprising 135. 

A community survey identified 72% support for the project and its potential community benefits.

Clean energy technology scientist Dr Bjorn Sturmberg, whose research focuses on integrating EVs and batteries into the grid, has been awarded the 2024 ACT Emerging Scientist of the Year Award.

The ACT government has issued an updated Transport infrastructure plan.

Issue 56, 12 August 2024

In a move that could pave the way for regional CCS hubs, the federal government has issued greenhouse gas assessment permits to deepC Store (Australia) Pty Ltd and Azuli (Australia) Pty Ltd, as well as to InCapture Pty Ltd, SK Earthon Australia Pty Ltd, and Carbon CQ Pty Ltd. 

The two consortiums are both interested in establishing hubs that provide carbon storage for the region, as well as for domestic emitters. 

Azuli is a UK-based CCS specialist, and deepC Store is based in Perth. Their permits are for greenhouse gas acreages in the Bonaparte and Browse basins off the WA coast. 

Azuli and deepC Store have entered into a study agreement with Japan's J-Power, to develop a full value chain project shipping liquified CO2 from locations in Japan and Australia to floating storage and injection facilities in Australian waters. 

SK Earthon is a South Korean oil and gas company, which is developing its CCS business, while Carbon CQ is an Australian-based CCS consultancy, and InCaptureis a Perth-based carbon storage project developer.

InCapture has a 75% stake in the North West Shelf potential CCS project, with SK Earthon having 20%, and Carbon CQ 5%.

The federal government has also issued two greenhouse gas assessment permit to Beach Energy.

The federal government has given EPBC approval for NSW's Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) transmission project, which will connect renewable energy generation and storage projects within the REZ to the national electricity network.

The project has previously received $490 million in finance from the Rewiring the Nation Fund.

Meanwhile, the federal government has invited comment on an EPBC referral for the NSW component of the Victoria-NSW Interconnector West project, known as VNI West. 

It has also invited public comment on APA Group's referral of the East Pilbara network stage 1 project, which will establish a new transmission line connecting APA's Port Hedland gas-fired power station and its 45MW Port Hedland solar farm and 35MW/36.7MWh battery project, to De Grey's proposed Hemi gold project. 

APA says in the referral that future stages of the East Pilbara network would enable the transmission of electricity from APA's inland renewable hub projects. 

The federal government has also invited comment on ACEN Australia's proposed 600MW Birriwa solar farm in NSW, which would also have a 600MW/1,200MWh battery energy storage system.

The federal government has established an expert advisory group to provide advice on reducing the impacts of climate change on the nation's health.
 
The Climate and Health Expert Advisory Group, which will be chaired by assistant health minister Ged Kearney, will also support implementation of Australia's first National Health and Climate Strategy, which was launched at COP28.

DCCEEW has released a training package is now available under the Carbon Farming Outreach Program to help farmers and land managers reduce greenhouse gas emissions and store carbon.

Meanwhile, four more feed additive projects have been awarded grants under the Methane Emissions Reduction in Livestock (MERiL) research and development program.

The Queensland government has approved the development of the 436.5MW Tarong West Wind farm, which will be located about 30 kilometres south-west of Kingaroy, in the Southern Queensland REZ.

The 97-turbine wind farm is being developed by global renewable energy developer RES, in conjunction with Stanwell.

A new community information centre will be established in Gladstone to coordinate hydrogen industry events and build awareness of the opportunities associated with the growth of the clean energy sector.

The Gladstone region is currently home-base for around half of Queensland's 50-plus registered hydrogen projects.

The NSW Parliament has launched an inquiry into the impact of Renewable Energy Zones on rural and regional communities and industries.

The inquiry will examine matters including compensation, fire risk, alternatives to large-scale wind and solar, and community consultation.

The NSW EPA has released the results of a survey of all its licence holders, which was carried out to assess their carbon emissions, and where EPA assistance and regulatory intervention could be useful.

The survey found:

• about 40% of licensees do not have a dedicated person or group responsible for managing climate change issues.
• about 50% have quantified their greenhouse gas emissions.
• about 25% have an emissions reduction plan that applies to their facility.
• less than 40% have carried out a climate change risk assessment.
• less than 20% have identified measures to adapt to climate change.
• less than 10% have an adaptation plan.

Consultation - climate information. Victoria's Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action is seeking feedback on Victoria's Future Climate Tool, which was released in 2021 to provide climate information to help inform decision-making.

The tool, which was developed by the state government and CSIRO and provides local-scale climate projections data for Victoria out to the 2090s, will be updated based on the feedback. Comments are due by 6 September.

The Tasmanian government has welcomed news that Marinus Link Pty Ltd has signed a contract with Prysmian PowerLink to design, manufacture, and install stage 1 of the Marinus Link interconnector.

Tasmania's Climate Change Office has released the state's 2024 Greenhouse gas emissions report, which provides data for 2022.

Winners of this year's SA Climate Leaders awards include the City of Mitcham, which was awarded a $10,000 prize by the Premier's Climate Change Council for its Community Renewable Energy Program.

Electrolux received the large business and industry award for its new energy-efficient electric furnace, which is used to fire enamel onto the insides of ovens. 

The new furnace, which has replaced a gas-powered furnace, is the first of its type to be installed within the Electrolux Group and the project will be used as a template for Electrolux plants globally.

A proposed Maitland-Karratha-Burrup transmission line could be the first Western Australian project to attract concessional finance from the Commonwealth's Rewiring the Nation fund, according to WA Energy, Environment and Climate Action Minister Reece Whitby. 

The transmission line would link renewable energy generation in the Maitland Strategic Industrial Area with Karratha and major Pilbara projects.

Issue 55, 5 August 2024

Finance and climate change ministers from Australia and New Zealand have held a climate and finance dialogue. Ministers agreed to:

• review regulatory barriers to the net zero transformation, with an
  initial focus on batteries and electric vehicle charging. 
• convene sector-based roundtables on the maritime sector to identify the conditions required for trans-Tasman green shipping corridors.
• investigate ways to develop a regional sustainable aviation fuel industry
• invite NZ aviation companies and representatives to join the Jet Zero Council.
• promote trans-Tasman regulatory alignment on net zero product certification.
• invest in long-term emissions reduction opportunities for agriculture.

Submissions to a Senate committee inquiry into the Future Made in Australia bills are now available. Submitters include:

• Fortescue, which is "concerned that without the Australian government, WA government and industry uniting to develop a focused and funded green iron plan for the Pilbara, the nation runs the risk of losing its long established and high earning place in the global steel supply chain". 
• SunDrive Solar, which calls for stronger local content requirements.
• BHP, which calls for large-scale investment in supporting infrastructure, robust and streamlined permitting, "competitive taxation", and a renewed industry-government effort to alleviate skills shortages.

Consultation opportunity - house rating scheme expansion. DCCEEW is consulting on a proposed expansion of the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) to include energy assessments and ratings for existing homes.

NatHERS is currently only used to assess new homes, and the expanded version is expected to launch in mid-2025. Webinars will be held over the next few weeks, and comments are due by 30 August.

The expanded NatHERS scheme could underpin the introduction of point of sale or lease disclosure regimes. 

The first Expression of Interest round for new ACCU Scheme methods, which ran from 21 May 2024 to 12 July, resulted in 39 EOIs being submitted, according to DCCEEW. 

More information about the EOIs will be released once Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen decides which of them to prioritise for development. 

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation will loan Ampol $100 million to support EV charging, hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, solar PV, and the development of low carbon liquid fuels.

Ampol expects the finance will enable it to deliver more than 200 new public fast charging bays across its service station network by 2025. It will also use some of the finance to support its renewable fuels programs

Meanwhile, the CEFC is also investing an additional $20 million to expand the electric vehicle fleet of Splend, which leases vehicles to drivers with rideshare services such as Uber.

The CEFC move builds on a $20 million initial investment made last June, which boosted the number of EVs in Splend’s fleet by 500 cars, "showing the strong demand for EVs among rideshare drivers", Climate Minister Chris Bowen said.

ARENA has awarded grants totalling more than $3.2 million to two solar projects.  PV Lighthouse Pty Ltd has received $1.97 million to expand its SunSolve yield modelling software and Built Robotics Australia Pty Ltd received $1.3 million for its autonomous piling robots project.

Meanwhile, ARENA has also awarded $15 million to the Australian Energy Market Operator, to accelerate readiness for major power system changes and provide greater visibility to investors on emerging requirements and opportunities.

The federal government has granted a greenhouse gas storage assessment permit to Pilot Energy (CH CCUS) Pty Ltd. 

Pilot Energy is proposing the Cliff Head offshore CCS project, south of Geraldton. When operating, the project aims to annually store more than one million tonnes of CO2 – with first injection targeted for 2026. 

Infrastructure Australia has released a report on Embodied carbon projections for Australian infrastructure and buildings, which establishes a baseline for the upfront embodied carbon in Australia's built environment. 

The report forecasts that Australia's construction pipeline for buildings and infrastructure will produce between 37Mt and 64Mt of greenhouse in upfront embodied carbon each year for the five years to 2026-27, equating to a total of 247Mt of CO₂e over the period. 

The report says that close to a quarter of these emissions (23%) can be abated by employing practical decarbonisation strategies by 2026-2027. Infrastructure Australia recommends that the federal government:

• develop a comprehensive national plan to promote the decarbonisation of embodied carbon in the built environment.  
• build confidence and literacy to enable the uptake of low carbon products and solutions. 
• develop a nationally standardised embodied carbon measurement system.   
• implement a common national approach to drive market demand for low carbon solutions.  
• develop new methods for project delivery, which share risks and rewards for innovative approaches.   
• work with industry to drive national alignment on low-carbon expectations, through performance-based standards and specifications.

The Business Council of Australia has released four submissions on climate change matters - dealing with the transport and infrastructure net-zero plan, the coal orderly exit draft Bill, sustainability collaborations and competition law, and low-carbon liquid fuels.

Meanwhile, the Clean Energy Council has released submissions on unlocking Australia's green minerals processing and metals refining, the Future Made in Australia Bill, and Victoria's proposed minimum standards for rental accommodation.

he state government has announced the members of its new, advisory Clean Economy Expert Panel. 

The panel will be chaired by Professor Frank Jotzo, and other members include Professor Kerrie Wilson, Monica Richter, Kylie Porter, Dr Andrew Ash, and Professor Neville Plint.

The state government has released a methodology for calculating the proportion of electricity generated in Queensland that comes from renewables sources. 

Queensland's new Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Act requires that the government publish the methodology, as well as an annual statement on progress towards achieving the state's renewable energy targets.

New data shows more than 2,750 new jobs have been created across Queensland's six publicly owned energy businesses alone in less than two years, according to the state government.

Employment figures from Powerlink, Energy Queensland, Stanwell, CleanCo, CS Energy and Queensland Hydro show a 28% rise in full-time-equivalent staff between November 2022 and 30 June 2024, up from 9,792 to 12,562.

Consultation opportunity - renewable fuels. The state government has released a report on Opportunities for a renewable fuel industry in NSW, which asks about the merits of targets and mandates. Comments are due by 30 August.

The ACT government has awarded a $750,000 grant to New Frontier Technologiesto develop an innovative storage solution for hydrogen.

It has also provided $300,000 to RenewMap to support the further development of its web platform, which maps energy projects across Australia and New Zealand.

Statutory development - a safe climate. Victorian Greens MLC Sarah Mansfield has introduced the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Amendment (Right to a Safe Climate) Bill.

The 312MW Wimmera Plains wind farm and 100MW/400MWh battery energy storage system, to be built near Horsham, has received EPBC approval.

In the first round of its Solar for Apartments program, co-funded by the federal and state governments, Solar Victoria received 438 applications from owners' corporations for 12,000 kilowatts of solar capacity, which would service more than 5,000 apartments. Applications for round two will open later this month.

Statutory development and consultation opportunity - planning for decarbonisation. The South Australian Department of the Premier and Cabinet has released a draft State Development Coordination and Facilitation Bill, designed to ensure the regulatory and planning system is fit-for-purpose for the net-zero transition.

The Bill provides for "state development areas" (SDAs) that would be proactively assessed by regulators as environmentally and economically suitable for key developments.

SDAs could take the form of infrastructure corridors, green manufacturing hubs, port- industrial zones, or common-user infrastructure areas.

The Bill will also establish a one-stop-shop state government assessment and approvals pathway for major and complex projects. Comments are due by 31 August.

The NT Department of Chief Minister and Cabinet has released an updated NT Gas Plan to 2030, which focuses on economic, energy security, and environmental aspects. 

"The integration of natural gas, solar and CCS will be vital in achieving
domestic and regional emissions targets," the plan says.

The plan signals the development of CCS legislation for the Territory, to facilitate the development of a CCS industry servicing Australian and international customers.

Issue 54, 29 July 2024

A Cabinet reshuffle has resulted in several changes for portfolios that involve a strong focus on climate and sustainability matters. 

At the ministerial level, Murray Watt will move out of agriculture, and Julie Collins will take on responsibility for agriculture, with Murray Watt moving to employment and industrial relations.

Senator Jenny McAllister will be elevated from the role of assistant climate change minister, and will become Minister for Cities and Emergency Management - a portfolio in which climate change and sustainability will still be crucial issues. 

At the assistant minister level, Josh Wilson is the new assistant minister for climate change and energy.

Senator Tim Ayres is the new assistant minister for a Future Made in Australia, while continuing to serve as assistant minister on trade. Senator Anthony Chisholm now has assistant ministerial responsibilities for agriculture, fisheries and forestry, and will continue to serve as assistant minister on regional development. 

The ASX has launched three Environmental Futures contracts covering Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), Large-scale Generation Certificates (LGCs), and New Zealand carbon units (NZUs).

The contracts, which build on existing ASX futures contracts for electricity, gas and grains, are hedging instruments that help customers to price and manage the risk of the energy transition, up to five years ahead.

The ASX has released an information sheet and FAQs on the new contracts.

A new report from the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI) has found a growing number of ASX200 companies are integrating climate considerations into their financial statements and pricing carbon to test business resilience. 

In total, 131 ASX200 companies (66%) have made a net zero commitment, an 8% increase on 2023. A total of 82% of the market capitalisation of the ASX200, representing approximately $2.2 trillion, is invested in companies that have set net zero ambitions.

The report found 21% of the ASX200 disclosed that they use an internal carbon price when making investment and capital decisions – consistent with the previous year. However, the prices used vary significantly, as does the way in which they use them. 

Of those revealing the prices that they use, the lowest was $12.90 per tonne, and the second highest being NZD$250 (A$224.77) per tonne.

The report also found:

• 29% of the ASX200 disclosed how climate change is considered when evaluating their financial performance and position.
• 66% analysed and disclosed their exposure to physical risks arising from climate change – a significant rise on the previous year.
• 29% have set Scope 3 targets.
• 30% say their targets are science-based.
• There is a dearth of reporting on carbon credits use, holdings and quality, with disclosures varying significantly.

Round two of the Energy Efficiency Grants for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Program has awarded grants totalling $41.2 million to more than 1,700 small and medium businesses. 

CSIRO has released a report assessing Australia's mid-stream processing capacity for critical minerals. It has also released detailed, supplementary reports for lithium, cobalt, graphite, rare earths, silicon, and lithium-ion battery recycling.

The Australian Academy for Technological Sciences and Engineering has released a report on small modular reactors, which concluded it is unlikely that they could be part of Australia's energy mix until they reach market maturity, in the mid- to late-2040s.

A House of Representatives committee inquiry into electric vehicles held hearings last Thursday and Friday, with another hearing scheduled for 8 August.

AEMO has published its June connections scorecard for the National Electricity Market, tracking the progress of generation and storage project applications to connect to the NEM.

Compared to the previous 12 months, the capacity of projects working through the connection process have surged from 30 GW to 43 GW, the scorecard shows. 

The Australian Accounting Standards Board has released an action alert from its most recent meetings, which outlines its decisions on climate-related financial disclosures. 

Inefficient halogen lights will be phased out, if LED equivalents are available, under changes to the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (GEMS) scheme.

With the support of the NSW and Victorian governments, the Energy Efficiency Council has released a Roadmap for heat pump water systems in Australia, along with a background report.

The roadmap's 17 recommended actions include revising standards, and putting in place end-of-life stewardship measures.

In the last 12 months, the uptake of domestic heat pumps in NSW and Victoria has been significant, with more than 104,000 installed across both states, driven by the Victorian Solar Homes Program and the NSW Energy Savings Scheme. 

The two state governments will establish a consultation group of industry representatives to support and oversee the development of systems and standards.

Alinta and Parkwind have made an EPBC referral for the proposed 1GW+ Spinifex offshore wind farm off the coast of Portland, doing so a week after Macquarie Green Investment Group lodged a referral for the Great Eastern offshore wind project. 

The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) has reached a significant investment milestone, with $2 billion invested in infrastructure projects across northern Australia.

Last year the federal government committed an additional $2 billion to the Facility, taking the total financing available to $7 billion, and earlier this year the government updated NAIF's investment mandate. 

The federal government says it is finalising 10 carbon capture and storage exploration permits, and several gas exploration permits.

The Infrastructure Sustainability Council has appointed Toby Kent as its new chief executive. 

Kent was most recently a partner in the PwC energy transition team, and was previously the City of Melbourne's chief resilience officer. He is also a board member of the Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia.

EY has released a new briefing paper on How Australia can fast-track energy transmission projects. 

Consultation opportunity - renewable and the grid. VicGrid has released draft Victorian transmission plan guidelines and a renewable energy zone study area map. The final guidelines will be published in September, as a prelude to finalising the state's first transmission plan by July next year. 

Comments on the draft guidelines are due by 25 August.

The federal and WA governments have signed a Renewable Energy Transformation Agreement, with the federal government agreeing to underwrite the construction of 6.5 terawatt hours of new wind and solar projects in WA, as well as 1.1GW of new storage.

Meanwhile, registrations opened last week for the first Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) tender for Western Australia.

The federal and NT governments have signed a $250 million agreement as part of the Rewiring the Nation Program, to be delivered through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.

Issue 53, 22 July 2024

The Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council has released a national roadmap for Consumer Energy Resources, to coordinate the role of household solar and batteries in the grid, and maximise their benefits. 

At their meeting in Melbourne, ministers also appear to have put on hold scheduled annual increases in the estimated value of emissions reductions (VERs), which were set earlier this year on an interim basis by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER).

The values - which are not a carbon price, but allow the benefits of emissions reductions to be quantified - were in turn used by AEMO in the finalisation of its Integrated System Plan.

The AER had proposed that the interim values increase gradually, from $66 last year, to $70 this year, to $80 in 2026, then rising to $105 in 2030. 

However, in a move that appears to temporarily halt the gradual rise, ministers agreed "to extend the interim Value of Emissions Reduction to June 2026 to allow sufficient time for the development of a longer-term VER whilst still providing certainty to market bodies and participants". 

In addition, the Council agreed to develop a new strategic plan for the national E3 energy efficiency and labelling scheme, and undertook to expedite the implementation of minimum energy performance standards for heat pump hot water systems as a priority.

Ministers also:

• received an update on work by the federal and NT governments on scope 3 emissions from the Beetaloo Basin.
• agreed to release national guidelines for community engagement for transmission infrastructure.
• received an updated on building energy performance reforms.
• discussed progress on the development of Net Zero sector plans, focusing on the plan for the electricity and energy sector. 
• welcomed an update on the First Nations clean energy strategy. 
• agreed to a national statement of intent for regional and remote EV charging infrastructure.
• received a briefing on Victoria's integrated plan for an orderly energy transition.

Ministers are scheduled to meet again in December. 

A Senate committee inquiring into Glencore's now-prohibited proposal for an onshore CCS project has recommended that the water trigger in the EPBC Act be updated "to include onshore CCS".

The committee's report into the project, which has been halted by the Queensland government, also recommends that states and territories consider a legislated ban on CCS activities across the Great Artesian Basin "to ensure this important natural asset is uniformly preserved".

Coalition members of the committee supported both recommendations "in principle". However, they did not support a "blanket" application of the water trigger to national CCS projects, and they noted that that Coalition remains supportive of CCS. 

Meanwhile, the National Farmers Federation has launched Federal Court proceedings seeking to have set aside a decision by Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek that the Glencore proposal was not a controlled action under the EPBC Act. Hearings are scheduled for the first two days of August. 

Statutory development - Guarantee of Origin. The federal government is working to finalise legislation for its Guarantee of Origin scheme, with the aim of having the emissions accounting scheme operational early next year.