Renewable Generation Records Fall Across the UK, as Imported Gas Consumption Tumbles
The UK’s electricity mix is now dominated by renewables, with renewable generation reaching a record 52.5 percent of total output in 2025. Imported primary energy fell to 46 percent, the lowest share since 2004, as North Sea gas production continues to decline. Wind power set a new peak of 23,880 MW, supplying 60 percent of Great Britain’s electricity, while solar broke back‑to‑back records, hitting 14,414 MW. Gas‑fired generation dropped to just 2.3 percent of the grid, underscoring the country’s rapid decarbonisation.
Video: Flexible Homes, Flexible Grid – Interview with Adam Cameron (SA Power Networks)
At the EN2026 conference in Adelaide, SA Power Networks engineer Adam Cameron highlighted how smart‑home technologies can provide real‑time demand flexibility for South Australia’s grid. He explained that flexible home appliances and automated energy management can absorb excess solar generation...
State Rolls Out Red Carpet for Four New Wind Projects in Race to Replace Ageing Coal Generators
Western Australia has placed four new wind farms—totaling over 1.3 GW of clean capacity—on a fast‑track development pipeline under the State Development Act. The projects, including Zephyr Energy's Parron Maam, Shell‑Foresight's Kondinin, Alinta Energy's Marri, and Neoen's Narrogin, have already secured long‑term...
Diesel Nation: Australia Is Still Pumping Billions in the Wrong Direction as Oil Hyperinflation Hits
Australia’s federal Fuel Tax Credit (FTC) scheme refunded miners about AU$3.36 billion (≈US$2.2 billion) in 2025, with the five largest firms—BHP, Rio Tinto, Glencore, Fortescue and Yancoal—receiving roughly AU$1.94 billion (≈US$1.3 billion). The subsidy entrenches dependence on imported diesel, siphons billions from the federal budget...
Equipment Failure Likely Cause of “Ferocious” Fire at One of Australia’s Two Oil Refineries
A ferocious fire erupted at Viva Energy's Geelong refinery near Melbourne, likely triggered by a valve failure that caused a leak and subsequent explosion. The blaze halted petrol production while diesel, jet fuel and other outputs continue under constrained conditions....
World’s Biggest Co-Located Wind and Solar Project Begins Operations in China
Envision Energy announced that its 5.56 MW custom turbine wind‑and‑solar complex on the Loess Plateau has entered commercial operation. The co‑located facility spans the 635,000 km² plateau southeast of the Gobi Desert, blending wind and solar generation to overcome the region’s low‑wind,...
Construction Starts on Biggest Battery in Australia’s Most Advanced Renewable Grid
Alinta Energy has broken ground on the Reeves Plains battery, a 250 MW/1,000 MWh facility that will be South Australia’s largest storage asset and the state’s first gigawatt‑scale installation. A second phase is slated to double the capacity, positioning the project among...
Batteries Included: Amazon Makes Record Haul of Hybrid Renewable PPAs to Power Australian AI Push
Amazon Australia announced nine new power‑purchase agreements covering 430 MW and roughly A$2.8 billion ($1.85 billion). Eight of the contracts feature battery storage, including three utility‑scale solar‑battery hybrids—the first such deals Amazon has signed outside the United States. The additions bring Amazon’s Australian...
Most Heavy Emitters Blow Their Carbon Budgets, but Bowen Sees “Clear Sign” Safeguard Mechanism Is Working
The Clean Energy Regulator’s 2024‑25 Safeguard Mechanism data show a 5.5% drop in net industrial emissions to 120.3 Mt CO₂‑e, marking a 12% decline since the 2022‑23 reforms. Yet 141 of the 208 covered facilities still exceeded their allocated baselines, relying...
SwitchedOn Podcast: The Tax Tweak that Could Cut Renters Energy Bills
A proposed tax tweak would let Australian landlords claim an instant asset write‑off for installing electric heat‑pump water heaters, mirroring incentives already available to small businesses. The measure aims to overcome the split‑incentive barrier that forces renters to rely on...
“Desert Greening:” China’s Massive Solar Farms Create Cool Refuges for Plants in Gobi Desert
A new Chinese Academy of Sciences study finds that large‑scale solar farms in the Gobi desert generate a daytime cooling effect of up to 3.1 °C, creating micro‑climates that support plant growth. The cooling, termed a "cool island effect," varies with...
Can Networks Solve Australia’s “Chicken-and-Egg” EV Problem? The Battle for Control of Kerbside Charging
Energy Networks Australia (ENA) has asked the Australian Energy Market Commission to amend ring‑fencing rules so distribution networks can install, own, and maintain kerbside electric‑vehicle chargers on existing poles. The change would reclassify EV chargers from a contestable service to...
Queensland LNP Want Oil and Gas Project Fast-Tracked, Even as It Erects Stop Sign for Wind and Solar
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has launched a campaign to fast‑track approval of the Taroom Trough oil and gas field, despite the federal EPBC Act’s exclusion of fossil‑fuel projects from its 30‑day Fast‑Track Assessment. The state will task the Queensland Productivity...
Danish Giant Sells Giga-Scale Battery as Project Readies to Hit the Grid
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has sold its 240 MW/960 MWh Summerfield battery in South Australia to Intera Renewables, the local arm of Palisade Investment Partners. The project, which cost roughly AUD 250 million (about USD 165 million), is construction‑complete and slated to energise the grid in...
The Hours the Market Wants Back: Free Daytime Power, or a Fix for Solar and Wind Curtailment?
The Australian NEM’s 11 am‑2 pm window is plagued by frequent negative prices, with 32.7% of intervals showing zero or below‑market rates over the past year. This oversupply has led to 7.89 TWh of renewable curtailment, 82% of which occurs during those negative‑price...
UK Labour Approves Nation’s Largest Solar Farm, Reform UK Mayor Vows to Fight the Decision
The UK Labour government approved the 800 MW Springwell Solar Farm in Lincolnshire, the nation’s largest solar project, despite strong local opposition led by Reform UK. The farm will power roughly 180,000 homes and includes a battery storage component, though its size...
Renewables Hit 80 Pct Share in Australia’s Most Coal Dependent Grid for First Time
Queensland’s electricity grid, Australia’s most coal‑dependent system, hit an 80 percent renewable share for the first time on Monday at 11:20 am. The surge was powered mainly by rooftop solar (just over 4 GW) and large‑scale solar (about 3 GW), with wind contributing just...
“Birds Avoid Turbines:” Two New Studies Suggest Wind Farms Are Not “Killing Machines” After All
Two recent European studies found that wind turbines pose a far lower risk to birds than previously thought. The German offshore study tracked over four million bird movements and recorded avoidance rates of 99.87% at night and 99.86% by day,...
“100 Pct Renewable, 74 Pct of the Time:” How Australia’s Most Advanced Grid Plans to Be an Energy Powerhouse
ElectraNet chief Simon Emms announced a plan to expand South Australia’s transmission network to 25 GW, supporting a projected peak demand rise from 3.3 GW to over 6.5 GW within 15 years. The state already averages 74 % renewable generation and hits 100 % renewable...
Thai Developer Sends New Big Battery Project to EPBC as Storage Takes Centre Stage in Old Coal Country
Banpu Energy Australia, a coal‑mining offshoot, has lodged its largest ever battery project—a 500 MW, two‑hour Pinecrest storage facility—with the federal EPBC review, marking its first such referral. The site sits adjacent to the 1,430 MW Mt Piper coal plant and the decommissioned...
Zen Says Sale Talks Progressing Well, All Parties “Deeply and Strategically Aligned” On Renewables
Zen Energy, the Adelaide‑based gentailer focused on baseload renewables, says it is deep into sale negotiations with a preferred strategic buyer, amid reports that Swiss trader Gunvor Group is the exclusive contender. The company disclosed a $133.6 million AUD (≈$88 million USD)...
“Not Economically Viable:” Global Funds Giant Drops Plans for Solar Farm, to Build Bigger Battery Instead
Revera Energy, a Carlyle‑controlled offshoot, has scrapped its planned 500 MW solar farm near Robertstown, South Australia, and will instead focus on a 500 MW, 2,000 MWh battery at the same site. The company cites the current lack of economic viability for new...
For First Nations Communities, Energy Insecurity Is Not New. But the Shift to Renewables Is More Urgent than Ever
Remote First Nations communities across Australia depend on diesel generators, leaving them vulnerable to global fuel price spikes and supply disruptions. Rising diesel costs are inflating household electricity bills and prompting frequent power disconnections. Community‑led solar and battery projects in...
“An Own Goal that We Don’t Need:” Investor Group Sounds Alarm over New Tax on Renewables
The Albanese government released draft legislation to extend capital gains tax to large‑scale solar, wind and battery storage projects. The reforms would subject foreign investors—who fund over 70% of Australian renewables—to a 30% CGT on project sales, with a limited...
Independent Panel Approves Another Big Battery Sent for Review by Long-Distance Haters
The New South Wales Independent Planning Commission approved Foresight Australia’s Hume North battery, a 75 MW/150 MWh storage system near the Hume Hydro Power Station, despite 72 objections largely from distant anti‑renewable groups. The commission highlighted the project’s role in improving grid...
Energy Insiders Podcast: Why Wind Projects Are Stalled at the Gate
Large‑scale wind projects are hitting a financing wall, leaving many proposals stalled before construction. Richie Merzian of CEIG points to a looming carbon‑price (CGT) risk and structural flaws in the Clean Energy Incentive Scheme (CIS) as key deterrents. The episode...
Made in the Shade: How Electric Vehicles Could Be the Perfect Partner to Rooftop Solar in Tropical Cities
Researchers from Columbia University and the Singapore‑ETH Centre published a Nature paper showing that electric‑vehicle batteries can act as distributed storage for rooftop solar in tropical cities. When thunderstorms temporarily dim solar output, parked EVs discharge to the local grid,...
Coal Mine Gets Two Year Extension to Keep Supplying State’s Oldest Coal Generator
The NSW Independent Planning Commission approved a two‑year extension for the underground Chain Valley and Mannering coal mines, keeping them operational until the end of 2029 to supply Vales Point Power Station, the state’s oldest coal generator. The extension avoids...
Last Turbines Arrive at One of Sunshine State’s Biggest Wind Projects, with a Big Battery Included
The final 41 turbines have arrived at Queensland’s Wambo wind farm, completing the 254 MW second stage and bringing the total capacity to 506 MW across 81 turbines. Stage one’s 252 MW is already connected to the grid, and the project includes a...
The Clock Is Ticking: Coal Is Down, Prices Have Fallen, but Wind Projects Are Very, Very Late
Australia’s National Electricity Market is seeing coal’s share dip below 50% and evening‑peak prices fall sharply, driven by growing battery capacity and reduced coal generation. However, the anticipated wind build‑out is stalling, with developers missing final investment decisions and construction...
“Pioneering and Experimental” Green Ammonia Project Gets VIP Treatment From Canberra
The Murchison Green Hydrogen project, backed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, targets 2 million tonnes of green ammonia per year using up to 6 GW of wind and solar power in Western Australia. A 1,500 MW first stage secured up to $814 million in Hydrogen...
SwitchedOn Podcast: The Hidden Crisis Behind Rising Electricity Disconnections
Australia’s electricity disconnections are climbing despite rules that require retailers to offer payment plans and hardship support before cutting supply. Households are feeling the squeeze from soaring energy bills combined with a broader cost‑of‑living crisis, prompting more utilities to resort...
Giant Gold Mine Operating with 90 Pct Renewables Says It Has Virtually Eliminated Diesel Costs
Bellevue Gold’s remote Western Australian mine is now operating with roughly 90 % of its power supplied by a 90‑MW hybrid renewable system, effectively eliminating most diesel use. Diesel fuel accounted for only 1.3 % of total project costs in the FY...
Australia Needs to Rapidly Electrify as Much as Possible, as Fast as Possible
A brief cease‑fire between the United States and Iran averted a potential shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, exposing how fragile global oil supplies are. The episode highlighted the risk of a prolonged Middle‑East production outage, which would strain economies...
Developer Behind Australia’s Biggest Operating Wind Farm Advances Plans for New 50-Turbine Project
Australian wind developer Westwind Energy has moved its 400 MW Bottle Tree Energy Park, a 50‑turbine wind farm with a potential battery, into the federal environmental assessment stage by submitting over 1,100 pages of documentation to the EPBC. The project, sited...
Fresh Progress for Eight-Hour Pumped Hydro Project Proposed to Help Replace Ageing Coal Plant
EnergyAustralia and EDF Power Solutions Australia have moved a 350 MW, eight‑hour pumped‑hydro storage project forward by releasing its Environmental Impact Statement for public comment. The Lake Lyell facility, slated to use the same water source as the aging Mt Piper coal plant,...
How Getting Landlords Into (Heat Pump) Hot Water Can Get Tenants Out of High Gas Bills
The article proposes a budget‑time lever that would let Australian landlords claim an instant, full depreciation on heat‑pump hot‑water systems, replacing gas units. Gas‑tank hot water costs roughly AU$600 (≈US$396) per year, while an instant‑gas system runs about AU$400 (≈US$264);...
Councils Flex Their Muscle on Renewables, Laying Down the Local Law on Roads, Farmland and Housing
Leeton Shire Council in New South Wales voted to block large‑scale solar farms on any irrigated or irrigable farmland, citing the need to protect high‑value agricultural land. The motion, led by Mayor George Weston, calls for the highest level of...
Network Giant Uses Contentious New Transmission Line to Boost Regional Mobile Coverage
Australian transmission operator Transgrid is attaching telecom equipment to its new 500 kV HumeLink line, creating a connectivity corridor across regional NSW. In partnership with Lumea, up to ten signal boosters will be mounted on existing and new towers along the...
Fortescue Adds Another Electric Excavator, Says It Is Saving a Million Litres of Diesel per Unit
Fortescue Metals Group has deployed its 15th electric excavator in the Pilbara, claiming each unit saves about one million litres of diesel per year. The company now reports moving 100 million tonnes of ore with electric equipment and plans to install...
Contentious Solar Project Scrapped After Work Fails to Start on Time
Flow Power has abandoned the 100 MW Springdale solar project north‑west of Sutton after the state planning permit expired in February. The $120 million AUD (~$79 million USD) development missed the February 19 deadline to commence construction, and the company cited the absence of...
Coal to Liquids: Coalition’s Latest Energy Brain-Fart Is Their Craziest yet, and that Takes some Doing
Australian coalition leaders Angus Taylor, Matt Canavan and Andrew Hastie are championing a coal‑to‑liquids (CTL) scheme as part of the nation’s energy strategy. Experts warn the technology is prohibitively expensive—estimated at $8 billion and a decade to construct—and among the most carbon‑intensive...
Local Council Seeks Annual $100,000 per Road Maintenance Fee From Wind and Solar Developers
Queensland's Banana Shire council voted to require renewable energy developers to post an annual road‑maintenance guarantee of up to AUD 100,000 (≈ US$66,000) per road used during construction. The amount is held as a security, rolled over if unused, and refunded once...
Home Batteries Get Bigger and Bigger, as Race to Beat Rebate Changes Sparks Last-Ditch Frenzy
Australian households rushed to install larger home batteries before the Cheaper Home Batteries rebate changes, pushing the average system size to a record 40 kWh in March. Registrations hit 1.6 GWh, a 35% jump from February, as the program’s $7.2 bn AUD (≈$4.8 bn...
Bill Shock: The up to $420 Price Gap Between “Median” Electricity Plans and Lowest Deals on Offer
The Australian Energy Regulator’s latest quarterly report shows residential electricity plans can differ by up to $420 AUD (≈ $277 USD) between the median market offer and the cheapest available deal. Households on the default market offer (DMO) could save 4%‑11%...
Chart of the Day: How Renewables Have Helped Slash Emissions on Australia’s Main Grid
Australia’s National Electricity Market has cut its average emissions intensity by 25% since 2020, reaching 510 kg CO₂e per MWh in the 12 months to February 2026. The decline represents a 40% reduction since 2015, driven largely by rapid renewable adoption in...
“The Panels Are Never Supposed to Fail:” Solar Contractor Takes Financial Hit From Troubled Australian Project
Sterling and Wilson Renewable Energy disclosed a financial hit after PV panels failed at an undisclosed Australian solar project under its O&M contract. The panel failures caused generation loss, triggering penalties and dragging quarterly margins down to roughly 18%, below...
Australian Thermal Storage Company Secures $40 Million to Help Replace Fossil Fuel Boilers
Australian clean‑tech firm Graphite Energy has secured $40 million AUD (approximately $26 million USD) to accelerate deployment of its Green Steam thermal energy storage systems. The capital package combines a $15 million non‑dilutive loan from Catalytic Impact Capital and a $25 million equity subscription...
An Electric Farm, an Electric Harvest …. Electric Everything
Electric tractors can feasibly replace diesel units for large‑scale seeding by consuming roughly 3.1 MWh per day, a demand met with on‑farm solar and battery storage. One hectare of optimally sited PV in Australia generates about 3.5 MWh daily, enough to power...
The EV Battery Scandal that Threatens to Derail Election Hopes of EU’s Most Far Right Government
Hungary’s April 12 parliamentary election pits long‑time premier Viktor Orbán against centre‑right challenger Péter Magyar, bringing energy and climate issues to the fore. Orbán’s legal fight against the EU’s REPowerEU ban and his plan to halt gas exports to Ukraine...