Ryan Cropp

Radical plan proposed to reinvent the energy market The government should guarantee the long-term revenue of new renewable energy projects to ensure the security of the grid, according to a major new report.

White smoke has emanated from the department offices and a new acronym has been announced to guide the transition electricity sector: ESEM!

www.afr.com/policy/energ...

Somewhat reminiscent of Heywood interconnector upgrade a decade ago that was supposed to be finished before the Northern brown coal fired power station closure

(Story from @ryancropp.bsky.social here:
www.afr.com/policy/energ...)

You missed one

Diplomatic void clouds Labor’s climate summit bid The Albanese government has left a key diplomatic post vacant as it scrambles to secure hosting rights for a major UN climate summit next year.

Australia’s Foreign Affairs Department is operating without its top climate diplomat as the Albanese government struggles to lock in the international support required to secure its bid to host a major UN summit in Adelaide in 2026.

www.afr.com/policy/energ...

Here's the FY25 "we're only adding RE at ~1/2 the rate needed" update .. 🥲

www.afr.com/policy/energ...

Canavan to ‘review’ Nationals’ position on net zero The most outspoken critic of the Nationals’ net zero policy is one of only two members of an internal party review of the policy.

NEW: The National Party has appointed outspoken critic of Australia’s net zero emissions target, Matt Canavan, to a two-man internal committee tasked with reviewing the party’s policy on the issue.

www.afr.com/policy/energ...

Rio pushes for ‘eye-watering’ Tomago bailout Australia’s largest electricity user is seeking billions in direct government support to cover spiralling power costs.

Tomago aluminium smelter, the nation’s largest electricity user, is in urgent talks to secure billions of dollars in support from the NSW and federal governments to save it from collapse due to crippling energy costs.

www.afr.com/policy/energ...

To be fair they did approve the two big Windlab projects

Labor poised to approve NW Shelf gas project The Albanese government has given its strongest signal yet that it will approve Woodside’s long-delayed gas development.

The government is poised to sign off on an extension to Woodside’s NW Shelf gas development after Anthony Albanese said the transition to renewable energy could not proceed without gas as a back-up — before announcing he would hold a cabinet meeting in Perth next week.

www.afr.com/policy/energ...

Landfill carbon offset companies face stricter rules The government is considering tightening the rules around carbon offsets earned by landfill sites.

Landfill sites that earn carbon offsets for capturing excess gas emitted from rotting waste will face stricter regulations under a new proposal designed to improve the integrity of the federal government’s carbon credits scheme.

www.afr.com/policy/energ...

Farmers warn: ‘Don’t make us carry the can on emissions’ Australian grain growers say strong climate targets could create an overreliance on offsets that will discourage direct emissions reductions.

www.afr.com/policy/energ...

Can Labor turn a big win into a green energy reality? Clean energy advocates hope Labor can use the policy seeds planted in its first term to deliver its energy transition agenda. The reality will be much harder.

Clean energy advocates hope Labor can use the policy seeds planted in its first term to deliver its energy transition agenda. The reality will be much harder.

www.afr.com/policy/energ...

Companies ‘claim credit for keeping forests they never meant to clear’ A carbon market expert says many of the offsets purchased by Australia’s top emitters last year were of low integrity.

Nearly a third of the carbon credits bought by Australia’s top emitting companies last year were based on an offsetting technique that has been banned for future projects after a government review found it would be ineffective at reducing emissions.
www.afr.com/policy/energ...

Renewables lobby leaderless after long-serving boss quits Australia’s top industry advocate has stepped down less than a week after an election he called a “referendum on renewable energy”.

www.afr.com/policy/energ...

Bowen in line for top global climate role Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen is a contender for one of the world’s top climate roles.

www.afr.com/policy/energ...

✅

Why Labor won’t stop talking about nuclear power Peter Dutton has described the Coalition’s nuclear policy as ‘visionary and necessary’. So why are government MPs the only ones talking about it?

Nice @ryancropp.bsky.social piece here - on why Labor talked about nuclear power way more than the Coalition did, during the election campaign:

www.afr.com/policy/energ... ($)

Accounting change scrambles coal mine emissions Changes to measurement methods have led several major coal mines to report drastically lower carbon emissions in 2024.

Several large coal mines have slashed their annual carbon emissions by more than half as a result of mandated changes to accounting methods that have prompted experts to question the reliability of key data underpinning one of Labor’s flagship climate policies.

www.afr.com/policy/energ...

‘Headless movements fall’: Can Holmes à Court maintain the rage? Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes à Court changed Australian politics. But has his success become a drag on the community independent movement he champions?

LONG READ for your LONG WEEKEND:

Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes à Court changed Australian politics. But has his success become a drag on the community independent movement he champions?
www.afr.com/politics/fed...

‘The big lie’: Why governments can’t deliver cheaper power Political leaders have been promising lower power bills for two decades, but they should come clean about its true costs.

Pretty good how’d-we-get-here piece in the Fin on power prices & reduction promises from @ryancropp.bsky.social

www.afr.com/policy/energ...

Lots of interesting points made by @dylanjmcconnell.bsky.social @tonyrwood.bsky.social and others

Our reporting in December on the eSafety Commissioner’s undeclared trip to Twiggy Forrest’s private AI conference has resulted in a flood of new disclosures

It’s important to have standards

Is this the proverbial juice I keep hearing about

Hello. Next month I’m starting a new gig at the AFR covering energy and climate from Canberra. If you know anything about energy and/or climate, let’s chat

Very good

www.thenation.com/article/cult...

Exclusive: Dutton hires Morrison’s ‘disinformation’ team The Liberal Party has hired controversial digital agency Topham Guerin to produce content for its election campaign, despite concerns about disinformation and deepfakes used by the group.

www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politic...

2002-2008 - no significant Cronulla-related events

They should make a Hollywood movie about Dylan’s Christian period

ICYMI this story went out in the news hole right before the summer break but nevertheless went absolutely turbo over on Twitter/X. Still no disclosure from the e-Safety Commissioner.

Demise of The Drop podcast