Analysis

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Nuclear Fusion Deals – Based on reality or a dream?

Last week, Italian energy company ENI announced a $1 billion (USD) purchase of electricity from U.S.-based Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), described as the world’s leading commercial fusion energy company and backed by Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures. CFS plans to start building its Arc facility in 2027–28, targeting electricity supply to the grid in the early 2030s. Earlier this year, Google also signed a commercial agreement with CFS. These are considered the world’s first commercial fusion-power deals. While they offer optimism for fusion as a clean, abundant energy source, they also recall decades of “breakthrough” announcements that have yet to deliver practical, grid-ready power. The key question remains: how close is fusion to being not only proven, but scalable and commercially viable, and which projects worldwide are shaping its future?

BY Tom Monaghan Oct 02 2025

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Unlocking Consumer Energy Resources: Addressing data sharing barriers with retailer participation

Australia’s energy transition increasingly relies on Consumer Energy Resources (CER) such as rooftop solar, batteries, electric vehicles and smart appliances, which are now essential to system reliability, affordability and resilience. Without effective data-sharing frameworks, however, the full potential of CER cannot be realised, limiting performance, innovation and market reform. A recent consultation paper under the National CER Roadmap identifies six key barriers, with retailers well placed to address many of them through clear policy direction and regulatory alignment. We take a closer look at the barriers outlined in the paper and the future role of retailers in addressing them.

BY David Markham Aug 14 2025

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Energy2050 – How Australia can achieve a net zero emissions future

As the pace and complexity of Australia’s energy transition intensifies, a new AEC project, Energy2050, aims to provide a clearer view of how the sector can realistically reach net zero by 2050. Rather than rehashing forecasts of what the energy mix will look like, the project will focus on the how - identifying the critical policy, market, and operational considerations needed to deliver a reliable, affordable and sustainable system. This week, we outline the scope of the project and the key challenges it will explore.

BY Louisa Kinnear Aug 07 2025

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The energy transition and power bills: Why aren’t they cheaper?

With energy prices increasing for households and businesses there is the question: why aren’t we seeing lower bills given the promise of cheaper energy with increasing amounts of renewables in the grid. A recent working paper published by Griffith University’s Centre for Applied Energy Economics & Policy Research has tested the proposition of whether a renewables grid is cheaper than a counterfactual grid that has only coal and gas as new entrants. It provides good insights into the dynamics that have been at play.

BY Carl Kitchen Jul 24 2025

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Australia’s Sustainable Finance Taxonomy: Solving problems or creating new ones?

Last Tuesday, the Australian Sustainable Finance Institute (ASFI) released the Australian Sustainable Finance Taxonomy – a voluntary framework that financiers and investors can use to ensure economic activity they are investing capital in is consistent with a 1.5°C trajectory. One of the trickier aspects of the Taxonomy was whether to classify gas-powered generation, a fossil fuel energy source, as a “transition” activity to support net-zero. The final Taxonomy opted against this. Here we take a look at how ASFI came to this decision, and the pragmatism of it.

BY Rhys Thomas Jun 26 2025

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Twenty-Five Years of Rooftop Solar: Who were the Pioneers?

Australia’s energy landscape has transformed dramatically over the past 25 years, driven in part by the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 and the introduction of renewable energy certificates in 2001. Through the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, households have been incentivised to install rooftop solar with the help of Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs). From just 118 rooftop systems in 2001, over four million Australian homes now generate their own power. We take a closer look at regional trends in solar adoption, beginning with the early pioneers and the trajectory of small-scale PV uptake across the country.

BY Carol Tran Jun 05 2025

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Gas in the NEM: Is there a case for a new and expanded RERT?

Gas-powered generation (GPG) will be essential to maintaining reliability in the National Electricity Market (NEM) as coal exits and the grid becomes increasingly reliant on variable renewable energy (VRE) and storage. However, current market settings and investment mechanisms are failing to support the GPG capacity needed for both regular firming and emergency insurance against high-impact, low-probability (HILP) VRE droughts. We take a closer look at whether a new and expanded Reliability and Emergency Reserve Trader (RERT) framework could provide a viable pathway to deliver insurance GPG outside the market without distorting competitive outcomes.

BY Peter Brook May 29 2025

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2025 Federal Election: Distinctly Different Energy Policies

Energy has been a major issue and point of difference for the major parties. Labor and the Coalition offer sharply contrasting visions, with significant implications for generation investment, grid reliability, emissions outcomes, and regulatory certainty. With a minority government considered a strong possibility, we examine the competing platforms of Labor and the Coalition, as well as the positions of the Greens, Teals, and key Independents.

BY Tom Monaghan May 01 2025

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Beyond the Rebate: Battery Policy, VPPs, and Household Returns

A re-elected Labor Government’s promise to cut home battery costs by 30 per cent through the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) has sparked interest—and raised questions. While the move may accelerate battery uptake among solar households, critics warn it could deepen inequities by leaving renters and vulnerable customers behind. More importantly greater value will be realised if the storage capacity is also coordinated through mechanisms like Virtual Power Plants (VPPs). We take a look at the benefits of VPPs.

BY David Markham Apr 10 2025

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2025 Election: A tale of two campaigns

The election has been called and the campaigning has started in earnest. With both major parties proposing a markedly different path to deliver the energy transition and to reach net zero, we take a look at what sits beneath the big headlines and analyse how the current Labor Government is tracking towards its targets, and how a potential future Coalition Government might deliver on their commitments.

BY Ben Barnes Apr 03 2025

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Australia's Solar Waste: A Growing Problem

Australia has long been a global leader in the adoption of solar energy, with one of the highest per capita rates of rooftop solar installations worldwide. Solar power has become a cornerstone in the nation's commitment to sustainability, contributing significantly to reducing its carbon footprint and reliance on fossil fuels. However, as solar panels reach the end of their lifespan, the issue of solar panel waste is rapidly emerging as a significant environmental challenge that could escalate in the coming decades. We take a closer look.

BY Tom Monaghan Mar 06 2025

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Australia’s net zero plan is looking a lot like an electricity-only plan

The past three years have seen a stronger commitment to encouraging economy-wide decarbonisation, as seen through reforms to the Safeguard Mechanism and new policies like the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard and Future Made in Australia. But the release of two emissions reduction progress reports paints a sobering reality – no sector other than electricity is doing anything to help Australia meet its 2030 target. Is this leading to the proverbial “all eggs in one basket”? Or is electricity decarbonisation really the only viable pathway to 43 per cent by 2030? We take a closer look.

BY Rhys Thomas Dec 12 2024

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Frontier Economics and the cost of the transition: How does it stack up?

Nearly two weeks ago, headlines revealed Australia’s energy transition would be more expensive than previously estimated. This news stemmed from modelling by Frontier Economics, which highlighted long-term costs beyond the commonly cited net present value figure of $122 billion in capital cost, as outlined in the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) 2024 Integrated System Plan (ISP). We took a closer look.

BY Australian Energy Council Nov 28 2024

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The demographics behind the Top 5 solar postcodes

More than a third of Australian households now have solar installed, making it the largest generation source, ahead of coal plants. While all parts of Australia has seen growth in solar installations, in our latest Solar Report we highlighted the leading postcodes in terms of installations this year to date. Here we take a look at the demographics behind the suburbs in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland based on the most recent census.

BY Carl Kitchen Nov 14 2024

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Queensland’s New Government: An Energy Policy Pivot

After Queensland's recent election, the Liberal National Party (LNP), led by David Crisafulli, is set to shift Queensland’s energy plan to one that prioritises affordability, reliability, and coal continuity over ambitious renewable targets. This shift from the previous government's approach aims to balance immediate cost control with stability, though it may challenge Australia's broader renewable energy goals. So, what policies does the new LNP government plan to implement, and what challenges may they encounter? We take a look.

BY Tom Monaghan Oct 31 2024

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1.5 Degree C aligned – what does it actually look like?

Earlier this month, the CSIRO published economy-wide modelling looking at how each sector in Australia could transition to a 2oC and 1.5oC aligned world respectively. With mandatory climate disclosure laws kicking in next year, which will see companies required to assess how their businesses fit in a 1.5oC aligned future, this modelling is illustrative of some of the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Here we take a closer look at the 1.5oC scenario, with a particular focus on what it means for the electricity generation sector. Read more.

BY Rhys Thomas Oct 31 2024

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International Energy Summit: The State of the Global Energy Transition

Australian Energy Council CEO Louisa Kinnear and the Energy Networks Australia CEO and Chair, Dom van den Berg and John Cleland recently attended the International Electricity Summit. Held every 18 months, the Summit brings together leaders from across the globe to share updates on energy markets around the world and the opportunities and challenges being faced as the world collectively transitions to net zero. We take a look at what was discussed.

BY Louisa Kinnear Oct 24 2024

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May 2024 Variable Renewable Energy Drought and the ISP in 2040

Recently we published an article on the 20-27 May 2024 Variable Renewable Energy (VRE) drought estimating the hourly capacity factors of utility scale wind and solar by NEM region. The severity of this drought on wind generation particularly in NSW, Victoria and SA invited the question as to how the future grid would perform under the same conditions when gas powered generation (GPG) and hydro are the only genuinely dispatchable sources of electricity. We took a closer look.

BY Peter Brook Oct 24 2024

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Australia’s Green Hydrogen Ambitions: Soldiering On Despite Adversity

Australia's green hydrogen sector is key to the nation's long-term decarbonisation plans, with ambitions to become a leading global producer and exporter. Despite strong government support and vast renewable resources, recent setbacks from major players like Fortescue and Origin have highlighted significant challenges to achieving a commercially viable industry. We take a look at challenges and opportunities facing the sector.

BY Tom Monaghan Oct 17 2024

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Phantom Dwellings in Australia: A Growing Barrier for Renewable Energy Projects

As Australia intensifies its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve 82% renewable energy by 2030, significant obstacles continue to emerge. One of the more insidious and less understood tactics employed by opponents of renewable energy development is the strategic use of phantom dwellings - proposed residential developments that are never intended to be built but are utilised to delay or block renewable projects by exploiting legal and planning loopholes. We take a look at how this tactic is being used, the impact it’s having on renewable projects, and what can be done to mitigate against it.

BY Tom Monaghan Oct 10 2024

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