Ryan Cropp
@ryancropp.bsky.social
Energy and Climate Reporter at the Australian Financial Review — Author of Donald Horne (2023) — Get in touch: ryan.cropp@afr.com Signal: ryancropp.91
Green groups have demanded stricter rules around the impact of renewables on native wildlife after a major developer revealed one of its wind farms in southern NSW had killed 20 wedge-tailed eagles in the past 18 months. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Wind farm kills 20 wedge-tailed eagles in 18 months
Green groups have demanded stricter rules dealing with the impact of renewables on native wildlife after mass bird deaths at one NSW wind farm.
afr.com
Batteries, EVs and data centres are upending Australia’s electricity grid. The government wants to know how – and what it means for prices. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Labor seeks expanded energy modelling powers
Batteries, EVs and data centres are upending Australia’s electricity grid. The government wants to know how – and what it means for prices.
afr.com
Former Greens leader Adam Bandt is taking one of Australia’s oldest conservation groups in a bold new direction. Not everyone is happy about it. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Inside Labor’s struggle with the environmental movement
Former Greens leader Adam Bandt is taking one of Australia’s oldest conservation groups in a bold new direction. Not everyone is happy about it.
afr.com
Some incredible estimates shithousery from the govt here, scheduling Treasury’s Housing Group for 8pm on Wednesday night (so more like 10pm). You have to respect it
Australia’s data centre industry says it offsets 70 per cent of its power usage with renewables. But clean energy companies argue that’s only half the story. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Data centre rivers of gold not flowing to green transition
Australia’s data centre industry says it offsets 70 per cent of its power usage with renewables. But clean energy companies argue that’s only half the story.
afr.com
Big piece with @myriamrobin.bsky.social on the online pressure campaign for a gas tax and what it says about the Albanese government’s approach to reform. www.afr.com/companies/en...
Inside the online army fighting the gas tax war (and it’s not over)
How a teacher-turned-podcaster, a heterodox economist and a rugby player sparked a groundswell of discontent.
afr.com
Sales of some of Australia’s most popular diesel utes and four-wheel drives have fallen sharply as the continued spike in fuel prices prompted by the conflict in Iran pushed electric vehicle purchases to another new monthly record in April. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Diesel ute sales fall off a cliff as fuel prices bite
Electric vehicles made up one in every six cars sold in Australia in April as the Iran crisis drives a historic shift in Australia’s new car market.
afr.com
Households and businesses installed more rooftop solar power in March than in any other month on record as batteries and EVs inject new life into the solar market. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Australia’s home battery bonanza is fuelling a solar revival
Households and businesses installed more rooftop solar power in March than in any other month on record as batteries and EVs inject new life into the solar market.
afr.com
The dramatic and near-exponential rise of big and small batteries is diminishing the role of gas in Australia’s power grid – and lowering electricity prices. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Record battery growth is pushing power prices down
The dramatic and near-exponential rise of big and small batteries is diminishing the role of gas in Australia’s power grid – and lowering electricity prices.
afr.com
Taxpayers could fund up to $300 million in damages payments to three NSW wind farms if a major new electricity cable project is not completed on time. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Taxpayers wear $300 million risk of NSW green transition delay
The state government has struck a series of confidential deals with developers to boost the flagging rollout of clean power and help meet climate targets.
afr.com
The pressures of the global energy shock have forced Chris Bowen to withdraw from his first major engagement as the UN’s top climate negotiator. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
‘President’ Bowen cancels UN trip as oil fire reignites fuel crisis
The pressures of the global energy shock have forced Chris Bowen to withdraw from his first major engagement as the UN’s top climate negotiator.
afr.com
Mining giants Rio Tinto and Woodside each used more than 1 million carbon credits last year to meet obligations under Labor’s flagship emissions policy. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Mining companies gorge on carbon credits under Labor climate scheme
Mining giants Rio Tinto and Woodside each used more than 1 million carbon credits last year to meet obligations under Labor’s flagship emissions policy.
afr.com
A ‘she’ll be right’ attitude has left Australia’s fuel supply deeply exposed to global shocks. Reversing the problem will require tough decisions. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
The complacent country: How to avoid the next fuel crisis
A ‘she’ll be right’ attitude has left Australia’s fuel supply deeply exposed to global shocks. Reversing the problem will require tough decisions.
afr.com
Mining companies are urging the Albanese government to temporarily pause plans to review its flagship industrial emissions reduction policy and to prioritise energy and fuel security over climate targets, as the industry manages disruptions from the Iran war. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Pause emissions plans to focus on fuel crisis: miners
Mining industry groups have urged the government to delay a review of its flagship emissions reduction scheme amid turmoil in global energy markets.
afr.com
The Albanese government is considering placing temporary caps on the price of coal and gas to protect consumers from forecast power price spikes caused by the conflict in the Middle East. www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Labor considering coal and gas price caps to prevent bill spikes
As the crisis in Iran threatens to hit household power bills, the federal government is considering temporary caps on the price of coal and gas.
afr.com
Of the 39 power generation projects that have successfully bid into the Capacity Investment Scheme since December 2023 – which include solar, wind and solar-battery hybrids – only two have begun construction. Zero out of 15 windfarms. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Zero for 15: Labor’s flagship renewable scheme hits a standstill
None of the wind farms supported by the federal government’s key policy to boost the rollout of renewable energy have made a start on building.
afr.com
Western Australia has quietly launched a review of the state’s power grid operator, which could result in some of its independent functions being reined in. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
‘Too east-coast focused’: WA could overhaul AEMO’s role
Western Australia has quietly launched a review of the state’s power grid operator, which could result in some of its independent functions being reined in.
afr.com
Fears of a sustained rise in the price of petrol has already led to a surge in new electric vehicle inquiries, according to car dealers. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Fuel price fears set to light a rocket under EV sales
Fears of a sustained rise in the price of petrol has already led to a surge in new electric vehicle inquiries, according to car dealers.
afr.com
Dennis Richardson has resigned from the Bondi Royal Commission
The Albanese government is modelling changes to its generous home battery subsidy scheme that could have the $7 billion policy scaled back for the second time in six months as Labor casts a wide net in its search for ways to cut spending before the May budget. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Labor explores more changes to home battery rebate in cost-cutting push
If implemented, it would be the second tweak in six months as the government casts a wide net in its search for ways to cut spending before the May budget.
afr.com
Some of Australia’s biggest data centre operators have more than doubled their reported carbon emissions over the past five years, as the exponential growth of the sector leads to a major rise in demand on the power grid. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Data centre power emissions double over five years
Some of Australia’s top server space providers say big rises in their reported carbon output do not fully reflect their green energy aspirations.
afr.com
One of Australia’s top renewables developers has slashed around 30 staff from its key construction division as planning bottlenecks and rising costs continue to stifle investment growth in a sector critical to the Albanese government’s energy plans. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Renewables giant slashes jobs as transition pressures mount
One of Australia’s top renewables developers has cut staff from its key construction division, putting further pressure on Labor’s climate targets.
afr.com
In August 2024, one of Australia’s most controversial environmental groups launched a bold legal challenge to an Andrew Forrest-backed wind project in northern Queensland. Just more than 18 months and $600,000 later, the organisation – technically – no longer exists. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Anti-renewables group rebrands after racking up $600k legal bill
A legal stoush with a wind company backed by Andrew Forrest has bankrupted a controversial conservation group. But it’s campaign against renewables lives on.
afr.com
Industrial energy users are pushing the Victorian government to rethink its plan to replace the state’s ageing coal generators with large offshore wind farms, which they say could impose major costs to households and businesses compared to alternative options. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Businesses demand rethink of Victorian offshore wind plan
A top industry group says a failure to build renewables at pace and on budget in Victoria would impose a “terrible cost” to consumers and businesses.
afr.com
An empty field at an old coal-fired power station is all that remains of plans to build a high-tech battery manufacturing hub in Queensland. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
The vacant lot at the heart of Labor’s battery manufacturing dream
An empty field at an old coal-fired power station is all that remains of plans to build a high-tech battery manufacturing hub in Queensland.
afr.com
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli says his government’s plan to sweat coal plants and roll back other emissions reduction initiatives reflects the majority views of ordinary Australians and should be a model for other centre-right parties around the country. www.afr.com/policy/energ...
‘Not now or never’: Crisafulli spruiks Queensland climate slowdown
The Queensland premier says rapid cuts to the state’s carbon emissions would be “economic and environmental stupidity”.
afr.com
Queensland government coming in from the long run up on climate policy www.afr.com/policy/energ...
Queensland delays emissions plans by up to five years
A rollback of climate policies in Queensland could require other states to find as much as 9 per cent of new emissions reductions to meet federal targets.
afr.com
“every electron put into the grid arguably makes what is already there (including Loy Yang B) less attractive, so we’re relying on an investor to cut their own lunch.” www.afr.com/chanticleer/...
