Energy Insiders - a RenewEconomy Podcast

Donald Trump is back. Richie Merzian from the CEIG joins the podcast to discuss the likely impact on climate efforts, COP29, and the outlook in Australia as its big renewable tender is accelerated.

The gas industry says we need more of the fossil fuel to prosper. Jarrod Leak, from the Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity, says that’s not true, and there are alternatives. Plus: News of the week.

Simon Emms from transmission company Electranet explains how the state has moved so quickly towards 100 per cent net renewables, and why so much industry wants to plug in. Plus: All Energy buzzes while gas lobby bleats.

Ric Brazzale from Green Energy Markets discusses what’s happening in key markets for renewables, emissions, efficiency and electrification. Plus, news of the week.

Renewable records continue to tumble, while a big battery helps solve one of the grid's main challenges. Julius Susanto from Ampere Labs joins us to explain. Plus: Lots of big wind stories.

Retiring Hydro Tasmania CEO Ian Brooksbank reflects on the changing nature of grids, the role of hydro, Battery of the Nation and building wind farms in the right place. Plus: Shutting down coal.

Carl Hutchinson, the country manager of Enel X, on the difficulties of getting demand response on Australia’s main grid, despite its obvious benefits. Plus: News of the week.

AEMO chief executive Daniel Westerman explains why Australia is shifting from the old paradigm of "baseload" power, and why he still wants spinning machines. Plus: News of the week.

Matt Kean on being a private citizen, duelling with Barnaby, rent-seeking on Eraring and pathways to net zero.

Climate expert Lesley Hughes on the recent weather extremes and the impact on biodiversity, and people. Plus: News of the week including the first big CIS tender.

ENA chief executive Dominique van den Berg on the hotly contested role that networks can play in distributed resources. Plus, news of the week.

NAB's Andrew Smith on the challenges of raising equity for Australia's renewable energy transition. Plus: News of the week.

VicGrid CEO Alastair Parker has a job some would not envy, managing the planning of transmission lines and renewable zones in the state of Victoria. He joins the podcast to talk about transmission routes, battery storage, the option of going underground, and where things went wrong on social licence. Plus, the news of the week including windfall profits for all the big utilities.

Rebecca Colvin from ANU and John Cole from University of Southern Queensland and their takes on obtaining social licence for energy projects, and the lessons from King Island and CSG. Plus, news of the week.

Andy McCarthy on setting up a solar business in the heart of coal country more than a decade ago, when a 1 kW system cost $8,000. And what the industry can learn from that as it struggles for social licence. Plus: News of the week including high prices and farmers walking away from wind.

Doug Lewin, from the Energy Capital podcast in Texas, explains how a massive storm triggered unprecedented investment in solar and storage in the oil state. Plus: News of the week.

What we learned from Ted O'Brien, Chris Bowen and everyone else at the CEC summit. Plus: Hydrostor's Jon Norman on why advanced compressed air storage is beating pumped hydro, and why even nuclear needs lots of storage.

Contractors and developers are struggling with higher costs and projects delays. Matt Rennie joins us to discuss the issue. Plus: News of the week.

Amber Electric’s Chris Thompson on new push to have EVs use their batteries on wheels to support homes and the grid, and play utilities at their own market game. Plus: News of the week.

John Grimes from the Smart Energy Council on China's robo-taxis, and its lead on battery, EVs, solar and hydrogen. Plus: The ISP, Matt Kean and nuclear.

Evergen’s Ben Hutt on optimising solar, batteries, and the race to electrification. Plus: News of the week and the nuclear fallout.

Energy expert Alex Wonhas on designing the new grid, generation choices and using batteries to boost the network. Plus, news of the week.

Do communities trust developers? Do people believe renewables will do the job? Zen Energy's Paul Sheridan on the surprising results of a new survey. Plus: News of the week.

DNV's Peerapat Vithayasrichare discusses the Asean super grid idea. Plus: Is it time to rethink long term storage needs?

Is the Eraring coal extension a good deal? Plus: Kane Thornton from the Clean Energy Council discusses GenCost, AEMO, CIS, Made in Australia and what the US is up to.

Transgrid CEO Brett Redman on new projects, delays, costs and social licence. Plus: The federal budget and even bigger batteries.

Hysata's Paul Barrett on the electrolyser tech's record fund raising. Plus: Labor's gas strategy, NSW's sky high prices, and Origin hollers a Marshall.

Victoria energy minister Lily D'Ambrosio on the first offshore project studies, the SEC, and getting a fair share of the Capacity Investment Scheme. Plus: Eraring's future and big batteries take centre stage.

Energy minister Chris Bowen discusses the capacity investment scheme, the Eraring closure, social licence, planning approvals, long duration storage, and why the Coalition’s nuclear plan does not stack up.

Bridget McIntosh from EnergyLab on South-east Asia's energy transition and the role being played by Australian experts. Plus: Battery storage gets really big.

China is the dominant force in solar, wind, battery storage and EVs, and the world’s biggest polluter. China expert Lauri Myllyvirta lifts the lid. Plus: Labor’s Made in Australia plan, and lots of storage news.

TS Conductor CEO Jason Huang on reducing line losses for renewables and storage. Plus: All the news of the week.

Can Alice Springs switch off fossil fuels in the middle of the day? Lyndon Frearson from Ekistica on the options and lessons for the NEM. Plus: Eraring and NVES.

Monash Uni’s Yolande Strengers and Kari Dahlgren on one of the big challenges of the energy transition - trust. Plus, all the news of the week in this nuclear free podcast.

Rio Tinto’s Vik Selvaraja on why Australia’s biggest smelters - and biggest single energy consumers - are choosing wind and solar. Plus: Coalition’s nuclear nonsense.

EnergyAustralia CEO Mark Collette on coal as a reserve asset, the uncertainty of Yallourn, the challenge of green hydrogen, and just managing the transition.

GE global wind boss Steve Swift on landmark supply deal with Andrew Forrest. Plus: Rio Tinto plans Australia’s biggest wind farm to power smelters. And Littleproud’s Barnaby moment.

We talk to three industry experts on offshore wind as part of the Locking in the Green Energy Transition podcast series sponsored by Norton Rose Fulbright.

Daan Walter from RMI on the phenomenal growth of battery storage. Plus: Victoria blackouts, Eraring, and the rabble against renewables.

Dylan McConnell discusses the benefits of the Capacity Investment Scheme, its impact on prices and how the market should pay for spilled energy.

Berkeley Earth’s Robert Rohde discusses the latest climate science and whether even 2°C is achievable. Plus: All the renewable and storage news from the first few weeks of 2024.

AEMO’s head of system design Merryn York on the draft 2024 Integrated System Plan. Plus: The big NSW tender, and battery storage everywhere. And a few tips for 2024.

Baringa’s Anne Bailey talks about the Capacity Investment Mechanism and what’s needed to make it work. Plus: AEMO’s 2024 ISP, the COP28 results, and energy ministers and coal plants.

Vic SEC boss Chris Miller on the state-owned corporation’s first big battery play, and what’s next. Plus: All the news of the week.

Macquarie marches in to Australian renewables by RenewEconomy

Kate Muller from Norton Rose Fulbright talks with Habitat’s Ben Irons and colleague Nick Abrahams on the role AI will play in a grid making switch from spinning machines to inverter-based tech.

Brad Hopkins, from AEMO Services, discusses the successful battery storage tender in NSW that could serve as a blueprint for Chris Bowen's massive 32 GW capacity scheme.

Confusing new wind guidelines in NSW as coal state runs short of spinning machines. Plus: Origin battle intensifies as Tesla throws down energy gauntlet

Genex is succeeding where others feared to tread, with a new big battery, the first pumped hydro project in four decades, and massive wind, solar and storage plans. CEO Craig Francis explains how.

Ivor Frischknecht, now head of Sosteneo, talks about the new battery that signals the end of the need for spinning machines, and a clear path to 100 per cent renewables. Plus: All Energy and Joyce.

State energy minister Tom Koutsantonis discusses green hydrogen plan, filling the "gap" on renewables, transmission, storage and prices.

Methane expert Peter Rayner on Australia’s potent climate problem, and a solution. Plus: Origin’s black hole, Genex deals and big battery bids.

We talk to three people in regional Australia dealing with renewable and transmission projects about the issue of social licence. Plus: Brookfield’s big win.

We talk to Caroline Wykamp and Prajit Parameswar from Marinus Link. Plus: Spring renewables surge delivers low prices, new records, and a push for more storage.

Katherine Woodthorpe, from the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, on why Australia should fast-track its net zero ambitions. Plus: The nuclear debate and renewable records.

Jai Thomas, the co-ordinator of energy in Western Australia, on that state’s massive renewable plans, the end of baseload, and the rise of big batteries. Plus: News of the week.

NSW energy minister Penny Sharpe discusses Eraring closure, fast tracking renewables and consumer equity: Plus, Marinus blow out and Queensland green hydrogen plans.

Essential Energy CEO John Cleland says distributed networks can accelerate the switch to renewables. And he discusses cultural change, rooftop solar and EVs.

EnergyAustralia boss Mark Collette on how he will make sure the company’s last coal generator will not get in the way of the renewable transition, and why he went electric.

Tom Geiser from Rondo Energy puts the case for heat batteries and their role in hard to abate sectors. Plus: Coal giants get a taxpayer funded lifeline.

Behavioural scientist John Pickering on the challenges of getting social licence for wind, solar, battery and transmission projects. Plus: What’s big coal up to?

Energy commentator David Roberts on Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, partisan politics and some exciting new technologies. Plus: This week’s major news.

Luke Osborne from Stride Renewables on the happy marriage of farming, solar and battery storage, and why community outreach works.

Anna Skarbek from Cimateworks on why renewables will play central role in getting big industry to net zero. First, the grid. Plus: Big battery boom.

Pollination’s Rob Grant and Balinggarra’s Cissy Gore-Birch on landmark green hydrogen project around Ord River. Plus: To close or not to close coal.

Federal climate and energy minister Chris Bowen defends targets as ambitious and achievable, as he prepares to announce Hunter offshore wind zone and roll out capacity mechanism and fuel efficiency standards.

Kimberley Reid from Monash Uni talks about the temperature records being smashed this past week. Plus: Project delays and a new hydrogen strategy.

BlackRock’s Charlie Reid on the fund manager’s big plans for Australia, and Allegro’s Thomas Nann on the innovative 12-hour flow battery that Origin is trialling.

Alan Finkel on Australia’s potential to emerge as an “electro-state” with its wind and solar resources, and his Powering Up book. Plus: More big battery deals.

We talk to Daniel Burrows from Eku Energy on new Hazelwood battery, the first at a coal generator, and the first to be wholly privately funded. Plus: AGL’s incrementalism and Queensland’s deep storage plunge.

Stephanie Bashir from Nexa Advisory on why setting a firm target of 1.5°C for the electricity grid would help solve regulatory and other blockages to new renewables. Plus: News of the week.

James Hay and Andrew Kingsmill from EnergyCo discuss the infrastructure roadmap towards 100% renewables. Plus: Sun Cable, Callide and more news.

Clean Energy Council’s Christiaan Zuur on the work being done to cut delays and costs for grid connections. Plus: NSW releases roadmap to coal-free grid.

Transmission links are front and centre of the energy debate, but Enphase co-founder Raghu Belur says more focus should be on what is consumed and produced at home.

William Todts, the head of Transport and Environment, on the accelerating EV transition in Europe. Plus: Australia to have a new biggest battery.

Brad Hopkins from AEMO Services discusses the stunning results of the first NSW generation and storage tender, and what it means for the market.

Louis de Sambucy, the head of Neoen in Australia, on why wind, solar and battery projects are getting bigger and more complex.

Former competition czar Rod Sims emerges as chair of Superpower Institute, promoting Australia’s low cost green energy opportunity, and fighting the info war. Plus: Big battery boom.

Dave Jones from Ember Climate on new study that shows fossil fuel generation will finally peak this year. Plus: Macquarie makes its mark on battery market.

Energy Efficiency Council's Rob Murray-Leach on landmark report on new ways of thinking about the grid. Meanwhile, new NSW energy minister worries about lights going out.

Corio CEO Jonathan Cole on big turbines and even bigger offshore wind plans. Plus. Matt Kean and busted coal.

Powerlink’s Paul Simshauser on how the Sunshine state will transform into a renewables powerhouse for the grid. Plus: Safeguards and the IPCC.

Acen Australia CEO Anton Rohner talks solar and storage after opening Australia’s biggest solar farm, and the controversy over Tasmania wind project.

Neara’s Jack Curtis on the new software that reveals how networks have double the capacity to host renewables and storage.

Vast Solar’s Craig Wood on why concentrated solar power can finally have its day in the sun, plus its Port Augusta project and NY listing plans.

Professor Andrew Blakers, one of the team awarded "Nobel prize" of engineering, and how solar will eliminate fossil fuels, and Australian's leading role in that transition.

Sam Crafter dealt with technology skeptics when he led the task force for the Tesla Big Battery. Now he's doing it again as head of South Australia's hydrogen office.

In the final part of our Energy Transformed podcast series we look at Victoria’s ground-breaking path from brown coal to green energy, and the role that the new public utility will play in the transition. Kylie Lane, a partner at Ashurst who specialises in mergers and acquisitions and the energy sector, talks to Lily D’Ambrosio, Victoria’s Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change.

Lithium analyst Rodney Hooper on supply and demand for key battery metal. Plus: Solar has killed coal, but can it kill gas?

Federal Energy and Climate Minister Chris Bowen discusses the stream of new announcements in the last month, and what’s in store for 2023.

AEMO’s head of system design Merryn York on the engineering roadmap to 100 per cent renewables. Plus: The gas price cap debate.

Squadron Energy CEO Eva Hanly discusses Squadron Energy’s surprise $4 billion plus purchase of CWP. Plus: Energy ministers come up with a storage plan.

Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act has big implications for the green energy transition in the US and abroad, delivering ultra low cost wind and solar. Ben Haley from Evolved Energy tells us how and why.

Australia’s carbon capital has a 10-year plan to transition to clean energy. Next Economy’s Amanda Cahill, who helped guide the Gladstone council, explains how and why.

Why Australia might still be facing a carbon border tax in EU. Matthias Buck from Agora Energiewende explains

Brookfield’s head of renewables Luke Edwards discusses the surprise bid for Origin Energy. Plus: Tesla margins deliver wake up call to Toyota.

In another week of fast moving events, we look at Neoen’s new “baseload” wind and battery deal, the relaunch of solar tiles, and an interview with the man behind electric Tuk Tuks for last mile deliveries in Australia.

Danish giant Ørsted is looking for a major play in Australia’s offshore wind industry, as well as onshore wind, solar and Power-to-X. Asia Pacific boss Per Kristensen explains why.

Energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio on Victoria’s ambitious switch to renewables and coal exit. Plus: Labor’s Rewiring the Nation and a multitude of new wind and storage projects.