Power-hungry data centres are booming in Australia. Can the grid cope?
An explosion in the number of data centres in Melbourne and Sydney, which will use vast amounts of electricity, is looming as a new test for the grid.
- by Nick Toscano
Latest
The dirty secret of Australia’s green energy transition
Renewable energy, storage and transmission lines will get Australia most of the way to banishing coal from the grid. But not the whole way, officials warn.
- by Nick Toscano and Mike Foley
East coast gas crisis to hit sooner than expected: ACCC
The competition watchdog says major new supplies needed by 2027 to stop homes and businesses running short.
- by Mike Foley and Nick Toscano
Updated
Mergers & acquisitions
Santos shares jump on report Middle Eastern giants are weighing up takeover bids
Saudi Aramco and Abu Dhabi National Oil have reportedly been separately studying potential bids for Australia’s $25 billion energy giant Santos.
- by Nick Toscano
Australia exports gas. Are we going to import it too?
Experts say time has run out to develop new sources of supply to avert crippling shortages on the east coast.
- by Mike Foley and Nick Toscano
How a second Trump term could hurt Australia
There are fears that a second Trump presidency could slow the rollout of electric cars and renewables, softening demand for Australia’s critical minerals.
- by Nick Toscano
Gas plant building boom to fuel renewable revolution, says energy grid chief
Many new gas power plants will be needed to back up renewables, despite warnings that gas supplies are running out on the East Coast.
- by Mike Foley and Nick Toscano
Nuclear option ‘not enough’ to avoid rush for more wind and solar
Research group Bloomberg New Energy Finance says seven reactors would reduce the need for renewables by just a small percentage.
- by Nick Toscano
Government’s clean power shift not happening fast enough, says grid operator
The energy market operator has warned not enough renewable energy generators, batteries and transmission lines are being built in time to replace coal-fired energy.
- by Mike Foley and Nick Toscano
AGL coal sites to house green manufacturing, not nuclear
Australia’s largest power supplier is moving ahead with its plans to turn its old coal sites into low-carbon industrial energy hubs, despite Peter Dutton’s push for them to host nuclear.
- by Nick Toscano
Dutton’s energy war spooks global investors
Major investors are already rethinking plans to keep ploughing billions of dollars into Australian renewable energy.
- by Nick Toscano, Mike Foley and Paul Sakkal