Florence Riviere’s Post

UK urged to build on clean energy investment as competition heats up #renewables #climate #cleanenergy #emergingrisks #energyinvestment #energy https://lnkd.in/egV4QcaX

This stark new publication from UKSIF really underlines the need for the UK to create an attractive environment for low-carbon investment. As clearly stated by James Alexander in the piece below, we're in a highly-competitive global race for green investment, and there are no excuses for not acting now to secure it. A supportive policy environment will ultimately accelerate our transition to #netzero, significantly bolster energy security at a time of geopolitical uncertainty, and drive economic growth. Reforming the planning system to ensure it supports the development of the power grid and related critical infrastructure, and enhancing existing mechanisms to develop renewables, is vital to get on track. Coming off the back of recent findings from RenewableUK on green investment, there's a clear message from industry and investors. This is an opportunity to set out a positive vision and future direction for the UK economy. At a time of economic stagnation and wider global uncertainty, we must take it. Businesses are firmly on board with delivering emissions reductions, they recognise the immense economic opportunity, supportive policy must follow or we risk being left behind. https://lnkd.in/e_7M9Tet edie

Energy leaders want policymakers to manage the transition to Net Zero by encouraging £200 billion of private investment across the sector. A “homegrown” energy transition built on private sector investment could power the UK’s journey to net zero if private investment conditions are right. The Office for Budget Responsibility says net zero will cost the UK £1.4 trillion and the lion’s share must come from industry. OEUK says its manifesto shows how this investment can be unlocked by policymakers. https://lnkd.in/eqkargXz #energy #utilities #energytransition #energyinvestment

Ramaphosa: Just energy transition will need R1.7 trillion: The Just Energy Transition Investment Plan for the five years 2023 to 2027 will need $98 billion (R1.7 trillion), if South Africa is to achieve its decarbonisation commitments by 2050, president Cyril Ramaphosa said.  Ramaphosa was speaking at the Climate Resilience Symposium in Pretoria on Monday where he said the plan would drive huge investments in the electricity grid, electric vehicles, economic diversification and skills development.  The Just Energy Transition Implementation Plan, which was approved by the cabinet last year, will guide South Africa’s transition to a low-carbon economy through the scaling up of renewable energy sources and reducing reliance on coal. The president said climate change is as much an economic issue as it is a scientific, human rights and a developmental issue because it has a direct and material effect across the economy. “Disruptions caused by climate change increase the costs of doing business, undermine competitiveness and also dampen prospects for increased employment. They result in lower tax revenue and increased expenditure on disaster relief,” Ramaphosa said.  The treasury, along with the Presidential Climate Commission, is to launch the Just Transition Financing Mechanism report at the three-day symposium. It will outline the financing of the energy transition and how the money will be raised.  “Climate finance is also crucial for our transition. We need substantial investments to build sustainable infrastructure, to develop green technologies and support social programmes,” Ramaphosa said.  According to the African Development Bank, just transition finance is different from climate finance. Climate finance relates to funding climate action, steps that can be taken to fight climate change, and is not specifically designed to consider the goal of leaving no one behind and financing the effects of decarbonising activities on vulnerable workers and communities.  A just transition finance approach must seek opportunities to connect green assets — which help to reduce energy, water and natural resource use — with positive social outcomes and the effects on workers and communities. The president announced that the Just Energy Transition Funding Platform would be launched in the next few months. According to the implementation plan, the purpose of the platform is to be a matchmaker between suppliers of grant funding and potential beneficiaries; to provide support for project originators to help them prepare plans and apply for grants and to provide the public with transparent data and analysis on the allocation of grant funds to projects. The president said the funding platform would be an important precursor to a broader Just Transition Financing Mechanism.  “We call on South African business to invest in the projects needed for a successful just transition in this…

🚀 Exciting News Alert! 🚀 Last night, new funding initiatives were announced for the Critical Mineral sector. 💰 Join us at the Australian Critical Minerals Summit on May 29-30, 2024, to engage with government and industry leaders who will break down, analyse and discuss the future of critical minerals in Australia and what the Government’s plan means for the sector going forward, including: 🎤The Hon. Scott Stewart MP, Minister for Resources and Critical Minerals, Queensland Government, and Hon. Mark Monaghan, Northern Territory Government on the state of play for Australia’s critical minerals future. 🎤Darryl Cuzzubbo, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Arafura Rare Earths on maximising critical minerals opportunities 🎤Sam McLean, Senior Manager, Business Development and Policy, Tesla on taking advantage of Australia’s battery opportunity Timely and interactive panel discussions on leveraging government support to accelerate growth in the critical minerals sector, and navigating the challenges of the recent market downturn for energy-transition metals featuring 🎤 Jennifer Hsu - Assistant Manager, Indo-Pacific Engagement - Critical Minerals Office, Australian Department of Industry, Science, and Resources 🎤Chris Vernon - Critical Minerals Leader, Green Minerals Technologies Leader, CSIRO 🎤Tim Buckley - Director, Climate Energy Finance, Dr Helen Degeling, Project Acquisition Manager, Cobalt Blue Holding 🎤Xuanyu Yang, Trade and Investment Queensland, Trade and Investment Queensland and MORE! Don't miss out on these transformative discussions. Message me to secure your spot! 🌟 #CriticalMinerals #Summit #FundingInitiatives #Opportunities #TransformativeDiscussions #FutureMadeinAustralia

The ~A$23b Future Made in Australia (FMIA) initiative is a centrepiece of the 2024/25 Federal Budget for Australia, announced yesterday. Aimed at accelerating Australia’s #netzero transformation while building a domestic clean energy supply chain, this is a timely investment in technologies and solutions which will help to power Australia’s decarbonised future. With a team straddling both the US and Australia, at Wollemi we’re uniquely positioned to see firsthand both the transformative effect of legislative reform such as the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act – which has supercharged key areas of the US’s energy transition and is helping to bring a broader array of emerging climate solutions to commercial viability – and the vast potential of Australia’s own #climatetech ecosystem and green economy. The transformation of Australia’s economy in pursuit of our emissions reduction obligations and to meet the demands of our changing climate remains a huge and urgent challenge. FMIA is a welcome step forward on that journey.

The antipodeans Sir Ernest Rutherford "father of nuclear physics" and Sir Mark Oliphant, "Opposer of the fission bomb" were the first experimental demonstrators of nuclear fusion. Why then are the Australian Government and the Federal Opposition not working to get it developed in Australia and bring it back home? New Zealand has, so why not Australia? Interesting articles about Nuclear and I know you haven't looked at Fusion. So let's look at the nuclear or Fission option versus Fusion 1. Fission (Nuclear) Not able to be licenced. https://lnkd.in/gbm2t5uU 2. Authorities have the power to grant licenses for fusion, which is not explicitly covered by the Nuclear Act or the ARPANSA definition. https://lnkd.in/gjKFABpy The above ARPANSA link defines nuclear as fission—no mention of Fusion. 3. A fission (Nuclear)reactor without fissile fuel is a building. 4. A fusion reactor without fissile fuel is a fusion reactor building 5, Fissile (Nuclear) fuel availability and the future cost is a concern, especially for economists and users Dittmar, M. (2011). The End of Cheap Uranium. ArXiv. /abs/1106.3617 Even the UN has identified this, so why does the Fission(Nuclear) industry persist in denying its death like fossil fuels https://lnkd.in/gze5rwpr 6. Should the focus in Australia be on nuclear fission advancement or the promotion of fusion technology? 7, Fission (Nuclear) is only at present in 39 countries out of 189. 8. Is Dutton doing a Menzies and wanting a loophole to get fission (Nuclear) weapons to start with for the subs? 9. Australia still has no high-level radiation waste storage facility 10. Helion Fusion has committed to having its fusion version working in 2028 11. The FIA (Fusion Industry Association) has postulated that commercial power fusion will be available in the 2030s. 12. In its fusion conference report in 2023, the IAEA postulated that all International nuclear (Fission) Laws like the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty do not consider fusion, so it seems it can be built in Australia now. 13. Fusion is also being developed "Small Modular Fusion Reactors" like Zap Energy and Avalanche Energy. 14. HB11 and the UNSW Tokamak project have positioned Australia prominently in the trillion-dollar international fusion industry. Instead of relying on fission with a limited lifetime, wouldn't it be preferable to support Australian renewables, batteries, and hydrogen energy generators and back them up with a fusion power plant? This would eliminate the traditional waste problem while still providing medical isotopes and advancements in medical technology like MRIs. Let's focus on creating a sustainable future for Australia instead of perpetuating pollution and leading to an energy crisis. https://lnkd.in/ekakyifA

We welcome the Australian Government's 2024 budget commitment to initiatives that will help power Australia with cheaper, cleaner, more reliable energy https://lnkd.in/g9RucGkJ This correlates with our what our energy storage technology can deliver; clean heat and power for a more sustainable planet. We're working to provide this through our silicon-based thermal energy storage technology – SiBrick®, which safely and efficiently stores renewable electricity as latent heat. PLUS we're commercialising a number of products to help decarbonise high-temperature-reliant industries. Industries reliant on high-temperature heat have no commercial options to stop the use of fossil fuels – but global climate ambitions demand a solution. Learn more about what we do: https://lnkd.in/g6XprqpQ #Budget2024 #decarbonisation #netzero #energytransition

Australia’s 2024-25 Federal Budget (Budget) showcases the significance that the Resources and Energy sectors continue to play in the economy, and in most instances, pairs our national ambition with investment. Some highlights from the Budget are set out below. • $18.1 million over six years, to fund the rapid pursuit of the green metals industry, including consultation to incentivise support for local production of green iron, steel, alumina and aluminium. • A $1.2 billion investment for critical minerals projects, largely in the form of loans. • Over the next 10 years, a $566 million commitment to improve geoscientific research, to fund the creation of a comprehensive map of the nation’s subsurface and seabed resources, and to map sites for clean hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCS). • Robust investments will be deployed to supercharge hydrogen development, including: $2 billion to expand the Hydrogen Headstart program; over the next decade, $6.7 billion for a Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive for renewable hydrogen produced from 2027; $1.7 billion for the new Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund to support innovation, commercialisation, pilot and demonstration projects, and early stage development of renewable hydrogen, green metals, low carbon liquid fuels and clean energy technology manufacturing; and $1.9 billion to recharge Australia’s Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENAs) current programs and to fund the $523 million Battery Breakthrough Initiative and $835 Solar Sunshot Program. • Continued investment of $48 million to reform the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme, which presents opportunities to increase employment and First Nations participation. • From 2024-2025, $17.1 million over four years, to deliver the 2024 National Hydrogen Strategy including hydrogen infrastructure planning, social license and industry safety training and regulation. • $32.2 million for the first phase of the Guarantee of Origin Scheme, which focuses on renewable hydrogen in 2024-25, and subsequently, expands into green metals and low-carbon liquid fuels. Additionally, $20.9 million over four years from 2024-2025, for further consultation on incentives to support the production and demand of low-carbon liquid fuels, including development of a Guarantee of Origin Scheme. • A $399.1 million commitment for the Net Zero Economy Authority, which supports local net zero transformation for private and public investment, major project development, employment transition, and skills and community development. • A $505.9 million commitment, supported by up to $2 billion dollars in loans, equity and insurance for the Southeast Asia Economic Strategy, to 2040. The Budget is laced with good news – however, action is still needed to ease environmental approval uncertainties – to leverage the value of the new investments. Source: Australian Government – Federal Treasury.