Energy Insiders - a RenewEconomy Podcast

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Join RenewEconomy founder and editor Giles Parkinson and columnist and energy markets expert David Leitch as they discuss the week's main events - politics, solar and storage.

RenewEconomy


    • Jun 5, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 41m AVG DURATION
    • 399 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Energy Insiders - a RenewEconomy Podcast

    Dealing with the gas death spiral

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2025 49:18


    Former regulator Ron Ben David explains why no one wants to go near the gas network "death spiral" - and suggests a solution.

    Offshore wind gets ready for auction

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2025 61:17


    Charles Rattray, the head of Southerly Ten, explains the value of offshore wind as the industry heads towards its first Australian auction. Plus: What do Murray Watt and Anohni and the Johnsons have in common? Nothing, really.

    The path to ultra low cost solar

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 54:04


    Australian Renewable Energy Agency boss Darren Miller on the path to ultra low cost solar, grid forming inverters, V2G and green hydrogen. Plus: News of the week.

    "I just want energy to be boring."

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 55:00


    NSW energy minister Penny Sharpe on the challenges in transitioning Australia's biggest coal grid to renewables in 15 years. Plus: News of the week, and new leaders.

    Tilt hones in on wind and batteries

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 57:29


    Tilt Renewables CEO Anthony Fowler on plans for first giga-scale wind project in NSW, and its first battery projects. Plus: Election washup and NSW grid access rights.

    The view from inside the gas industry

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2025 56:23


    Gas industry veteran Rick Wilkinson from EnergyQuest on the state of play in the market. Plus: Spain's blackout and election day.

    China and green steel

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2025 58:59


    The ANU's Jorrit Gosens on China's thirst for green steel and the opportunities for Australia. Plus: News of the week and stranded wind and solar projects.

    Electric trucks and buses and the grid

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2025 54:06


    Zenobe's Gareth Ridge on providing electric trucks as a service, using old batteries and what the grid makes of it all. Plus: News of the week.

    Big leap forward for batteries on wheels

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 38:26


    Essential Energy COO Luke Jenner on a big leap forward for V2G, courtesy of an electric ute. Plus: LNP blows up renewables target as a coal plant blows up on them, and other news.

    Turbines and batteries: GE Vernova's plans to help electrify Australia

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2025 33:02


    One of the world's biggest energy suppliers has Australia in its sight as it seeks to help electrify the world. Jackie Brown and Aaron Scott explain what technologies are on the menu. This special episode is brought to you by GE Vernova.

    Solar and battery make better grid partners than wind

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 38:13


    Engie's Laura Caspari explains why batteries are paired better with solar than wind, and why data centre load could unlock more renewables. Plus: News of the week.

    A cheaper way to host wind and solar

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 59:36


    Ausgrid's Marc England explains why local networks are preparing their own ISP, and discussed batteries and tariffs. Plus: News of the week.

    The tipping point in solar and battery storage

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025 60:08


    Quinbrook's David Scaysbrook says the falling cost of solar and battery storage represents a tipping point for the energy industry. Plus: Big battery tender, gas and hydrogen news.

    Donald Trump's war on climate, energy and science

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 62:46


    Former US climate envoy Jonathan Pershing discusses Donald Trump's war on everything, including climate, energy, science and research, and Australia's energy choices. Plus: Rio Tinto's stunning choice of solar and batteries to save future of giant smelters.

    The low down on grid and EV batteries

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 50:06


    Battery expert Iola Hughes from Rho Motion on the latest trends, developments and date on grid and EV batteries. Plus: Quinbrook looks to 8-hour storage with big solar battery plans.

    Special Episode: Australia's green hydrogen hope

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 30:25


    Hydrogen Australia's David Cavanagh looks at the barriers and opportunities for Australia's green hydrogen industry, and the demand push from local and overseas industry. This special podcast episode is sponsored by Energy Exchange Australia.

    Market changes could come quickly

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 56:33


    Tim Nelson discusses some options being considered by the NEM market review panel, and why his home battery is front of mind. Plus: Big news for pumped hydro and falling storage costs.

    Why is the green energy transition made to sound so hard?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2025 56:42


    Climate 200's Simon Holmes a Court on the upcoming election, the role of independents, lessons from Trump, the nuclear boosters, and why we made the energy transition sound too hard.

    Are renewables back on track?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 52:38


    New data suggests renewable connections, commitments and commissioning are getting back to where they need to be to meet 2030 targets. CEC's Kane Thornton explains. Plus: AGL and Origin's big bets on batteries.

    Energy industry gets ready for election

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025 47:48


    John Grimes from the Smart Energy Council discusses what's on agenda ahead of federal poll, and as SEC celebrates its 70th anniversary. Plus: Energy news of the week.

    "I don't know if we can adapt”

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2025 56:30


    WMO's climate and energy lead Roberta Boscolo on the latest climate report, the 1.55°C average temperature rise and heating oceans. Plus: A wrap of the news in our first podcast of 2025.

    Chris Bowen on renewables, emissions, EVs, and nuclear

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2024 51:02


    In our last episode of the year, federal energy and climate minister Chris Bowen joins us to discuss the CIS, climate targets, EVs, the agenda for 2025, and the Coalition's nuclear plan.

    Dutton's high stakes, low sense nuclear plan

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2024 28:55


    In this episode we take a quick look at the Coalition's nuclear plan and its costings. Not much of it makes sense. Plus: The other news of the week.

    CSIRO slaps down Coalition nuclear power play

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2024 35:44


    CSIRO's Paul Graham on the findings of the latest GenCost report, which proves yet again that integrated renewables are by far the lowest cost option, even after responding to all the Coalition complaints about its modelling methods.

    Solar is not the enemy

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024 46:38


    Solar researchers held their annual conference in Sydney this week, with the focus on improved efficiency, grid integration, recycling and social equity. Monash University's Roger Dargaville explains. Plus: News of the week.

    Getting the best out of the grid

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2024 56:28


    Energy expert Gabrielle Kuiper on getting the best out of distributed energy resources in the new market design and as coal exits the grid. Plus, news of the week.

    Changing the rules of the energy game

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 60:23


    The rules of Australia's main electricity grid are constantly changing. Should they be completely rewritten? AEMC commissioner Tim Jordan discusses the state of play. Plus: News of the week.

    Why batteries on wheels will be the next big thing

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2024 54:46


    V2G technology, turning EVs into batteries on wheels, will be big – for drivers, households and the grid. Jon Sibley from enX explains why. Plus: News of the week.

    Trump is back, and the frog is still boiling

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2024 47:38


    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.

    How to replace gas

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024 55:26


    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.

    energy productivity australian alliance
    From zero to renewable hero in 20 years

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 47:46


    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.

    The trouble with markets

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2024 60:41


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

    A spring full of renewable and battery records

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2024 44:46


    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.

    Even hydro is moving beyond baseload

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2024 59:46


    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.

    How to get demand response out of the grid

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 46:14


    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.

    The end of baseload

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 51:02


    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.

    Rent-seeking and net zero

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2024 52:28


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

    The rapidly changing climate

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2024 54:58


    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.

    Should networks be more than poles and wires?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 60:04


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

    The search for equity

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2024 62:34


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

    Managing the trauma of grid expansion

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024 56:17


    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.

    A civil war over renewables?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2024 78:33


    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.

    Here comes the sun

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2024 59:29


    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.

    The extraordinary solar and battery boom in the Texas oil state

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 62:08


    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.

    Ted, Chris, nuclear and long term storage

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2024 45:34


    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.

    The problem with higher costs and longer delays

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2024 54:21


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

    Batteries on wheels are coming

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2024 51:55


    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.

    China rules on EVs, solar, everything

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2024 51:56


    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.

    Homes, electric cars and the grid

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2024 56:53


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

    The rapidly changing grid

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2024 49:27


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

    Is there a problem with renewables?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2024 43:16


    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.

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