Labor’s renewable target is much more ambitious than it seems. We need the best bang-for-buck policy responses

By Bruce Mountain, Victoria University Earlier today, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gave his first major climate change speech, touting Australia’s future as a renewable superpower and promising Labor’s ambitious new renewable target would “unlock $52 billion of private sector investment.” This follows Labor’s pre-election commitment to cut Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by 43% below 2005…

Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

CSIRO provides $1 million to new manufacturing cybersecurity program A Swinburne-led program has received more than $1 million from CSIRO’s Data 61 to build cybersecurity and digital transformation skills in the next generation of manufacturing professionals. The CSIRO funding came through its Building National Cybersecurity Capabilities for Digital Transformation in Manufacturing program, which is designed…

Australia plans to be a big green hydrogen exporter to Asian markets – but they don’t need it

The government aims to create a major green hydrogen export industry, particularly to Japan, for which Australia signed an export deal in January. But as our latest research suggests, the likely scale may well be overstated. We show Japan has more than enough solar and wind energy to be self-sufficient in energy, and does not need to import either fossil fuels or Australian green hydrogen. Indeed, Australia as a “renewable energy superpower” is far from a sure thing.

New SA government aims for hydrogen leadership

By Peter Roberts Having previously led the world with the installation of the world-first Hornsdale big battery, the incoming Labor government in South Australia plans to do the same with the construction of a state-owned hydrogen electrolyser and green hydrogen-fired power station at Whyalla. Costed at $593 million, the 250 MWe electrolysers, 200MW power station…