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Reposted by Keira Wright

Paige Vega @paigeblank.bsky.social · 5d

The surging price tag of wildfires, in one chart

Wildfires are getting worse — and a lot more expensive for the rest of us.

Umair Irfan for @vox.com: www.vox.com/climate/4635...

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Reposted by Keira Wright

Bloomberg News @bloomberg.com · 7d

The US government is shutting down, with agencies activating contingency plans that sideline hundreds of thousands of federal workers and halt a wide range of services.

See how key agencies will be affected: bloom.bg/46GXLsJ

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 7d

Hard to say. The big difference is that Gladstone mainly powers the Boyne aluminum smelter, & it sounds like the closure is tied to that contract expiring. Yallourn/Eraring are privately owned, so linked to wholesale prices. IE early closure could risk electricity price volatility, blackouts etc

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 7d

#NEWS | One of Australia’s biggest coal-fired power plants is set to close six years earlier than expected.

Gladstone, which accounts for >7% of Aus' coal-generation capacity, is expected to retire in 2029 instead of 2035.

Its closure will mean ~4 million mt less coal being burned each year.

Major Australian Coal-Fired Station Gladstone Set to Close Six Years Early

One of Australia’s biggest coal-fired power plants is set to close six years earlier than previously announced.

www.bloomberg.com

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 15d

This was an interesting interview and story to write.

Nuveen's Global Head of Clean Energy also told me he expects to commit more capital locally over the next three years, with onshore wind among the potential opportunities.

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Reposted by Keira Wright

Akshat Rathi @akshatrathi.bsky.social · 16d

"An Orsted-backed wind farm venture off the Rhode Island coast can resume construction during a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s stop-work order." Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Orsted Venture Wins Court Ruling to Restart Work on Wind Farm

An Orsted A/S-backed wind farm venture off the Rhode Island coast can resume construction during a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s stop-work order on the multibillion dollar project, a ...

www.bloomberg.com

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 15d

#SCOOP | American asset manager Nuveen plans to spend as much as A$500 million on a solar and battery project in Australia within the next year, as political uncertainty clouds the outlook for clean energy in the US. It will be the firm’s first green-energy investment in Australia. #Energynews ⚡

Nuveen Plans $330 Million Australian Solar-Battery Project as It Shifts Focus From US

American asset manager Nuveen LLC plans to spend as much as A$500 million ($330 million) on a solar and battery project in Australia within the next year, as political uncertainty clouds the outlook f...

www.bloomberg.com

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 15d

This has helped us very quickly jump into the world's top five big battery markets, after being a laggard for a very long time. But batteries are certainly booming elsewhere too, because they are crucial to the transition (and usually quite profitable)

Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 15d

A large part of why Aus is having a battery boom is because we have the highest per capita rooftop solar in the world, which in turn has made our power market incredibly volatile. Higher volatility = more profits for batteries, because they can buy when prices are low and sell high.

Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 15d

It's certainly a large range! I would be very surprised if we overshoot or update the target given Australia's ongoing economic reliance on fossil fuels

Reposted by Keira Wright

Conrad Hackett @conradhackett.bsky.social · 16d

Time for the world to install a gigawatt of solar power capacity
2004: A year
2010: ~ a month
2015: ~ a week
Now: < A day
ourworldindata.org/data-insight... 🧪

Line chart showing that there's been a rapid escalation in how quickly the world installs a gigawatt of solar power capacity.

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 16d

Yeah. The wild thing is that back in the day it was actually seen as being a 'green' solution. It was sometimes made out of recycled materials, and didn't need to be watered. This meant that it was installed pretty widely during the Millennium Drought

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 16d

Australia’s battery boom is getting even bigger.
⚡ Latest tender under Capacity Investment Scheme awarded contracts for 4.1GW / 15.4GWh of storage.
⚡ CIS to back 14GW of new clean capacity by 2030.

BNEF sees utility-scale batteries in Australia hitting 20GW by 2035, up from just 3.3GW in July.

BNEF chart showing Australia's coming battery boom. Utility-scale battery uptake is forecast to grow.

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 16d

Reminds me of a deep-dive my colleagues did a few years ago about the impact of of fires on women & children. They interviewed the families of a 4 year old who needs meds twice a day to breathe, a young girl with mobility issues + difficulty balancing and babies born underweight / early / unwell.

Wildfire’s Toxic Legacy Leaves Children Gasping for Air Years Later

The list of worrying health findings is growing.

www.bloomberg.com

Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 16d

I helped do a story about this a few years ago. Learning about the risks of fake grass was totally eye opening for me. The little rubber crumbs that are used on fake lawns can be washed away, getting into waterways. The grass can get so hot that it causes burns, and usually can't be recycled!

The Suburban Lawn Will Never Be the Same

Climate change is forever altering landscaping and yards as drought, heat and water restrictions push homeowners to consider artificial turf over grass.

www.bloomberg.com

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 16d

I helped do a story about this a few years ago. Learning about the risks of fake grass was totally eye opening for me. The little rubber crumbs that are used on fake lawns can be washed away, getting into waterways. The grass can get so hot that it causes burns, and usually can't be recycled!

The Suburban Lawn Will Never Be the Same

Climate change is forever altering landscaping and yards as drought, heat and water restrictions push homeowners to consider artificial turf over grass.

www.bloomberg.com

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 16d

This is a very complicated question, you should IB me and we can chat! Aus leads the world on rooftop solar, has been doing very well on batteries, and reasonably well on onshore wind. But we have also run into a lot of issues with planning and transmission infrastructure which are holding us back.

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 16d

Sorry I missed this! I have messaged you on Linkedin

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 16d

#NEWS | Santos has started production from one of Australia’s highest-emitting gas projects, Barossa.

Gas projects, especially LNG, threatens Australia's climate goals as it tries to move toward net zero emissions.

But the industry says they are crucial to help buyers in Asia move away from coal.

Santos Starts Barossa Gas Project, Among Australia’s Dirtiest

Santos Ltd. started production from one of Australia’s highest-emitting natural gas projects, which will help bolster shipments to buyers in Asia but also threaten climate goals as the country tries t...

www.bloomberg.com

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 16d

4) While Abu Dhabi won't be taking over Santos any time soon, they haven't stopped to lick their wounds.

Just today, Santos started production from Barossa, one of Australia’s (or the world's depending who you ask) dirtiest gas projects.

Santos Starts Barossa Gas Project, Among Australia’s Dirtiest

Santos Ltd. started production from one of Australia’s highest-emitting natural gas projects, which will help bolster shipments to buyers in Asia but also threaten climate goals as the country tries t...

www.bloomberg.com

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 16d

3) The leak wasn't what killed the deal but our insider sources said the dent in trust between the two sides dealt a body blow.

News of the deal's demise, codenamed Emerald, was delivered in a formal letter and caught Santos completely unaware.

You can find more details in my story.

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 16d

2) A few weeks ago, I was one of many journalists who picked up a story that a Santos gas export plant in the NT that had been leaking methane for nearly 20 years.

Little did I know, the group that was planning to buy Santos didn't know about this leak until they saw it reported in the press.

Australia LNG Plant Leaked Methane for Decades, Group Says

A liquefied natural gas export plant in Australia’s Northern Territory leaked methane for almost two decades, according to a local environmental group.

www.bloomberg.com

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 16d

1) 🧵The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's $19B USD bid to take over Aussie fossil fuel giant Santos unexpectedly fell apart last week.

But you might've missed this exclusive story that I wrote, which explains exactly how it happened & how it will impact Australia's climate goals... #Greensky

A Methane Leak Pushed $19 Billion Santos Deal Over the Edge

Amid final negotiations to seal the $19 billion takeover of Santos Ltd., suitors led by Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. were alerted to media reports of a methane leak at one of the Australian producer’s o...

www.bloomberg.com

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 16d

Hey there. Australia announced its target on Thursday, it is a range of 62% to 70% by 2035. According to UNSW's Institute for Climate Risk & Response, this is well below what it needed to keep Aus/Pacific communities safe (their full comment is in my story) www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Fossil Fuel Giant Australia Aims for 62% Emissions Cuts by 2035

Australia pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions within a range of 62% to 70% by 2035, as one of the world’s largest fossil fuel exporters aims to deliver on pledges to accelerate climate action.

www.bloomberg.com

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Keira Wright @bykeirawright.bsky.social · 21d

Meanwhile in Australia, heat deaths will rise more than 400% in Sydney and Darwin if warming exceeds 3C, according to a govt report this week. If I remember correctly, Aus already has warmed >1.5C since 1910, more than global average...

I wrote about the report here if you're interested.

Australia Pledges $6 Billion by 2030 to Tackle Climate Hazards as Disaster Risk Rises

Australia will spend A$9 billion ($6 billion) on climate adaptation through 2030 as it braces for more frequent, severe and overlapping hazards caused by global warming, the government said in two cli...

www.bloomberg.com

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