Spark Club Podcast

Spark Club brings leaders and entrepreneurs in the energy field together with a common objective, to build energy businesses. We draw on each others experience to support, learn and grow cleantech energy businesses. The podcasts are hosted by Grant McDowell and are recordings of our Fireside chats and podcasts with leaders in the global energy transformation.

Is Australia a Petro State or an Electro State? Tim Buckley Ep59 09/14/2025

Is Australia a Petro State or an Electro State? Tim Buckley Ep59 Highlights China Cleantech Exports Boom Lauri Myllyvirta @CREA notes value of China’s exports of clean energy technologies hit a new all-time record in July, passing the previous high from March 2023. China exported $18.4bn worth of solar and wind power equipment, EVs and batteries during the month. Australia Brazil Chamber of Commence Forum ABCC business forum in the lead up to COP30, Organised by the wonderful Mara Bun. We also head about Brazil looking to develop world leading green iron projects. Lowlights Qld LNP State Government Capture by the Fossil fuel Industry looks complete Climate science deniers in the State LNP have stopped Queensland’s powerful progress towards energy transition and decarbonisation, taking heart at the stupidity of Trump in the US to replicate his corruption of democracy Last week’s decision to pull legislation enabling the development of Westwind’s 1.2GW Forest Wind project in a state pine forest – a monoculture with low biodiversity – creates massive investor uncertainty. Meanwhile, building on Adani’s success in winning a 7 year royalty holiday for their Galilee coal mine from the LNP. Rumours that the development of the Galilee Coal Basin is back on the agenda, most likely led by climate science denying Gina and her sidekick billionaire mate, Clive. Bowden Lead Mine progressing in NSW Environmental Solicitor Elaine Jonston is working with the local community of Mudgee to protect them against a proposed lead-zinc-silver mine development 2km from a school. BHP defers decarbonisation Really disappointing to hear BHP has walked back their decarbonisation investments, cancelling solar and BESS in the Pilbara even as they say mining EV technologies are not commercially viable as yet. Main Story EU Delegation to WA re Green Hydrogen and Iron Tim attended and spoke at a Green Hydrogen and Iron forum in Perth organised by the Danish and German Governments to develop EU-Australia strategic agreements in decarbonisation of industry. The 30 strong delegation from the EU spent 3 days touring the Pilbara and Midwest WA, the two major areas of iron ore mining, and the locations for potential DRI and green iron refineries. A follow-on private meeting with the WA Premier was set for this week to try to seal inter-government cooperation for this geopolitically important FOA deal in green iron for Australia to proceed toward FEED and FID and then into construction. Tim’s hope is Minister Bowen gets to announce 3 lighthouse green iron deals as president of COP31, leveraging public-private bilateral / trilateral deals with Germany, China and Korea/Japan Coming up Hopefully this month we will see if Adelaide is to host COP30 next November 2026, in partnership with the Pacific. The process remains opaque and tortuous, and bizarrely if Australia cant convince Turkey to pull out, we both lose and Germany gets to host it. We also have the National Risk Assessment for Climate report pending, its sitting on Minister Bowen’s desk, alongside Dr Frank Jotzo’s final carbon leakage review report, and the 2035 NDC for Australia. Lets hope Bowen listens to the climate science and sets our target at 75% rather than the BCA’s total lack of ambition going for more like 60%. /episode/index/show/sparkclub/id/38211065