March, 2026 - Endgame

All(um)in(ium) or nothing

AEMO released the 2026 Gas Statement of Opportunities (GSOO) for the East Coast Gast Market, finding improved near-term supply conditions.
IEA says second round of emergency fuel releases is on table with world leaders failing to grasp the depth of the energy crisis, saying it has dwarfed the fuel crises of the 1970s.
The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) calls for Australia to reduce its exposure to oil shocks, having the lowest reserves out of all International Energy Agency (IEA) members.
The Queensland and federal governments will each invest $1 billion to help Rio Tinto’s Boyne aluminium smelter transition to renewable energy.
Australia’s diesel standards will be lowered for six months.
Synergy has entered Power Purchase Agreements with two wind farms.
In response to the ongoing geopolitical crisis in the Middle East, the Japanese government has decided to ramp up the use of “inefficient” coal power plants, for a temporary one-year period of FY2026.
Paywalled: NSW government is seeking a similar deal (as Rio Tinto above) with the federal government to rescue Tomago smelter.
Podcast of the week: Let Me Sum Up chat about measures to reduce impacts on households due to the energy crisis and PHEVs.

The AER released the draft Default Market Offer (DMO), with lower prices across all networks and introducing the Solar Sharer Offer.
Countries in Asia are struggling with fuel supplies. Sri Lanka has introduced weekly fuel quotas, the Philippines and Vietnam have introduced a four-day working week and Thailand has told professionals to work from home.
The NSW Government will no longer grant new licences to explore for coal.
The federal government has established a national fuel supply taskforce, appointing Anthea Harris as the national coordinator.
The Federal government has asked the Treasury to model different tax options on gas.
The AEMC has released a consultation paper on Improving Compensation Frameworks based on the rule change request from AEMO and Tilt Renewables.
METI will no longer provide FIT/FIP subsidy scheme for new solar projects from FY2027 onward; they have also announced that the Renewable Levy for FY2026 will be 4.18 yen/kWh, an increase of 0.2 yen/kWh compared to FY2025.
Podcast of the week: Let Me Sum up talks about fossil fuel energy’s minimum viable scale.