Australia's Energy Transition: Datacentre Power Standoff, Woodside's Clean Energy Retreat, and the Coal Exit Reality

The federal government's plan to mandate 100% renewable electricity for all new datacentres has collided head-on with the energy realities of Queensland and the Northern Territory, which want to keep powering these facilities with state-owned gas and coal. Energy Minister Chris Bowen is pushing for binding national standards, but a carefully worded national cabinet communique left every first minister claiming victory — and little clarity on actual rules. The deeper problem, as...