Daily Digest for

NSW Independent Planning Commission approved the 1,300 MW Pottinger Wind Farm (Pottinger Renewables — AGL Energy and Someva Renewables) with up to 247 turbines and a 500 MW/2,000 MWh BESS, subject to conditions to protect biodiversity, manage social impacts and ensure decommissioning.

McKinsey analyzes the potential for next-generation geothermal energy to meet rapidly rising US electricity demand, driven by electrification, data centers, and manufacturing.

• Next-generation geothermal could supply up to 100 GW by 2050 in the US, with 40 GW by 2035, enabled by new subsurface technologies and cost declines.
• Private capital investment of $900 million in the past five years; levelized costs projected to fall from $75–$120/MWh today to $45–$65/MWh by 2035, making it competitive with other clean, firm power sources.
• Key obstacles: water use, financing risk, grid interconnection delays, and supply chain constraints.
• Stakeholders (investors, oil & gas, utilities, C&I customers, governments) can accelerate deployment through partnerships, resource characterization, and behind-the-meter projects.
• Confirmed actions: Over 780 MW of letters of intent and PPAs signed in the past two years; about 1 GW of projects in development.

Gold Standard has announced the launch of a formal process to assess and approve private insurance policies for project developers seeking eligibility of Gold Standard Verified Emission Reductions (GS-VERs) under CORSIA Phase 1 (2024-2026).

• Howden Group appointed to manage the assessment of insurance policies, with evaluations to begin in the coming weeks.
• New rules allow project developers to use ‘Approved Insurance Policies’ to address double counting risk under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement; policies must meet strict quality and credibility criteria.

The UK Government has launched the multi-decade, multi-billion pound Clyde 2070 programme to upgrade and future-proof HMNB Clyde, Scotland’s largest military base and home to the UK’s nuclear deterrent.

• £250 million allocated over the next 3 years for infrastructure upgrades, site enabling, and master planning to support next-generation nuclear submarines (Dreadnought-class, SSN-AUKUS).
• Programme includes net-zero targets and climate change mitigation, with a focus on job creation, skills training, and regional economic growth; the Defence Nuclear Enterprise supports over 48,000 jobs, set to rise to 65,000 in the next decade.