AEMO On Air
A podcast about all things energy, brought to you by the Australian Energy Market Operator.
Episodes
Powering the digital future: Preparing for the rise of data centers
As artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital services continue to grow, data centres are becoming an increasingly important part of Australia's electricity demand profile. In this episode of AEMO On Air, Margarida Pimentel, AEMO's Group Manager Onboarding and Connections, discusses what data centres are, how they connect to the power system, and what their growth could mean fo
The 2026 ISP: Mapping Australia's energy future
Following the release of AEMO's 2026 Integrated System Plan (ISP), AEMO CEO Daniel Westerman joins AEMO On Air to discuss the roadmap shaping Australia's energy future as electricity consumption continues to grow through electrification and ageing coal-fired power stations progressively retire.In this episode, Daniel explains why the ISP continues to identify renewables, connected to net
2026 ISP Explained: Inside the long-term roadmap for the NEM
What is the Integrated System Plan and why does it matter? With the upcoming release of the 2026 Integrated System Plan (ISP) this week, our latest AEMO On Air podcast episode goes behind the scenes of the long-term roadmap for the National Electricity Market with AEMO Group Manager System Planning, Eli Pack. Eli explains how the ISP is developed, who uses it, and how input from around 2,000 stake
Future grid: The next generation driving Australia’s energy transition
What does it take to solve the biggest challenges facing Australia’s energy transition? In this episode, we sit down with two rising stars from the Zema Energy Studies Scholarship program – Madeleine Neaves and Frederick Madriaga – to explore the research helping shape Australia’s future energy systems. Madeleine, a Monash University Engineering PhD candidate, is researching how future grids maint
Q1 2026 QED: batteries, data centres and a system in transition
Batteries are now playing a central role in Australia’s electricity system, and the latest data shows just how quickly that shift is happening.In this episode of AEMO On Air, Kerry Galloway, AEMO’s Manager of Market Insights unpacks the key details of the Q1 2026 Quarterly Energy Dynamics (QED) report.In the National Electricity Market (NEM), more than 4,400 MW of new battery capacity has been add
Global issues, local lessons: AEMO’s role as a system operator on the world stage
The energy transition is global and so are the challenges.Across the world, system operators are grappling with the same fundamental shifts, rapid growth in renewables, decentralised generation and increasingly complex system dynamics.In our latest AEMO On Air episode, we’re joined by Luke Robinson, Group Manager – System Modelling to explore how global collaboration is helping system operators na
Short-Term Relief, Long-Term Risk: Inside the 2026 GSOO
AEMO has released our 2026 Gas Statement of Opportunities (GSOO) – an annual outlook examining gas demand and supply across Australia’s east coast over the next 20-plus years.In this episode of AEMO On Air, we chat with Alice McLaren, AEMO’s Manager of Market Operability in System Design, to break down what the latest analysis means for industry, governments and consumers.As Alice explains: “We’re
System security, the final chapter: how industry, innovation and AEMO are tackling the challenge of system security
Following the release of AEMO’s Transition Plan for System Security (TPSS) in December 2025, this episode explores what it takes to keep Australia’s power system secure as the energy transition accelerates. In the third and final instalment in our system security series, Dr Niraj (Nij) Lal talks to Lars Narushevich, Specialist Engineer in System Security Planning at AEMO, to break down the fundame
The 50% Moment: How Renewables and Storage shaped the 4th quarter of 2025
Season 3 of AEMO On Air is underway 🎙️ In the first episode for 2026, we speak with Kerry Galloway, AEMO’s Manager of Market Insights, about a milestone quarter for Australia’s energy transition following the launch of AEMO’s Q4 2025 Quarterly Energy Dynamics (QED) report.For the first time ever, renewables and storage supplied more than half of total energy needs across the east and west coast g
Setting course for 2050: A deep dive into the Draft 2026 Integrated System Plan
Australia’s electricity system is transforming at speed and the choices made, specifically in the coming decade, will shape costs, reliability and emissions outcomes for generations. In this episode of AEMO On Air, we sat down with Nicola Falcon, AEMO’s Executive General Manager of System Design, to unpack the Draft 2026 Integrated System Plan (ISP) and the big themes shaping this story. With elec
Stabilising the transition: Inside the 2025 Transition Plan for System Security
This week we released the 2025 Transition Plan for System Security (TPSS) and in our latest episode of AEMO On Air, Chris Davies, AEMO’s Group Manager – Future Energy Systems, unpacks what it means for Australia’s energy future.As coal power stations continue to exit the power system, replacement system security services are needed to unlock the growing potential of renewable energy, including roo
Why the world envies Australia’s transition plan: A deep dive into what is the ISP
Australia’s energy transition is accelerating and the next Integrated System Plan (ISP) will be central to guiding it. In this episode of AEMO On Air, we speak with Nicola Falcon, Executive General Manager – System Design, about how the ISP is developed, why it matters, and why it’s increasingly the envy of countries without a comparable long-term plan to navigate their transition. Nicola explains
Pedalling through change: System Security in a solar-driven grid
One in three Australian homes now have rooftop solar, that’s more than 4 million systems nationwide providing, on some days, over half of the east coast’s electricity. Australia is leading the world in distributed energy, with home batteries and electric vehicles rapidly changing how our power system operates. But as solar becomes a dominant force in the grid, maintaining stability and security p
Inside the numbers: how renewables drove down power prices in Q3 2025
In this episode of AEMO On Air, we unpack the key findings from AEMO’s Quarterly Energy Dynamics (QED) report for Q3 2025 – a quarter defined by record renewable generation, greater market stability, and falling wholesale electricity prices across the NEM.AEMO’s Manager of Market Insights, Kerry Galloway, joins us to break down the data behind the trends, from new renewable records to what it all
From Dublin to Down Under: control rooms, transition points and the future of power system security – a chat with Yvonne Coughlan
In this first episode of our three-part series on power system security, new AEMO on Air host Nij is joined by Yvonne Coughlan, one of our Group Managers in Operations.Yvonne shares her journey from working across European power systems, including her time at Ireland’s system and market operator, EirGrid, to her work at AEMO.She reflects on the parallels and differences in global energy transition
Reliability outlook improves: the ESOO’s 10-year investment snapshot
AEMO's annual Electricity Statement of Opportunities (ESOO) harnesses the latest data from the energy sector to deliver a 10-year look ahead at the investments needed to support reliability in the National Electricity Market (NEM).In this episode of AEMO On Air, Ben Jones, our Manager of Reliability Forecasting, explains how the delivery of all projects in the investment pipeline – generation
Building the 2026 ISP: developing a very different Integrated System Plan in 2026
In July we hit the half-way mark in the development of the 2026 Integrated System Plan (ISP) with the publication of a number of key reports, including the Inputs, Assumptions and Scenarios Report (IASR) and the new Gas Infrastructure Options Report (GIOR).The ISP is the strategic roadmap for Australia's National Electricity Market (NEM) and it outlines the investment and infrastructure requi
Inside Q2 2025’s QED: renewables soar, batteries charge up and emissions fall
AEMO’s latest Quarterly Energy Dynamics (QED) report shows renewable energy reached new highs in Q2 2025 across both the National Electricity Market (NEM) and Western Australia’s Wholesale Electricity Market (WEM).In this episode of AEMO On Air, AEMO’s Manager of Market Insights, Kerry Galloway, unpacks the data behind a 38% renewable share in the NEM, record contributions in the WEM, and a major
From solar cell physics to energy security: meet your new host Dr Nij Lal
In this week’s episode of AEMO On Air, we welcome our new host, Dr Niraj (Nij) Lal – a Principal in the Future Energy Systems Group in AEMO System Design. A passionate science communicator and energy expert, Nij is also a Visiting Fellow at ANU and a familiar voice to many Australian families through the ABC’s children’s science podcast ‘Imagine This’, as well as through his work on ‘Play School’,
Locational insights for a future NEM: inside the 2025 ELI report
In this week’s episode of AEMO On Air, we sit down with Edwina Knevett, Engineer – System Design, to explore AEMO’s second Enhanced Locational Information (ELI) report.The report offers a lens to help future investment decisions across the National Electricity Market (NEM), providing critical locational insights to help navigate congestion, curtailment, and network losses as we transition from coa
Powering WA: challenges, change and the WEM ESOO
What makes Western Australia's power system so different – and what does the future hold?In this episode of AEMO On Air, we’re joined by Katie McKenzie, Group Manager – WA System Design & Transformation, to break down the latest Wholesale Electricity Market Electricity Statement of Opportunities (WEM ESOO).Katie unpacks the key findings from the report, dives into the unique design of WA’
Record renewables and lower emissions: breaking down Q1 2025 energy trends
In our latest episode of the AEMO On Air podcast, AEMO’s Manager of Market Insights, Kerry Galloway breaks down the Q1 2025 Quarterly Energy Dynamics (QED) report – highlighting record-breaking growth in renewable generation across the National Electricity Market (NEM).Kerry also discusses how a change in fuel mix, led by higher renewable and battery generation and Australia’s world leading take-u
Energy leaders of the future: a spotlight on the Zema Energy Studies Scholarship
In this episode of AEMO On Air, we spotlight two emerging leaders helping shape Australia’s energy future. Join us as we sit down with Merry Hoang and Jaleel Mesbah, recipients of the Zema Energy Studies Scholarship – a world-class PhD program in partnership with Monash University. This scholarship was created to honour AEMO’s founding CEO, Matt Zema, and is dedicated to supporting the next genera
Growing the grid: connecting generation and storage
AEMO's Onboarding and Connections team plays a vital role in Australia's energy transition, connecting new generation and storage into our grid.In this latest episode of AEMO On Air, we talk to Group Manager Onboarding and Connections, Margarida Pimentel about her team, the Connections Scorecard report and the importance of working closely with industry to bring new energy projects to li
Securing our energy grid: AEMOs strategy for power system security
Last year, AEMO released its first Transition Plan for System Security, mapping out how we will contribute to maintaining power system security as the National Electricity Market (NEM) and WA’s Wholesale Electricity Market (WEM) move toward a world without coal fired power stations. In this episode of AEMO On Air, we chat with Chris Mock, Manager of Engineering Strategy – System Design, about the
QED Q4 insights: warmer weather and electrification causes record underlying demand
In the last quarter of 2024 the National Electricity Market hit new demand records, while the contribution of coal fired generation dipped below 50% for the first time. In this episode we dive into the insights from the Q4 Quarterly Energy Dynamics (QED) report with AEMO’s Manager of Market Insights, Kerry Galloway.Kerry breaks down the key takeaways from the report, including the surge in renewab
From university to the energy transition: inside AEMO's Graduate Development Program
In our first AEMO On Air podcast for 2025, we dive into the AEMO Graduate Development Program — a game-changer for anyone looking to kickstart their career in the energy sector. We chat with Maddison Demmler, AEMO Graduate Program Manager about the importance of graduate programs in today’s world and the role graduates can play in Australia's energy transition. Plus, we hear from Zahra and S
The critical role of natural gas in WA's energy mix
As WA transitions to net zero, natural gas continues to play a critical role in providing energy to homes and businesses.In this week’s episode of AEMO On Air, we chat with AEMO’s Nicola Falcon, Interim Executive General Manager of WA, about the latest WA Gas Statement of Opportunities (GSOO) which reveals a strengthened near-term outlook compared to last year’s GSOO, with WA’s domestic gas supply
More common than a backyard pool: the rise of rooftop solar in Australia’s energy transition
Did you know there are more rooftop solar systems in Australia, than there are swimming pools in backyards?Aussies have embraced rooftop solar like nowhere else on the planet, making households the largest generators of energy on the grid, but we have a long way to go to reach our enormous potential and so much to gain by doing so. In this episode we chat to Violette Mouchaileh, AEMO's Execut
QED Q3 insights: weather's impact, price fluctuations and new capacity growth
In this episode we dive into the insights from the Q3 Quarterly Energy Dynamics (QED) report with AEMO’s Manager of Market Insights, Kerry Galloway.Kerry breaks down the key takeaways from the report, including the impact of weather on energy supply and demand, why the cooler July and warmer August/September caused fluctuations in wholesale energy prices, and a big win – at the end of Q3 2024, 45.
Operating the power system of the future: Daniel Westerman's speech at the AFR's 2024 Energy and Climate Summit
AEMO CEO Daniel Westerman spoke at the Australian Financial Review’s 2024 Energy and Climate Summit.In this special episode of AEMO On Air, we take a listen to Daniel’s speech, where he gives us a glimpse into what operating the energy system of the future could look like.In the speech Daniel discusses the challenges of operating Australia's electricity grids in the not-too-distant future, wh
Forecasting reliability: the critical insights from AEMO's 2024 ESOO
AEMO’s 2024 Electricity Statement of Opportunities (ESOO) report provides a 10-year outlook of investment requirements to maintain reliability for Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM).In this episode, we hear from Andrew Turley, GM – Forecasting, System Design, on the importance of this outlook and why it is critical that expected investments in generation, storage and transmission are de
It's a RAP: AEMO launches first Reconciliation Action Plan
In early July, to coincide with NAIDOC Week, AEMO launched our first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), marking a significant step forward in our commitment to reconciliation, diversity, and inclusion.In this episode, Paul chats with AEMO’s Kate Pollock, Senior Consultant – Organisational Development and Jodana Anglesey, Stakeholder Relations & Communications Lead at AEMO Services, about the im
Wind, rain and gas: how weather impacted Q2's QED
In this week’s episode of AEMO On Air, we break down our recently released Quarterly Energy Dynamics (QED) report with AEMO’s Manager of Market Insights, Kerry Galloway.Tune in as we discuss how the June quarter's low wind speeds and reduced rainfall in south-eastern Australia saw decreases in electricity supplied from wind and hydro, why flexible gas-powered generation is the ultimate backst
A roadmap for the energy transition: insights from the ISP
Recently AEMO released our 2024 Integrated System Plan (ISP), a 25-year road map to transition the National Electricity Market (NEM) to net zero.Hear from Daniel Westerman, AEMO Chief Executive Officer, in today's episode of AEMO On Air, as he breaks down the ISP and confirms that Australia’s energy transition is well underway, with renewable energy accounting for 40% of electricity used in t
WA's energy transition is on! What the latest WEM ESOO tells us
Renewable generation now makes up half of WA's energy supply.Hear from Kate Ryan, Executive General Manager - Western Australia & Strategy, as she unpacks the recent release of the WEM Electricity Statement of Opportunities (ESOO).Interviewer: Catie LowLinkedIn | X | Facebook
Gas 101: what role will gas play in the energy transition
This time on AEMO On Air we talk to Robbie Flood, AEMO's Gas Reform Manager. Robbie explains the role gas currently plays in the energy mix, and how its use will evolve over time, and help enable Australia's energy transition.Interviewer: Paul ZennaroLinkedIn | X | Facebook
The ten year electricity reliability outlook: unpacking the ESOO update
In this week’s AEMO On Air podcast, we hear from Ben Jones, Reliability Forecasting Manager at AEMO.Ben explains all the complexities and helps clarify some of the information reported in the media about our recently published update to the 2023 Electricity Statement of Opportunities (ESOO) report.Interviewer: Catie LowLinkedIn | X | Facebook
Renewables drive down wholesale costs: energy market dynamics - Q1 2024
AEMO has released 2024's first quarterly assessment of market dynamics for both gas and electricity. In this episode AEMO's GM responsible for market insights, Kevin Ly, joins the podcast for a deep dive on trends in energy production, consumption and costs.Interviewer: Paul ZennaroLinkedIn | X | FacebookLinkedIn | X | Facebook
The role of transmission in the energy transition
AEMO's Claire Cass - GM for network projects - explains why Australia needs to build new transmission to connect renewable energy to the grid, and our meet net-zero targets.Please note that at 11.46, Claire says 100 kms when she meant to say 100 meters to describe the width of the route for VNI West.Interviewer: Paul ZennaroLinkedIn | X | Facebook
Talking east coast gas: insights from the GSOO
Get the insights from AEMO's latest east coast gas report, the Gas Statement of Opportunities (GSOO), from Executive General Manager of System Design, Merryn York.Interviewer: Paul ZennaroRead the GSOO here.LinkedIn | X | Facebook
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