Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Victoria is undertaking one of Australia's most ambitious electricity transitions. The state is aiming for 65% renewable electricity by 2030 and 95% by 2035, replacing ageing coal-fired power stations with renewable electricity, batteries and offshore wind while keeping the lights on and consumers' bills down.
This week on Cleaning Up’s Deep Dive Australia, Michael Liebreich is joined by Lily D'Ambrosio, Victoria's Minister for Climate Action, Energy and the State Electricity Commission, who has overseen the state's energy transition for more than a decade.
Together Minister D’Ambrosio and Michael examine the policies driving the transition, from renewable energy auctions and large-scale batteries, to offshore wind and transmission planning. Michael also challenges the Minister on some of the most controversial aspects of Victoria's strategy, including unpublished modelling, coal closure agreements, and the politics of moving households away from gas.
Topics:
• Victoria's energy transition and the role of state governments
• Replacing coal with renewables
• Batteries, electricity markets and falling wholesale prices
• Coal plant closures and investor certainty
• Transparency, modelling and political accountability
• Transmission, community opposition and Renewable Energy Zones
• Offshore wind and the future generation mix
• Gas, household electrification and cost of living
• Leadership, public confidence and delivering the transition
Leadership Circle:
Cleaning Up is proud to be supported by its Leadership Circle. The members are Actis, Alcazar Energy, Arup, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Cygnum Capital, Davidson Kempner, Ecopragma Capital, EDP, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, Schneider Electric, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information about the Leadership Circle, visit cleaningup.live
Links:
• Lily D’Ambrosio’s bio: https://www.victorianchamber.com.au/profile/lily-dambrosio
• Sign up to our newsletter: cleaninguppod.substack.com
• EnergyAustralia: https://www.energyaustralia.com.au/
• AGL: https://www.agl.com.au/
• VicGrid: https://www.vicgrid.com.au/
• Western Renewable Link: https://www.westernrenewableslink.com.au/
• Offshore wind: https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/renewable-energy/offshore-wind-energy/offshore-wind-energy-victoria
• Gas substitution roadmap: https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/renewable-energy/victorias-gas-substitution-roadmap
• Open Electricity: https://openelectricity.org.au/
Acronyms:
CSIRO: Commonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organisation
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:45 Minister Lily D’Ambrosio
03:45 Brown Coal & Manufacturing
12:40 Success of Big Batteries
17:11 Closing Coal Power Stations
19:55 Questioning Government Transparency
28:12 Transmission & Community Opposition
31:12 Michael Challenges Accountability
38:51 Gas, Heat Pumps & Electrifying Homes
47:56 Leadership & Social Licence
49:13 Outro
Music ID B4AJC8AUDLMMIFEB
Victoria is undertaking one of Australia's most ambitious electricity transitions. The state is aiming for 65% renewable electricity by 2030 and 95% by 2035, replacing ageing coal-fired power stations with renewable electricity, batteries and offshore wind while keeping the lights on and consumers' bills down.
This week on Cleaning Up’s Deep Dive Australia, Michael Liebreich is joined by Lily D'Ambrosio, Victoria's Minister for Climate Action, Energy and the State Electricity Commission, who has overseen the state's energy transition for more than a decade.
Together Minister D’Ambrosio and Michael examine the policies driving the transition, from renewable energy auctions and large-scale batteries, to offshore wind and transmission planning. Michael also challenges the Minister on some of the most controversial aspects of Victoria's strategy, including unpublished modelling, coal closure agreements, and the politics of moving households away from gas.
Topics:
• Victoria's energy transition and the role of state governments
• Replacing coal with renewables
• Batteries, electricity markets and falling wholesale prices
• Coal plant closures and investor certainty
• Transparency, modelling and political accountability
• Transmission, community opposition and Renewable Energy Zones
• Offshore wind and the future generation mix
• Gas, household electrification and cost of living
• Leadership, public confidence and delivering the transition
Leadership Circle:
Cleaning Up is proud to be supported by its Leadership Circle. The members are Actis, Alcazar Energy, Arup, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Cygnum Capital, Davidson Kempner, Ecopragma Capital, EDP, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, Schneider Electric, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information about the Leadership Circle, visit cleaningup.live
Links:
• Lily D’Ambrosio’s bio: https://www.victorianchamber.com.au/profile/lily-dambrosio
• Sign up to our newsletter: cleaninguppod.substack.com
• EnergyAustralia: https://www.energyaustralia.com.au/
• AGL: https://www.agl.com.au/
• VicGrid: https://www.vicgrid.com.au/
• Western Renewable Link: https://www.westernrenewableslink.com.au/
• Offshore wind: https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/renewable-energy/offshore-wind-energy/offshore-wind-energy-victoria
• Gas substitution roadmap: https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/renewable-energy/victorias-gas-substitution-roadmap
• Open Electricity: https://openelectricity.org.au/
Acronyms:
CSIRO: Commonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organisation
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:45 Minister Lily D’Ambrosio
03:45 Brown Coal & Manufacturing
12:40 Success of Big Batteries
17:11 Closing Coal Power Stations
19:55 Questioning Government Transparency
28:12 Transmission & Community Opposition
31:12 Michael Challenges Accountability
38:51 Gas, Heat Pumps & Electrifying Homes
47:56 Leadership & Social Licence
49:13 Outro
Music ID B4AJC8AUDLMMIFEB
