Energy policy & politics: Australia’s energy debate stays front and centre as coverage flags the country’s stance on coal and the push to shape how new power and data centres are supplied, with renewed attention on whether targets and rules will actually deliver. Data centres & power demand: Ministers and industry are again arguing over how quickly Australia’s grid can meet fast-growing data centre loads, including calls for most new facilities to be powered by renewables. Solar & batteries: Rooftop solar and home storage keep climbing in Australia, while policy tweaks are also being scrutinised for how they affect uptake and system economics. Gas & LNG supply: Fuel security remains a live issue, with reporting on LNG cargo procurement and broader moves to secure gas supplies as global shipping and geopolitics stay jumpy. Critical minerals & defence supply chains: The week also brought major momentum around rare earths and scandium, with US defence-linked funding and Australian project announcements underlining how energy and minerals policy are converging. Global energy shocks: Oil and shipping risks tied to conflict and maritime disruption continue to ripple into prices, trade and inflation pressures that feed back into Australia’s energy costs.