Donald's gift to the planet?

In an ironic twist, the angry Orange One is in fact, a gift to the planet.  In his efforts to protect and promote the fossil fuel industry, he has unwittingly signed the death warrant for its eventual demise.

How is this so? 

By activating the wrath of Iran, to close the Strait of Hormuz, Trump has put a stranglehold on the supply of a fair chunk of the world’s crude oil and gas.  At CERAWeek 2026, the annual event where the global oil and gas industry gathered in Texas last month, the mood is sombre. The International Energy Agency executive director, Fatih Birol bluntly declared, “The vase is broken, the damage is done – it will be very difficult to put the pieces back together.” 

The world’s reliance on fossil fuels will decline rapidly and be replaced by alternative renewable energy sources, thanks, ironically enough, to the moves of Trump. 

We cannot reverse what has been done. 

Almost 60 countries took part in the world's first dedicated "Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels" conference, which just wrapped up in Columbia. This was more than double the original number of country signatories, which represent about one-third of global GDP, and about 2.5 billion people. 

Peak oil has been reached.  The tipping point from which fossil fuel use starts to dive off the cliff has been hastened by the impulsive actions of the US President starting a war in the Middle East.

Breakneck speed towards electrification

The world has been moving at breakneck speed towards electrification – China’s is accelerating nine times faster than the rest of the world.30% of final energy consumption in China is electric, driven by deploying 446 GW of new renewable capacity in 2025 alone, which is the equivalent of Australia's entire annual renewable build every five days. China’s clean energy sectors now account for 11.4% of GDP, and delivered more than a third of the country's economic growth in 2025.

While the road ahead is still uncertain, Australia has committed to a renewable future, with renewables reaching 51% of NEM supply on average in NSW in Q4 2025. Wholesale prices dropped 44% year-on-year to $50/MWh in the same period.  Whereas when the last major energy crises occurred back in the 1970s there were no fallback measures, we’re now  well advanced in domestic renewable production.

Free energy in Australian homes

Four point two million Australian homes enjoy free energy from their solar panels, and since July 2025, 280,000 batteries have been installed under the Cheaper Home Battery Program.  It’s always made economic sense, even more so as the technology improves and the price of solar panels and batteries continues to fall, regardless of government incentives. 

The interest in battery EVs shot up 278% from February to March this year when the conflict began.  Industry and government is hastening the transition off diesel-powered trucks to electrified models with incentives for vehicles.  There is increased haste on implementing fast-charging technology to support the rapid take-up of EVs at strategic points on arterial roads.

The reliance on natural gas is going to increase, not decrease, at least in the medium term. Australia is likely to see some gas expansion — particularly on existing fields and approved infrastructure — because the structural shortfall is real and industry has political backing. But as coal power stations are scheduled to shut down, being too expensive to maintain and upgrade, gas will provide back-up power to kick in when renewables need the boost.  Interest in alternative power, including nuclear, is also likely to increase.

The path to net zero is still one beset with obstacles, twists and turns.  This oil crisis is one of them, but the silver lining of this cloud is that increased roll-out and investment of renewable energy and electrification is now more than ever about economic sovereignty, our national resilience and adaptation and not just the environment which will benefit most of all.