Cleaning Up: Leadership in an Age of Climate Change Malcolm Turnbull: Clean Energy Culture Wars and The Race To Build More Storage | Ep 222
25 snips
Sep 10, 2025 
In this engaging conversation, Malcolm Turnbull, the former Prime Minister of Australia and climate advocate, discusses the transformative impact of cheap solar energy on political narratives. He explores the real challenges of hydrogen as a clean energy source and debates the potential of pumped hydro for long-term energy storage. The discussion touches on the complexities of global climate politics, especially with U.S. leadership shifts, while addressing the critical notion that 'hope is not a strategy' in achieving energy security.
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Hydrogen Was A Strategic Experiment
- Turnbull joined Fortescue and the Green Hydrogen Organization to explore green hydrogen despite later stepping back.
- He credits Andrew Forrest's ambition but stopped his role about two years ago and is cautious on hydrogen's current economics.
Hydrogen's Whole‑Chain Cost Problem
- Turnbull doubts green hydrogen reaching $2/kg because costs hinge on the whole value chain, not just electricity prices.
- Transporting hydrogen long distances is physically and economically challenging, favoring local consumption.
Blackout Prompted Snowy 2.0 Push
- After a 2016 South Australia blackout, Turnbull prioritised long‑duration storage and pushed pumped hydro projects like Snowy 2.0.
- He regrets quoting an early $2bn figure that later diverged from the final $12bn cost trajectory.
