AEMO On Air

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 for electricity demand, reliability, system security and investment in new generation and storage.

The episode explores AEMO's role in supporting the efficient integration of data centres through connections, forecasting, technical standards and collaboration across industry.

It also examines the increasingly important role data centres could play in the energy transition. As Margarida explains, while data centres are often discussed as large energy users, they also have the potential to support new investment in generation and storage and help absorb excess rooftop solar generation during the middle of the day.

Interviewer: Catie Low  

We’ve brought together AEMO’s latest work, insights, and expert perspectives on data centres. Read more here: www.aemo.com.au/newsroom/news-updates/digital-demand-surge    

🎧 Mentioned throughout this episode are several previous AEMO On Air conversations. You can catch up on those episodes here: www.aemo.com.au/newsroom/aemo-on-air-podcast   

 
LinkedIn | X | Facebook

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 networks, firmed by storage and backed by gas, as the lowest-cost pathway to maintaining a secure and reliable power system, while meeting government policy. He also explores how consumer energy resources are influencing long-term planning.
Hear how the ISP has evolved, what it means for industry, governments and consumers, and why timely investment across the whole energy system is critical to delivering reliable, low-cost electricity for Australians.
Read the full ISP report
Download the ISP explainer and view the ISP infographic
Access all the ISP appendices and associated supporting materials: AEMO | 2026 Integrated System Plan (ISP)
Interviewer: Catie Low 
LinkedIn | X | Facebook

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 stakeholders across industry, governments, consumer groups and market bodies helps shape the plan. The conversation also explores the expanding scope of the ISP and its role in supporting a reliable, secure and low-cost energy system as Australia's energy transition continues. 
While many Australians may never read the ISP itself, as Eli notes, most people will experience the outcomes it delivers. 
 
Interviewer: Catie Low 
LinkedIn | X | Facebook

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 maintain stability and inertia in power systems increasingly powered by inverter-based technologies like batteries and renewables. Frederick is developing AI-driven approaches to improve resilience, visibility and decision-making across increasingly decentralised and digital electricity networks.

Delivered in partnership between the AEMO and Monash University, the Zema Energy Studies Scholarship program honours AEMO’s inaugural CEO, the late Matt Zema, and supports emerging researchers working on the future of Australia’s energy systems.

This year marks seven years since the scholarship was established, with 10 scholars currently undertaking PhDs and the program expected to celebrate its first graduates in 2026.

Learn more about the Zema Energy Studies Scholarship: www.aemo.com.au/about/zema-energy-studies-scholarship

Information about applications to the Zema Energy Studies Scholarship: www.monash.edu/energy-institute/students/scholarships/zema-energy-studies-scholarship 

 
Interviewer: Catie Low
LinkedIn | X | Facebook

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 added in the past year, which has helped shift three times the volume of renewable energy from daytime into the evening peak, competing against coal and gas. Batteries set prices for around a third of the times and contributed to a 12% year-on-year drop in wholesale electricity prices.
The episode also explores the quarter’s record renewable output, with renewables supplying 46.5% of NEM generation, while emerging demand continues to build with 11 large-scale data centre projects (5.4 GW) progressing through connections.
Explore the full QED for more insights: https://bit.ly/4umi74K
Interviewer: Catie Low
LinkedIn | X | Facebook