Top Energy Journalists in Australia (2025)

Daniel Mercer is ABC News’ senior energy correspondent specializing in infrastructure policy and climate resilience. Based in Sydney, his reporting combines technical analysis of energy systems with ground-level assessments of community impacts.

Core Coverage Areas

• Energy Transition: Tracking Australia’s shift from fossil fuels to renewable sources
• Grid Modernization: Investigating smart technology implementation challenges
• Climate Adaptation: Analyzing infrastructure hardening against extreme weather

Pitching Preferences

• Prefers data-driven stories with regional implementation case studies
• Seeks experts who can explain technical concepts through consumer impacts
• Prioritizes stories with visualizable datasets or mapping components

"Australia’s energy transition isn’t just about megawatts and policy papers – it’s about how real people keep the lights on during bushfires and floods."

With multiple award nominations and a track record of impactful investigations, Mercer remains essential reading for policymakers, energy professionals, and communities navigating Australia’s complex energy landscape.

As The Herald Sun’s leading energy correspondent, Dowling deciphers Australia’s shift toward renewable systems through policy, technology, and market lenses. His work informs stakeholders from policymakers to cleantech startups.

Key Coverage Areas

• Renewable Infrastructure: Tracks large-scale solar/wind deployments and storage innovations
• Energy Policy: Analyzes legislation impacting utility markets and consumer adoption
• Industrial Decarbonization: Focuses on manufacturing and mining sector transitions

Pitching Priorities

• Concrete examples of DERs reducing emissions in regional communities
• Emerging battery chemistries with scalable production pathways
• Cross-sector partnerships accelerating renewable hydrogen adoption

As senior energy and environment reporter for The Conversation Australia, Michael Hopkin deciphers complex climate policies for public understanding. His work bridges academic research and community impacts, with particular focus on:

• Renewable energy equity: Tracking who benefits from Australia’s solar/wind expansion
• Climate governance: Analyzing federal-state policy coordination challenges
• Just transition frameworks: Documenting regional economic shifts from coal phaseouts

Pitching Priorities

• Data-rich case studies showing policy implementation gaps
• Exclusive access to energy transition workforce retraining programs
• Underreported climate adaptation strategies in agricultural sectors

Avoid pitches about individual carbon footprint strategies or celebrity environmentalism. Hopkin seeks systemic analyses grounded in verifiable local impacts.