Australian Energy & Environmental Market Update - April 2026 Copy
Australian Energy & Environmental Market Update - April 2026 Copy
A monthly snapshot of key developments across electricity and environmental markets, tracking price movements, underlying drivers and policy signals shaping market conditions.
Updated
May 11, 2026
Published
May 11, 2026
Australian Energy & Environmental Market Update - April 2026
Key market developments in April
Wholesale electricity prices followed similar trends to March, with spot outcomes continuing to soften month-on-month as underlying demand across the NEM declined by 3%.
Electricity spot outcomes in April were characterised by higher occurrence of negative price intervals across the NEM. The SA market was a clear outlier exhibiting higher relative volatility with an increased frequency of pricing above $300/MWh.
Electricity flat futures prices eased across all regions this month, reversing the brief recovery seen in the prior month.
NEM-wide Variable Renewable Energy (VRE) penetration increased by 1.8 percentage points from March, reaching 44.34%.
Environmental markets delivered mixed outcomes this month: LGC prices continued to soften, STCs and PRCs held steady, VEECs experienced notable volatility, and ESCs continued to firm.
The ESC market continued to be supported by persistently low creation volumes following the effective removal of commercial lighting activity.
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This update is published monthly and provides analysis of key developments in select compliance and voluntary carbon markets as well as emerging environmental markets.
Australian Energy & Environmental Market Update - April 2026 Copy
A monthly snapshot of key developments across electricity and environmental markets, tracking price movements, underlying drivers and policy signals shaping market conditions.
