RenewMap adds operational grid data to project pipeline map

Renewable energy market intelligence and project tracking tool provider RenewMap has unveiled a new platform that adds operational grid data to a map providing near real-time information on more than 4,400 new and existing utility-scale energy projects across Australia and New Zealand. 

RenewMap said Operational Insights adds transmission line flows and ratings, headroom capacity against thermal constraints, generation and curtailment statistics, substation information and more into its existing mapping platform.

“RenewMap Operational Insights provides a crucial link between generator and asset performance, network dynamics and the expanding pipeline of planned renewable energy and data centre projects across the country,” RenewMap co-founder and director Alex Thompson said.

Canberra-based RenewMap said the enhanced platform allows developers, market analysts and policy makers to identify network bottlenecks, screen candidate sites and analyse asset performance inside RenewMap.

“Operational network data has always been fragmented across sources, disconnected from the project pipeline and difficult to find, process and connect with real-world network equipment,” the company said.

“In practice, teams shortlisting sites have had little choice but to cobble together the spatial picture themselves or delay decisions waiting on grid studies. RenewMap Operational Insights answers that first-pass question in a single view.”

The platform allows users to benchmark against operating assets, view project metrics including historical curtailment, revenue and line flows to compare proposed sites with nearby asset performance. They are also able to compare potential sites against nearby or similar projects without needing to switch tools.

Users can also see equipment, headroom, connected lines and projects to understand the development pressure around a potential connection point.

Thompson said coupling operational data with “a highly accurate, up-to-date view of the project pipeline gives developers, government policymakers and investors more clarity and confidence in their decisions.”

“RenewMap Operational Insights provides a crucial link between generator performance, network dynamics and the expanding pipeline of planned renewable energy and data centre projects across the country,” he said.

“For a while now, RenewMap has answered a fairly specific set of questions: Where are all these upcoming energy projects? Who’s behind them? What stage are they at and how are they moving through the pipeline?”

“That’s had our laser focus over the past three years: building a high-fidelity source of truth across 4,400-plus Australia and New Zealand projects.”

“Operational Insights now answers a number of other key questions: What does the operating network around these projects look like, and how does it shape asset performance?”

“We’re excited to continue building on the RenewMap platform to bring deeper insights to the industry and help progress the energy transition.”