Grids & Integration

The 120 MW solar project near Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, the first renewable energy asset in the portfolio of network owner Spark Infrastructure, has achieved a critical milestone in the face of market challenges and delays.

In the absence of a national carbon-emissions target and a long-awaited EV policy, Origin and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (on behalf of the Australian Government) are forging ahead with research that will show how coordinated smart-charging of an eventual surge of EV battery storage will benefit consumers and the grid.

The Australian government’s green bank intends to move beyond solar and wind investment over the coming year and put its capital to work in the nascent green hydrogen industry and grid projects.

The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) is calling for submissions on proposed rule changes that would address the integration of distributed energy resources, including enabling export charges as a pricing tool.

The Schools Virtual Power Plant pilot project, part of the WA Government’s $66.3 million investment in solar and batteries in its WA Recovery Plan from the impacts of Covid-19, will see ten schools transformed into VPPs. The two year trial is expected to bring reduced electricity bills to schools, improved grid stability, and increased solar uptake in the local community.

Neoen’s Hornsdale Power Reserve has gone to work in the first half of 2020, virtually tripling the French renewables developer’s storage revenue on comparative 2019 levels. However, this growth was largely caused by a one-off event, and a slower Q2 highlights the need for FCAS policy renewal. Neoen’s Australian solar revenues could also achieve little more than consistency thanks to poor conditions.

If it was designed with a focus on reliability, security and the lowest cost for consumers, Australia’s main electricity grid would see periods in which nearly 90% of demand is met by renewable generation. A diverse portfolio of distributed energy resources and large-scale solar and wind generation supported mainly by pumped hydro and batteries would ensure the least-cost transition as the nation’s coal plants retire. Adequate investment in transmission infrastructure will be instrumental in making this a reality.

New system strength challenges have been identified in North Queensland putting the output of nearly 800 MW of additional solar projects at risk.

The Australian renewables sector was not immune to a host of challenges that marked the first half of the year, but the pipeline of renewable energy projects in the country reached new heights. While new construction dipped to a four-year low and financial close remained out of reach for a great number of projects, the second half of the year is looking more positive, according to Norwegian consultancy Rystad Energy.

Researchers at Monash University will conduct a desktop study to explore issues and strategies associated with connecting inverter-based generation such as batteries, solar, and wind into weaker parts of the National Electricity Market.