Solar provides cheapest energy; incurs highest FCAS payments
New research from Cornwall Insight finds grid-scale solar farms are paying 10-20% of the cost of providing frequency ancillary services to the National Electricity Market, despite currently generating around 3% of energy in the system.
A ‘just transition’ just about the only transition worth having
A team of international researchers featuring ANU’s Prof Frank Jotzo has published a study on the ‘just transition’ from coal to renewable sources of energy. The paper looks at comparative examples of transitioning economies, taking account of political realities, and ultimately shows that a ‘just transition’ is just about the only transition worth having.
PV exports in doubt as rooftop solar surges
The ability to feed electricity from rooftop PV arrays into the distribution network may be severely limited in the future, as installations appear likely to exceed expectations. A Cornwall Insight forecast sees some 24.45 GW of rooftop solar to be added through 2030 – a rate at which accelerates the need for a distribution-level market and may see connections curtailed in the future.
New research warns of significant gap to be bridged from NSW’s retiring coal
New research from Cornwall Insight Australia suggests that the transition to renewable energies in New South Wales needs to pick up the pace quick-smart if it is going to cover the soon-to-be-revealed gap made by retiring coal generators.
Solar proves a sanctuary from Covid-19 energy bill shock
Nationwide analysis from Natural Solar’s live monitoring systems shows a 105% increase in Aussie household electricity in Q1 2020 as compared to 2019, a spike resulting from the lockdown implications of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, many Australians, like the 100% of Mulpha’s ‘Smart City’ buyers in Sydney’s North-West, will be buffeted from bill spikes thanks to home solar and energy storage systems.
