NEM-wide demand breaks 32,000MW – highest so far this summer
NEM-wide demand exceeds 32,000MW for the first time this summer (so 2,000MW higher than the previous summer level, already). A volatile day in pictures...
Articles by Paul McArdle
Paul was one of the founders of Global-Roam in February 2000. He is currently the CEO of the company and the principal author of WattClarity. Writing for WattClarity has become a natural extension of his work in understanding the electricity market, enabling him to lead the team in developing better software for clients.
Before co-founding the company, Paul worked as a Mechanical Engineer for the Queensland Electricity Commission in the early 1990s. He also gained international experience in Japan, the United States, Canada, the UK, and Argentina as part of his ES Cornwall Memorial Scholarship.
Queensland demand rises above 8,000MW
Queensland demand rose above 8,000MW
NEM-wide demand climbs above 30,000MW today
Demand begins to wake from holiday slumber with temperatures up across the mainland.
A collection of some core analytical challenges
A collection of articles speaking to some core analytical challenges. Others are categorised elsewhere – like my prior thoughts on three reasons why forecasting is a mug’s game.
What’s been happening with NEM-wide demand so far this summer
A quick look back over summer 2015-16 to date to see what level of electricity demand has been achieved.
Sun Metals submits rule change request to AEMC – for optional Five Minute Settlement
On 4th December 2015, Sun Metals (a zinc smelter in northern Queensland, and also one of our initial deSide® clients) submitted this rule change request to the AEMC: In the 10-page proposed change, my...
Puzzling through three rule change requests
Some ideas that I have been puzzling over - about the overlaps and contradictions between 3 rule changes under consideration at the AEMC currently 1) The Demand Response Mechanism (better known as the Negawatt...
Hot weather pushes NEM-wide demand higher than the peak for summer 2014-15 (and we’re not even in summer yet…)
It's not even summer yet and we've already exceeded the high point of summer 2014-15 with the current hot weather...
Summer 2015-16 in the NEM
Articles posted, relating to summer 2015-16 in the NEM
It wasn’t the horse race that led the large drop in load in NSW coincident with the race
Responding to comments in social media about how "the race that stops the nation" might have contributed to a drop in demand in NSW
If your horse did not come in today – here’s a better chance to win a BBQ (and possibly* a bottle of Grange)
The competition is back, for another summer (with 7+1 prizes on offer). Read through for details...
What role might Demand Response play in a (possible) future grid featuring high levels of intermittency?
Back on 8th October, I spoke at All Energy in Melbourne on this topic. Given the questions posed after the session, it seemed that it might be of value to some WattClarity readers if...
Ramp rates, for “Unserved Demand” much higher in this future world
A quick look at how ramp rates would vary (for "Unserved Consumption") in the hypothetical "10x" high intermittency grid.
Considerable spillage, in the high intermittency “10x” scenario
Continuing our analysis of these hypothetical future scenarios to understand the shape of "unserved energy" and hence the potential contribution of Demand Response - today I post about energy spilled in a future with...
What would “demand” look like, in a “10x” intermittent scenario
Laying out the framework for the analysis I'm doing for my presentation at All Energy 2015 - about the role Demand Response might play in a future market dominated by intermittent generation
Spring 2015 in the NEM
A collection of articles, as we post them, about what’s been happening through spring 2015 in the NEM
Yin and Yang of Wind in the South Australian region of the National Electricity Market
A sped-up animation covering spanning a September 2015 weekend in the South Australian region of the NEM, illustrating both sides of the wind farm output coin.
A further look at the idiosyncrasies of wind in South Australia
Some further analysis of different aspects of wind farm output in South Australia
Seeking to understand the great Network Debate
Sitting on the outside, looking in, this article sums up what seems to be the main areas of contention in the great Network Debate that's been running the past couple years.
Why large energy users are concerned about last week’s machinations in South Australia
Pondering more implications of the boom/bust pricing witnessed in the South Australian region last week...