New hedging options emerge in the NEM as the energy transition accelerates
Our guest author, Dave Guiver from ERM Power, outlines some new options for hedging in relation to the influx of many new large-scale solar PV projects
Guest Author
When the NEM’s Largest Generating Unit Trips …
A follow-on to my earlier article of a couple weeks ago, looking at another instance where a team effort was required to counter a drop in system frequency following the loss of generation at...
Renewable energy – did it just laze about over summer?
A review of the high demand periods over summer 2017/18 highlights the important contribution renewable generation is making to meeting peak demand and addressing the reliability of the power system.
FCAS in Action – What Happens When a Generator Trips? (or Never let the data get in the way of a good story)
Understanding the FCAS response by all generators when a unit trips in the NEM. A detailed look at the Loy Yang A unit trip in December 2017 and the contribution of the Hornsdale Power...
Short term forecasting of wind power plant generation for the provision of ancillary services
As NEM wind power plants progressively work towards implementing FCAS, the criticality of ensuring that the power system either a) takes account of the variability in the wind forecasts coming from the wind power...
Power station ‘trips’ are normal, but blackouts are not
Understanding the difference between blackouts, generator trips and intermittent generation and how these events are managed.
Grandfathers Axe or Low Hanging Fruit?
Upgrading our existing coal thermal fleet to increase efficiency and flexibility could provide a cost-effective opportunity to add dispatchable capacity and lower the overall carbon intensity of our electricity sector.
No Guarantee of Success
Our guest author, Allan O'Neil, poses a number of questions about the recently proposed "National Energy Guarantee" (NEG)
Possibilities of Peak Demand (VIC and SA) during summer 2017-18
Our guest author, Rob Davis, looks at what might emerge for summer 2017-18 given the La Nina outlook, and prior distributions of Cooling Degree Days for Victoria and South Australia
September Update: More Regulation on the Retail Side
Following from my August update, here's two developments we have seen in relation to retail & networks regulation.
Decoding AEMO’s latest ESOO–will the lights stay on this summer?
Some initial analysis by our guest author, Allan O'Neil, about what AEMO's Statement of Opportunities 2017 is saying in terms of this coming summer 2017-18
What does “Unserved Energy” actually mean – a brief explainer
A brief explainer of what "Unserved Energy" (or USE) actually means, in the context of the AEMO "Electricity Statement of Opportunities 2017" (ESOO) released this week.
August Update: Regulatory Responses to Pricing Concern
Some thoughts from guest author, Connor James, about "what's next" in response to energy user concerns about high and escalating prices.
Cloud patterns on Friday 19th May 2017 – leading to a day of low Solar PV output, NEM-wide
Following Wednesday's article by Paul McArdle on WattClarity, we've reviewed the (very cloudy) weather patterns for Friday 19th May 2017, and the accuracy of Solcast's predictions of a day of low solar PV output
Cost Confusion
Our guest author, Allan O'Neil, posts an overview of the strengths and weaknesses of an increasingly popular metric - the LCOE (or Levellised Cost of Energy)
Energy Supply Disruption – Understand the Customer Drivers
The energy supply industry is now a case study of major disruption and this is causing chaos. We are now witnessing the simultaneous high prices in electricity and gas – importantly at the commodity...
More about wind output and AEMO’s intervention in South Australia 25-26 April
A closer look at AEMO’s actions during a period of high windfarm output in SA last week
Adding a Slice of Cheese
The South Australian Blackout of 28th September 2016 is not as simple as it looks.
A sudden series of SA spikes
Tight import limits on the Heywood interconnector and a lull in wind output saw price volatility return to South Australia earlier this week
NEM FCAS causer pays factor issues for wind and solar farms
Generators used to consider the Australian National Electricity Market (NEM) FCAS causers pays factors (CPF), used to allocate FCAS regulation costs across the market, as an obscure and unimportant technically challenging curiosity. Since 2014,...