Policy implications now and for the transition
The third and final part of this series of articles from Greg Williams about opportunity costs in electricity markets - this time narrowing in on policy implications.
Energy Literacy
A collation of articles here pertaining to energy literacy.
Why generation offers diverge from variable cost
In the second part of this three part series, Greg Williams explains how fuel cost scarcity, inflexibilities, opportunity costs and other factors affects generator bids/offers.
The effect of opportunity cost on wholesale prices in the NEM
Guest author, Greg Williams provides the first part of a three-parter about costs in the NEM. In part one here he explains modelling opportunity costs and the value of 'the next best alternative'.
Measurement timeframes for Raise Contingency FCAS … from the MASS Version 8
Because we’ll be referring back to it in future, we’ve lifted out Figure 8 from the MASS version 8 (p36/39) and included it here in this belated (and back-dated) article
What inputs and processes determine a semi-scheduled unit’s availability
It is indispensable to understand how the semi-scheduled unit availability gets produced to optimally manage the critical inputs and comprehend dispatch outcomes. This article explains the key inputs and processes, focusing on the dispatch...
Let’s talk about Inertia
Inertia is an important concept to understand as the technology mix in the NEM evolves during the energy transition. In this article, Jonathon Dyson talks about the importance of inertia and highlights an example...
How dispatch works … it’s much more than just a bid stack
New guest author, Ryan Esplin progressively builds a more precise model of the NEMDE dispatch process to illustrate why the stylised 'Merit Order' bid stack model is increasingly not enough to explain dispatch and...
Why capacity factor is an increasingly simplistic way to compare solar farm performance
Dan Lee explains why capacity factor could be becoming an increasingly less useful measure for comparing how different solar farms are performing and begins an exploration into some of the factors in play when...
Analytical challenge (or beginner mistake!) – understanding the difference between a MW and a MWh
Reposting a portion of an article we published some years ago, to help readers understand the difference between a MW and a MWh.
AER published ‘Semi-Scheduled Generator Compliance Bulletin and Checklist’
A short article about the AER's publication (on 1st July 2022) of some updated information to help Semi-Scheduled generators understand their obligations.
On the fringes: the outer edges of the NEM remain the most prone to volatile MLFs
To mark the end of the financial year, Dan Lee writes this explainer about MLFs and gives some examples of noticeable long-term MLF trends within the NEM.
Two alternate theories of why capacity was withdrawn
Second (linked) article this evening, spelling out the two theories we're aware of with respect to why some participants might have withdrawn capacity from the NEMDE dispatch/pricing run in June 2022 - leading to...
Quick review of bids – looking back 16 days over APC and Market Suspension
With Market Suspension (just) behind us, in this weekend article we take a look over the past 16 days to see how volumes offered to the market from the two types of plant have...
Pricing and dispatch during market suspension
Marcelle explores how settlement prices are set and how dispatch is operating during the current market suspension.
Observation 5/22 from GenInsights21 – the rise of ‘Just in Time’
Broader discussions about the '2022 Energy Crisis', and the specific discussion this afternoon for the EUAA Electricity Committee prompted us to publish (in full) Key Observation #5 of 22 of our GenInsights21 report here...
Interconnector constraints and limits–an explainer, and a few traps
Limits on interconnectors play a key role in setting regional prices in the NEM. Marcelle finds a number of traps when interpreting the market data.
Explaining dispatch (and price setting) regarding Eraring Unit 2 on 30th May 2022
A question on Twitter from Benny Beatts (about dispatch of Origin's Eraring unit 2 on Monday 30th May) illustrates why price setting is not as simple as adding up bids that are dispatched.
Who gets to run when everyone bids the same? A crash course in disorderly bidding and tie-breaking
Marcelle explores the little-understood concept in NEM dispatch of the tie-break principle, using the new 'Constraint Dashboard' widget in ez2view.
Observations of differences in system frequency in the Mainland NEM (comparing 2019 to 2021)
One of the many data sets being crunched as part of our analytical efforts underpinning the development of 'GenInsights21' is system frequency. In this short article today, we share some initial observations on how...
Using the GSD2020 to explore operating patterns across generation types
With the release of the Generator Statistical Digest 2020, Marcelle Gannon takes a look at how it can be useful for identifying and exploring different patterns of generation.