Ararat Wind Farm at full capacity
Brief note about completion of construction at Ararat Wind Farm
Seasonal Record of Events in the Market
Collections of events that we see happening in the NEM, categorised in terms of the seasons in which they occur.
End of an era at Hazelwood
A record of the closure of Hazelwood this week – and some initial thoughts on the implications
[POSTED 13:40] TC Debbie dampens electricity consumption in Queensland
A quick look (posted 13:40) at electricity consumption in Northern Queensland with the onset of Tropical Cyclone Debbie
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
With the closure of Hazelwood looming, hedge contract prices climb skywards
Ominous signs for spot price outcomes through Q2 2016 in Victoria, as hedge contract prices climb prior to the imminent closure of Hazelwood.
Was South Australia lucky the lights stayed on last Friday?
Last Friday’s events took South Australia much closer to the brink of another Black System event than many seem to have realised
[UPDATED] AEMO Market Notice on “High Impact Outage” for tomorrow – and possible effect in South Australia
AEMO issues a Market Notice for a “High Impact Outage” – a term not used since 2012.
Collective skittishness about South Australia?
With high temperatures forecast for SA (hence higher demand) coinciding with low wind, social media references to “blackout” increase. Is this helpful?
EnerNOC seems to have grossly under-represented the amount of Demand Response active in the NEM
The level of Demand Response currently active in Australia’s National Electricity Market is higher than some are estimating.
Small solar owners saved the NSW electricity market $888 million during heatwave
New South Wales recently experienced a severe heatwave, which saw parts of the state exceed 45°C. During this three day period, small solar PV (i.e. PV systems that are not registered as generators in the NEM), generated about 17 GWh of power.
How tight demand/supply situations can make solar forecasting important
NSW demand rose to a near-record high on Friday the 10th of February, and QLD soared to a new record demand on that Sunday, amidst an intense heatwave. While this heat-stressed our electricity markets and infrastructure, the nation’s rooftop solar PV systems were providing critical load reduction under plentiful sunshine.
Five fixes for the NEM
Load shedding in South Australia on Wednesday 8 February and successive ‘close shaves’ in NSW and Queensland as the heatwave spread north have exposed serious weaknesses in the national electricity market (NEM).
Interesting take, by battery maker Sonnen, on the “free energy” business model
Some brief thoughts on one innovative business model being introduced to the NEM incorporating batteries, demand response, and free energy
Key Events Timeline – NSW Friday 10 Feb 2017
A summary timeline of how last Friday’s “white knuckle ride” in NSW evolved, highlighting key events on the day.
Examining why Pelican Point didn’t bid full capacity into the NEM on Wednesday 8 February
Some thoughts by our guest author, about possible reasons why Engie did not bid full output of Pelican Point power station into AEMO on Wednesday 8th February (i.e. the time at which load shedding eventuated).
[4th Post] Large and rapid demand drop curtails demand bid for new record in Queensland
Final post for the day – a high demand level achieved, but not an all-time record.
[3rd post] The supply/demand situation in Queensland gets tighter
3rd update today as the supply/demand balance tightens, and a transmission outage adds a complexity
[Post 2] Later AEMO forecasts moderate demand forecasts slightly – but still looks to be massive
Demand forecast down slightly on this morning, but still looking like a record.
[Post 1] Early AEMO forecasts look towards new record electricity demand in Queensland today
AEMO early morning forecast pointing to a new record electricity demand late this afternoon.
[2nd post] Astonishing Queensland electricity demand – on a Sunday!
An astounding day with Queensland electricity demand on a Sunday – a new peak (according to Powerlink) or not quite (on Dispatch Target basis).