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.
Initial questions about the LGC market
Our first look at trended LGC production (aggregated by state/territory) and LGC spot prices (monthly average), now possible in NEMreview v7, generates a number of questions…
Why is wind production being curtailed (or “dispatched down”, more strictly speaking)?
It was inevitable that Semi-Scheduled plant would start to experience times when they are dispatched down. It’s a big prompt to take next steps up the learning curve.
Analytical Challenge – determining “what might have otherwise been?”
One of the challenges in analysis is to even be conscious of the need to ascertain “what might have otherwise been”.
How much wind-powered electricity production has been curtailed in SA since these new constraints were invoked?
An article that sums up some decidedly un-quick calculations we’ve performed – looking over an 8 week period to 13th September to estimate how much wind power has been curtailed by the AEMO.
How significant would it be, if Mt Piper were forced to close (at least temporarily)?
A quick look at the scale of the challenge, if Mt Piper were to be forced to close following a court challenge to coal supplies upstream
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.
It’s very misleading to claim “Since the introduction of the National Electricity Market in 1996 the wholesale price of energy has risen dramatically”
The wholesale cost of electricity has risen (too fast, too high) in recent years. However let’s not let ourselves be conned into believing that this has arisen, now, because of the creation of the NEM back in 1998.
On Saturday 2nd September, AEMO reacted to Severe Weather Warning by imposing limits on interconnector
On Saturday 2nd September, AEMO responded to a BOM-issued “Severe Weather Event” warning by reducing flow capacity west on the Heywood link. Here’s how that looked…
Wind production in South Australia roared out of the June doldrums to a new production record in July 2017
From one extreme (perhaps lowest ever in June 2017, on like-for-like) to the other (new record production) in the space of just one month for aggregate wind in South Australia
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
A solar eclipse is just one type of a larger class of challenge with solar PV
Some thoughts about challenges with intermittent solar PV, triggered by this week’s Solar Eclipse in North America
Energy Users as the “victim” in the train wreck that’s unfolding before our eyes
A few thoughts about how energy users (including each of us) are the main victims in the unfolding train wreck that’s become of this energy transition off the rails.
[In the NEM, at least] Business consumption of electricity dwarfs residential consumption of electricity
AEMO data for the National Electricity Market shows business consumption of electricity is more than twice that of residential consumption of electricity
Wind Farm output in SA constrained, again, by AEMO’s “System Strength” constraint
A quick note about high wind speeds in South Australia this afternoon leading to AEMO constraining wind farm output down for System Strength reasons.
Energy prices below zero in South Australia, but Raise Regulation FCAS prices through the roof
Low energy prices in South Australia combined with high prices for Raise Regulation
ACCC chief, Rod Sims, includes 6 factors driving retail electricity prices higher
A timely reminder from Rod Sims (at the ACCC) this week that there are a number of factors driving electricity price higher – not just a single “smoking gun”
Forecast, of sorts, for the National Electricity Market – Train Wreck upon us?
An energy crisis (like a train wreck) is upon us.