#Official Energy Thread

[Vee]

Update on the Hornsdale Wind Farm project.
This has received the green light for construction to begin soon on the 100+ turbine wind farm near Jamestown. Hornsdale wind farm gained a 20 year supply contract in a recent ACT wind auction.

The project means construction jobs and ongoing local jobs injecting $ into regional SA and the state economy.
And more clean energy, in line with the SA's commitment to renewable energy (50% RET by 2050).

Hornsdale Wind Farm will generate approximately 1,050,000 mega watt hours of clean, renewable electricity into the national power grid each year, thereby making a major contribution to Australia’s greenhouse gas reductions.

These reductions will be equivalent to taking either 290,000 cars off the road or planting 1,900,000 trees, producing enough electricity to power approximately 180,000 homes with renewable energy.

http://www.hornsdalewindfarm.com.au/

Hornsdale gets green light.
Renew Economy:

... the primary driver for the project is not the RET, but the ACT feed in tariff, where it secured a 20-year feed-in tariff of $92/MWh under the recent auction.

Construction on the first 100MW is expected to begin in months, with South Australian firms Catcon and CPP confirmed as contractors, and is expected to be in operation in 2017.

“This project helps reinforce South Australia’s reputation as the country’s foremost renewable energy state, and helps contribute to the $10 billion low carbon investment target as well as the (state’s) 50 per cent renewable energy target , both to be achieved by 2025"

Renew Economy:
http://reneweconomy.com.au/2015/100mw-h ... ight-94458

[AdelaideGold]

Interesting...

http://www.smh.com.au/business/energy/w ... mlb0z.html

[monotonehell]

Interesting...
http://www.smh.com.au/business/energy/w ... mlb0z.html

If I'm reading that right, the tl;dr is non-baseload renewables are driving baseload non-renewables out of the marketplace creating a niche for storage technology and baseload renewables - but with a short term surge in prices as suppliers attempt to cover expected short term losses?

Could it be that the market is working?

[PeFe]

From News.com.au

Lyon Group plans to build the world’s biggest solar and battery project in Roxby Downs starting next year


WORLD’S LARGEST: An artist's impression of the $300 million Kingfisher solar and battery project planned for Roxby Downs.

UP to 800,000 individual solar panels will make up the world’s largest solar plus battery project which is targeted for construction in regional South Australia next year.
The mooted $300 million Kingfisher scheme in Roxby Downs will generate around 100 jobs during construction and is being promoted as a ground breaking enterprise to usher in greater stability and efficiency for solar power output.
Giant batteries housed in shipping container sized units alongside the panels will be used to top up power when required David Green, a director of Brisbane based Lyon Group which is behind the project has announced.
“The area around Roxby Downs is one of the best solar resources in the country,” Mr Green said. “We’re working with the SA government and Roxby Downs council to allocate land for the project.”
The plan comes as SA households and businesses struggle with rising and volatile electricity prices with debate continuing as to how to best integrate renewable energy into the national electricity market.
A benefit is expected to be cheaper energy down the track.
“Baseload electricity pool prices in SA are nearing $100/MWh which is a huge cost for major energy users and affects their productivity and global competitiveness,” he added.
“Investor pressure and economics are lining up behind solar and storage for Australia.”
“SA major energy users need an energy supply answer which reduces costs while also providing a good emission outcome. We think Kingfisher is a big part of the energy solution for the state.”

Full article : http://www.news.com.au/national/south-a ... 8b527f1264

Why isn't this proposed/or being built at Port Augusta?
Port Augusta is already an energy connection hub, thanks to the previously operating coal fired power station.
I did't even know that Roxby Downs is part of the National Electricity grid, if so it must at the very north western end...
And if this gets built where does it leave the various proposals for a solar farm near Port Augusta?

[Waewick]

They are competing interests. I'd say it's one or the other.

[PeFe]

Interesting article from In Daily on the renewable energy debate

http://indaily.com.au/opinion/2016/07/2 ... evolution/

[Wayno]

Interesting article from In Daily on the renewable energy debate

http://indaily.com.au/opinion/2016/07/2 ... evolution/

Would need a highly motivated politician to enact the necessary changes.

There's just so many vested interests in dirty energy, from big companies, investors, through to families whose jobs depend on the coal industry, for example.

[rhino]

SA Government to purchase 75 per cent of its long-term electricity needs

The South Australian Government says it will launch a tender to buy 75 per cent of its long-term electricity needs in an effort to increase competition.

SA has been hit hard by spiralling electricity costs over recent years and the Government wants to introduce a new competitor to the market.

Premier Jay Weatherill said current rules allowed private electricity companies to drive "prices higher by withholding supply".

"A small number of energy suppliers in South Australia have too much power," he said.

"If we increase competition, we will put the power back into the hands of consumers."

South Australia's electricity provider, the Electricity Trust of South Australia, was privatised in 1999.

It changed its name to SA Power Networks in 2012.

Mr Weatherill said the tender was a "medium-term" response to the need to drive down prices.

In addition to the tender process, the Government will commit $24 million toward a program incentivising local gas producers to extract more gas and supply it to the local market.

The Australian Energy Market Operator reported last month that price volatility in July was caused by a record cold, high gas prices resulting from constrained supply from the east coast, and a planned upgrade of the interconnector to Victoria.


"We need stronger physical links into the rest of the National Energy Market so South Australia can continue to increase its supply of wind and solar power and sell it into the national grid," Mr Weatherill said.

State Opposition Leader Steven Marshall said households should not expect any relief from high power prices.

He said the Government had pushed too hard for wind farms.

"He [Mr Weatherill] thinks that putting a tender together is going to somehow create an incentive to bring base load back into South Australia," he said.

"It's his own policy which has driven base load out of South Australia."

[Goodsy]

http://www.afr.com/business/energy/elec ... 130-gu1ylt

Snowy Hydro has made its first commitment for decades to a new large-scale renewables project, involving a $200 million solar farm in South Australia that will be later supplemented by batteries.

[Vee]

National electricity market - ownership, generation, distribution, interconnection, cost etc in the spotlight.

'Renationalisation'?
Plan, action needed for cheaper power, security and responsiveness to climate change.

New research raises the prospect (of)...Public-owned Australian power grid could solve energy issues

Economist says national electricity market has been crippled by design flaws and a failure to take climate change into account.

Australia’s electricity woes could be solved through a unified and publicly owned national power grid, a discussion paper has said.
 The paper authored by University of Queensland economist Prof John Quigginsays the creation of the national electricity market in the 1990s has failed to lower power prices and improve system reliability or environmental sustainability.

It argues the electricity grid, including physical transmission networks in each state and interconnectors linking them, should instead be publicly owned.

Renationalised grid, zero emissions

And it says that “renationalised” grid should be responsible for maintaining a secure power supply and moving towards a zero emissions industry.

Quiggin said minor changes to the current national electricity market would not be able to resolve the “energy instability” that was holding Australia back.

Nation-building reform
Professor John Spoehr (Flinders Uni) said ....

" ...the current system is unreliable and untenable."
"This is a discussion we have to have, as a catalyst for genuine, nation building reform.”

The Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... per-argues

[[Shuz]]

Southern Flinders locals call for wind farm rules overhaul over opposition to Neoen development
NOVEMBER 28, 2018

Residents are mobilising to fight plans for wind turbines at Crystal Brook, which would fall just metres short of the world’s largest, in Germany.

The State Commission Assessment Panel will meet in Port Pirie on Monday to consider plans for 26 turbines, which would measure 240m high — almost double the height of Adelaide’s Westpac building.

Renewable energy company Neoen is planning the project about 3.5km from Crystal Brook.

During consultation, more than 260 people had their say on the plans, with the overwhelming majority opposed to the development.

In nearby Beetaloo Valley, the community’s opposition to the $500 million project is clear, with many properties featuring protest signs with the words, ‘No Wind Farm’ strung to their fences.

Crystal Brook man Mark Cunningham was devastated when he found out his new home might soon look out over the towering turbines.

“After working hard and saving as much as we can for my entire working life of 22 years, I was finally able to gather enough to start the process of demolishing our old asbestos-clad house and sign up for a new one to be built,” Mr Cunningham said.

Just a couple of weeks after signing a building contract, he learnt that his new home would be just 1.6km from the development.

Mr Cunningham was concerned the turbines may keep his family awake at night.

“We don’t want to risk being an experiment if something does affect us,” he said.

Some residents are calling for a review of planning rules to create bigger buffer zones between wind farms and homes.

The State Commission Assessment Panel has already travelled to Port Pirie once, late last year, to hear from about locals citing concerns about health impacts, loss of views and degradation of the southern Flinders Ranges environment.

On Monday the panel will hear Neoen’s response to residents’ submissions, before deciding whether to recommend Planning Minister Stephan Knoll approves the project.

Resident Pam Pilkington was also concerned about health impacts caused by the turbines’ vibrations.

Mark Cunningham is concerned about plans for a 26-turbine wind farm near his home at Crystal Brook.

“These particular turbines aren’t even in Australia for them to have been tested, so that’s a great concern,” Ms Pilkington said.

“This application was lodged under the current regulations but those regulations were put in place when wind turbines were half the size and half the capacity.”

SA Best MLC Connie Bonaros said Neoen’s proposed turbines were just 6.5m shorter than the world’s largest ones in Germany.

She wanted a review of planning rules to limit projects to a minimum of 2km from homes, and 5km from townships.

Mr Knoll said the State Planning Commission was reviewing the requirements for wind farm developments.

“It’s important that we have a consistent and contemporary policy framework across the state that better reflects the real concerns of affected local communities,” Mr Knoll said.

A new planning and design code affecting developments across the state would be operational by July 2020, he said.

Neoen Australia’s managing director Franck Woitiez said none of the numerous studies on wind farms had found reliable evidence of effects on human health.

South Australian guidelines restricted turbine noise to 40dB — below the World Health Organisation’s recommended 45dB — and Neoen adhered to those limits.

“In addition, South Australian guidelines have also prescribed a distance of at least 1km between turbines and uninvolved dwellings,” Mr Woitiez said.

“As a long-term developer, owner and operator of renewable assets, good outcomes for the community are key to Neoen’s business model and reputation.”

If approved, the Crystal Brook farm would feature turbines the same height as another proposed by Neoen, at Kaban, 115km southwest of Cairns.

[PeFe]

Hey mods, how about merging this thread with the Electricity Infrastructure thread......

[madelaide]

This site seems to be far enough from most affected residents to warrant approval for the good of the greater community.

Recent study in Germany records that most people get used to the sound of the turbines, at least as well as people who live on busy streets get used to the sound of traffic.

These kinds of wind power projects will help SA maintain progress towards are renewable energy target. I'm sorry Mr Cunningham, you may as well just fight for free electricity as compensation...

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180124111143.htm

[[Shuz]]

$650m Port Augusta solar thermal plant project falls over
AUGUST 14, 2017

The $650 million Aurora Solar Thermal Plant planned for Port Augusta has fallen over, after the company behind it failed to secure finance.

Energy and Mining Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan this morning announced SolarReserve had advised the Government it would be unable to reach financial close by its May 31 deadline.

Mr van Holst Pellekaan said the company hoped to sell the project to a third party, which may be able to carry out the project — or initiate another — at the Port Augusta site.

“The South Australian Government has provide SolarReserve with every opportunity to deliver on the terms of the contract it signed with the former State Government in August 2017,” he said.

“I know that this will be a concern for the local people and businesses of Port Augusta but the region remains the focus of the growth that the Government is overseeing in the energy sector and I remain very confident for the region’s future.

“The State Government will ensure that we get the best deal possible for the people of South Australia, including delivering more affordable, reliable and cleaner electricity in South Australia.”

The project was expected to create work for 650 people during a two-and-a-half year construction period, and 50 ongoing full-time positions.

The former State Government announced in 2017 that the project had won a competitive tender process to supply the Government’s energy needs from 2020.

It also had the backing of a $110 million Federal Government loan.

In September, the company said it would not be operational until 2021, following delays in securing finance.

Port Augusta Mayor Brett Benbow said the announcement was a blow for his community, which had fought hard to secure renewable projects in the area following news Alinta Energy would close its power station — a major employer in town — in 2016.

“It’s disappointing for us as a city and region — we were really looking forward to this,” Mr Benbow said.

“We had our renewable group here fight really hard to get this type of thing in our region.

“Hopefully the minister can get somebody else on board to get this project to occur.”

Mr Benbow said the town’s record of attracting viable renewable energy projects spoke for itself as there were already five more in the area underway.

“I’m sure another company will come on board,” he said.

“The groundwork for the land has already been done by this company.

“They’ve done their feasibility studies and it was seen to be successful — it’s just unfortunate they couldn’t raise the finances.”

Repower Port Augusta was formed to push for renewable energy projects as the town moved away from coal.

Chairman Gary Rowbottom, who worked at the coal-fired power station for 17 years, said without help from the state and federal governments, Port Augusta’s future was at “serious risk”.

“The solar thermal power station is a lifeline to our community following the closure of the former coal-fired power station,” Mr Rowbottom said.

“Without this project, the Port Augusta community will lose our major hope for the future.

“This would be a devastating blow for our community already battling very high rates of unemployment — particularly youth unemployment.”

The project’s collapse would have a huge impact on local businesses, which had planned to secure work through the project, Mr Rowbottom said.

“We urge the South Australian and Federal Government to immediately step in and save solar

thermal in Port Augusta. Our town and our state need this more than ever.”

Opposition leader Peter Malinauskas said the announcement was “incredibly disappointing news” for the state.

“It’s disappointing news for those who believe in a renewable energy future and particularly citizens of Port Augusta who have worked so incredibly hard to advocate for a solar thermal generation plant in their home town,” Mr Malinauskas said.

[PeFe]

The In Daily story on the same subject matter

Port Augusta solar thermal project flares out

The future of the long-mooted Port Augusta solar thermal plant is in doubt after the company behind the ambitious project, SolarReserve, failed to get finance in time for a State Government deadline.



A SolarReserve thermal power plant in the USA. Photo: Supplied/SolarReserve
The news has shocked environmental and community groups and ignited a political battle over who is to blame.

The energy project had broad state political and Port Augusta community support, and promised more than 600 construction jobs for locals.

Energy Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan announced the failure this morning, telling reporters that the tender to supply the State Government with energy, which SolarReserve’s Port Augusta molten salt solar thermal plant project won in 2017, will now be reopened.

Full article : https://indaily.com.au/news/business/20 ... lares-out/

All is not lost, the South Australian government intend to retender the project allowing other players (with other storage options) to tender for the project.

Also I don't believe the argument that the proposed SA-NSW interconnector has "undermined" the project.
The government contract would stand irrelevant of a new interconnector being built, the power was going to be sold in the South Australia market (with the state government as the main client)

The proposed SA-NSW interconnector presents South Australia with a great business opportunity to export cheap renewable power into New South Wales.
Just as the sun goes down in Sydney there is at least another 45 minutes of sunshine in South Australia.....perfect in summer to export east.

Also NSW faces the challenge of coal power stations closing during the 2020's, first up Liddell in 2023, follwed by others around 2028-9.
The new interconnector would probably be built just in time for the Lidell closure.

I can imagine big new solar farms being built in the Riverland (and I mean really big ones, ie 400-500 mw) in the future with the possibility of serving the South Australian and New South Wales markets at the same time.....that's about 8 million people as potential customers.