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Categories
Low carbon generation
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Low carbon generation
An investigation into REZ capacity factors during Victoria’s dark doldrums
As the grid transitions to much higher levels of renewable penetration, the range of generation outcomes on any given day increases. The worst of these ranges are known as dark doldrums when there is a combination of poor conditions for wind and solar generation, usually a windless day in winter....
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Low carbon generation
“Ooh, a storm is threatening, My very [interconnection] today”: Can states utilise interconnection to share wind resources?
Penetration of renewables continues to dominate the energy news, as we saw renewables as a proportion of total demand reach new heights this week to a new record of ~70% penetration. In light of this continuing march toward a renewable-dominated grid (building on some analysis we did in Chart of...
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Low carbon generation
MLF changes in NSW in the past decade
MLF, short for Marginal Loss Factor, represents the portion of electricity losses that occur along the transmission network between a connection point and the Regional Reference Node (RRN). Within the NEM, the MLF serves as a metric to quantify these losses along the network, playing a pivotal role in determining...
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Low carbon generation
Putting the National in NEM
The Australia-Asia power line proposed by Sun Cable will connect a 17-20GW capacity solar plant to Darwin with an 800km High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission line, which then connects to Singapore via a 4,500km HVDC transmission subsea cable (Australia-Asia-powerlink). Expected to be operational by 2027, the $35 billion project has...
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Low carbon generation
“If I don’t get some shelter, ooh yeah, I’m gonna fade away”: How much firming is needed for wind?
In the last week, renewable generation in SA has varied from 126% of local demand to only 0.6%. During this period of low wind in the state, SA was importing ~600MW from Victoria. At that same time, renewables were thankfully generating 34% in VIC, along with brown coal pretty much...
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Low carbon generation
NSW’s transition to a new era: What will replace Eraring?
After 52 years of operation, the NSW Liddell power station officially shut down last 28 April. With Liddell’s closure, NSW’s transition to a green energy future is in full swing. First announced in 2015, NSW had seven years to ensure there is enough replacement capacity once Liddell is retired. Since...
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Low carbon generation
Building up the road to the coast – can we deliver energy from Gippsland’s offshore wind?
On 19 December 2022, the Federal Minister for Climate and Energy officially declared the area in Bass Strait off the Victorian Gippsland Coast suitable for offshore wind. The declared area covers approximately 15,000 square kilometres, from Lakes Entrance in the east to south of Wilsons Promontory in the west. Based...
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Low carbon generation
Lean, clean, electrolysing machines – how clean is Australia’s hydrogen future?
The Clean Energy Regulator is currently exploring how to define ‘low-emissions’ hydrogen production through a Guarantee of Origin (GO) scheme for Australia. Such a scheme could set a threshold level for carbon emissions from the production process in order to classify it as being ‘clean’, similar to schemes in operation...
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Low carbon generation
Loy Yang A closure: How much VRE and firming capacity is required to cover peak hours?
AGL has accelerated the closure of the Loy Yang A power station for the second time in 2022, a few days after the Victorian government announced a target of 2.6 GW storage by 2030, increasing to 6.3 GW storage by 2035. According to the AGL announcement, released on 29 September,...
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Business supply and services
Sectoral spread of energy price hikes in GB
We recently published a report exploring the impact of price increases and the approaches which companies are already taking to mitigate their exposure. In this week's 'Chart of the Week', we discuss some of the key findings from this report.
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Low carbon generation
Surge in value for waste-derived RGGOs
In August we published the findings from the July-22 edition of our quarterly Green Certificates Survey. The survey is designed to provide greater market transparency for Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO), Continental Guarantees of Origin (GoOs) and Renewable Gas Guarantees of Origin (RGGO) certificate markets. In this week's ‘Chart...
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Low carbon generation
Analysing earlier coal retirement in Victoria: What does it take for more emission reduction?
AEMO has recently published the 2022 Integrated System Plan (ISP), which provides an energy transition roadmap for the National Electricity Market (NEM). This ISP focuses on the “Step Change” scenario, which reflects strong action on climate change leading to a step change reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, based on the...
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Low carbon generation
Head to Head: CfD vs RESS
2022 has been busy for renewable developers in Great Britain and Ireland, with both the fourth allocation round of the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme and the second round of the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) concluding this summer. In this week’s ‘Chart of the Week’, we compared the latest...
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Low carbon generation
BSUoS charges: What goes up…
Balancing Service Use of System (BSUoS) charges have continued to be the dominant driver of Third-Party Charge increases in recent months, with costs remaining elevated since last autumn. In this 'Chart of the week', we present a view of past monthly BSUoS charges and expectations for future costs on a...
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Low carbon generation
Waiting On the [Wind] to Change: A look-back on wind load factors in 2021-22
In our work across the renewables space, wind output and its impact on Renewables Obligation Certificate (ROC) issue has featured frequently in discussion with colleagues and market participants alike over the course of Compliance Period (CP) 20 (2021-22). In this 'Chart of the week', we examines wind load factor trends...
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Low carbon generation
CfD-accredited assets delay CfD start dates
The media have recently published stories regarding offshore windfarms with Contracts for Difference (CfD) agreements choosing to delay the start of their CfD terms in order to take advantage of high wholesale power prices and avoid having to pay additional revenue back to the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC). This...
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Low carbon generation
Electric Vehicles vs reactive power controllability of inverter-based resources
Electric Vehicles (EVs) are quickly plugging into electricity distribution systems (EDS) around the world. Their take up introduces new challenges due to their random and high energy consumption. One of the important challenges associated with integrating EVs into EDS is voltage imbalance due to EV uptake in residential areas. This...
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Energy storage and flexibility
Chart of the week | The summer of our discontent?
Wholesale power and gas prices have surged significantly in the past year and have been highly volatile alongside rapidly unfolding geopolitical events. This summer, the overall direction of energy prices could move in a number of ways, dependent on further sanctions and counter-sanctions between Russia and the West, as well...
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Business supply and services
A GoO-ey end? Green power import certificates poised for removal
On 29 March, BEIS published a consultation seeking views on the removal of Feed in Tariff (FIT) and Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme cost exemptions for green imported electricity and the recognition of EU Guarantees of Origin (GoOs) in GB altogether. Our 'Chart of the week' shows historic GoO imports...
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Home supply and services
Domestic Third Party Charges: 2022-23 outlook
The new energy price cap will come into effect from April, hitting a record high level which will see domestic consumers paying over 50% more per year in their energy bills. Although much of this increase is driven by rising wholesale prices, Third Party Charges (TPCs), reflecting non-commodity energy costs,...
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Low carbon generation
Lower energy prices? More than just hot air
The Victorian Government launched Australia’s first offshore wind targets as part of its transition towards a net-zero emission future. According to the target, 9GW of offshore wind will be installed by 2040, nearly quadrupling the total wind capacity in VIC. In this Chart of the week, we dive into the...
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Low carbon generation
Germinating: The growth of onshore wind and solar PV pipeline capacity since March 2020
The application window for Contract For Difference (CfD) Allocation Round Four (AR4) closed on 14 January. While we await news on the timetable and next steps for the auction, this 'Chart of the week' takes stock of how the pipeline for onshore wind and solar PV has developed since the...
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Low carbon generation
SA on cusp of 100% instantaneous renewables; gas unit directions remain
AEMO’s goal of handling 100% instantaneous renewable penetration by 2025 is a significant challenge and fitting, given the pace the NEM is moving to support increasingly higher levels of instantaneous (and increasingly asynchronous) renewables regularly. While this challenge may not be as pressing for all NEM regions, the need to...
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Energy storage and flexibility
T-4 Capacity Market Results: New build battery storage leads the way
On 22 February 2022, the T-4 Capacity Market (CM) auction for Delivery Year 2025-26 cleared at £30.59/kW/year. This was the highest ever clearing price in a T-4 GB CM auction and followed the T-1 auction for 2022-23, which cleared at the highest ever GB CM price of £75/kW on 15...
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Low carbon generation
Capacity Market prequalification: Lack of nuclear capacity opens opportunity for new build capacity
In its role as the EMR Delivery Body, National Grid ESO published the prequalification registers for the upcoming Capacity Market auctions, on 23 November. The registers detail the assets that have either prequalified, conditionally prequalified or been rejected ahead of the T-1 and T-4 auctions for delivery in 2022-23 and...
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Low carbon generation
Embedded generators and the future of TNUoS charging
Electricity network charges are currently undergoing a significant period of reform to ensure that charging methodologies are fit for purpose in the transitioning energy market. Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) generator charges are a particular topic of debate at present, with locational tariffs raising concern by some parties and...
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Low carbon generation
Industrial hydrogen demand predicted to grow to 37TWh by 2050
This week’s ‘Chart of the week’ looks at recent research from Cornwall Insight’s insight paper - Industrial decarbonisation key for UK low carbon hydrogen – which shows demand for hydrogen by the industrial sector is predicted to grow significantly. In fact, Cornwall Insight research shows that by 2030 UK industry...
