solar farms

  • 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...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Australian Chart of the week | Two roller coaster rides for the price of one? Preliminary vs final MLFs

    In recent years, movements in marginal loss factors (MLFs) have received significant attention in the National Electricity Market (NEM). Many renewable projects in remote areas have experienced material MLF reductions as more supply connects nearby. For example, the MLF for Broken Hill Solar Farm saw a whopping 50 ppt drop...

  • Low carbon generation

    Australian Chart of the week | VRE pays more as PFR helps reduce coal FCAS costs

    In our previous ‘Chart of the week’ in November 2020, we reviewed the increasing percentage of causer pays cost that solar generators bear due to their generation profiles and how this results in them paying significantly more of the causer pays cost as a ratio of the generation they provide. More than...

  • Low carbon generation

    Australian Chart of the week | Is the market putting the brakes on distributed solar exports?

    In most states, electricity retailers determine and set their own rooftop solar feed-in tariffs (FITS). A major driver is the wholesale energy prices, which continue to decline midday. For more information, please refer to our previous Chart of the Week issue 76. As the solar weighted wholesale energy prices reduce or become...

  • Low carbon generation

    Australian Chart of the week | Tis’ all about the Benjamins: foregone value of solar constraints

    Summer is now well and truly behind us. However, grid stability remains a concern with no relief in sight for the five solar farms across Victoria and NSW. The solar farms are currently at 50% output. The constraint has been in place since mid-September last year and will likely last...

  • Low carbon generation

    Australian Chart of the week | You’re gonna need a bigger boat: NW VIC in the waves of change

    Back in September 2019, issues with system strength saw five solar farms have their output curtailed by up to 50%. This situation in North West Victoria has been at the center of many discussions over the last fortnight. Particularly in light of the West Murray Technical Forum held by AEMO. In...

  • Low carbon generation

    Australian Chart of the week | From sunrise to sunset: the outlook for merchant solar

    Utility-scale solar is certainly making an impression on the NEM with the recently released Quarterly Energy Dynamics from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). It reported that Q4 2019 saw the highest grid-solar output on record. In addition, Shell announced its first foray into the world of utility-scale solar. They...

  • Low carbon generation

    Australian Chart of the week | I’ve reached the top and had to stop and that’s what botherin’ me

    The past few months have seen close attention paid to the curtailment of renewable generators across the NEM. We have seen AEMO limit the output of solar generators in North Western Victoria to manage voltage issues, the continuing story of wind curtailment in SA as a result of system strength....